Kaoru Akimoto

Kaoru Akimoto (秋元薫, born June 5, 1964 in Tokyo) is a Japanese J-pop singer who performed during the 80s and 90s, during which the music genre Kayōkyoku was popular. She is most known for her 1986 album Cologne and the song "Dress Down", which became popular in the 2010s and 2020s due to the city pop music boom. Since its release, it has been remastered as Cologne + 1. Akimoto is also known for providing the vocals to soundtracks for various video games and providing backup vocals for other singers and music groups.

Early life Akimoto was born in Tokyo, Japan on June 5, 1964, into "a very ordinary family with no connection to music". In 1985, she released the single "Paradox", which became the theme song for the OVA anime TV series Fire Tripper. According to Akimoto, this paved the way for her debut as a solo artist. In the 1990s, Akimoto retired from performing but made a comeback in 2021 with the re-issued and remastered release of the 1986 album Cologne titled Cologne + 1. She also partnered with South Korean music producer Night Tempo to create an album titled The Showa Groove, featuring a remixed version of her hit "Dress Down". Paradox (1985 album) (パラドックス) (Victor Musical Industries Inc.) (from the soundtrack of the anime television series Fire Tripper) VIDEO ANIME vs TV ANIME Anime Song Best Collection (ビデオアニメvsテレビアニメ アニメソング ベストコレクション) (1986 vinyl LP)

Cologne (1986 album) Rumic World PART 1 Fire Tripper (るーみっく わーるど PART 1 炎(ファイヤー)トリッパー <ドラマ篇>) (1986 LP album) Shambara (1989 album) Slow Step (スローステップ オリジナル・サウンド・トラック) (1991 anime series soundtrack) Perfume (1992 album by Megumi Hayashibara) Tomodachi de Iikara (友達でいいから) (1994 album by Yumiko Takahashi) Dark Savior Sound Factory Series Vol. 3: Original Vocal Track (ダークセイバー サウンドファクトリーシリーズVOL.3オリジナル・ボーカルトラック) (1996 CD) GALAXY FRAULEIN Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works (銀河お嬢様伝説 ユナ あきたか みか イラストワークス) (1996 soundtrack album) Caravan on the Radio (キャラバン・オン・ザ・ラジオ) (1997 CD featuring music from games by Hudson Soft, primarily Bomberman) Dress Down (2017 LP vinyl) FINAL BOUT ~ SiIvaGunner: King for Another Day Tournament Original Soundtrack VOL. 3 (2020 CD) Cologne + 1 (2021 album) Narcissist (2022 single) Night Tempo Presents The Showa Groove (2022 album)