Kiyotaka Sugiyama

is a Japanese singer-songwriter known for being the lead vocalist of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe. Debuting in 1983 with the band, Sugiyama began his solo career in 1986 after the band's disbandment the previous year. As the lead singer of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe, he was the lead voice on songs such as "Summer Suspicion" and "Futari no Natsu Monogatari", while as a solo artist he has had multiple hit songs including "Sayonara Ocean", "Saigo no Holy Night", and "Mizu no Naka no Answer".

Sugiyama has currently released a total of 27 albums throughout his solo career, with his debut album Beyond… (1986) reaching 1st place on the Oricon charts, with subsequent albums in the 80s also being in the top ten of the album charts. Sugiyama has been described as one of the artists who shaped city pop's image, utilizing newer synths and his vocals.

Early life Sugiyama was born on July 17, 1959, in Isogo-ku, Yokohama; his father was a police officer and his mother was a shamisen and dance teacher. He started listening to music at an early age after being inspired by western rock music like The Beatles, saving up money in order to buy their albums. His first instrument was an electric guitar, later buying an acoustic guitar after listening to Japanese folk music. He formed a band with his classmates in junior high and started writing songs, performing at a school festival in his third year. After he graduated from high school, he worked at a live house.

Career

Sugiyama with DJ Kamasami Kong, who gave the name "Omega Tribe" to the group in the '80s. In 1979, he joined the band Cutie Panchos, which was made of high schoolers who frequented a live house, becoming their lead vocalist. The band participated in the 19th and 20th Yamaha Popular Song Contests held in 1980, winning an award in the 19th Popcon but losing in the 20th Popcon. By 1982, the final lineup of Cutie Panchos was formed, with the band being scouted by Koichi Fujita; the band would debut as S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe with "Summer Suspicion" in 1983. The band lasted two years, breaking up at the peak of their popularity due to discontent from session musicians doing all of the recordings instead of the band members themselves.

After the disbandment of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe, Sugiyama debut as a solo act in 1986 with the single "Sayonara Ocean" followed by his debut album, Beyond…, which peaked at 1st place on the Oricon Albums Chart. His follow-up single "Saigo no Holy Night", reached 2nd place on the Oricon Singles Chart. While a solo artist at VAP, he befriended fellow singer Momoko Kikuchi, portraying her brother in the 1986 movie Aidoru o Sagase. In 1989, he wrote the song "Last Train" for Carlos Toshiki & Omega Tribe's 1989 album Be Yourself, transferring to Warner Pioneer at the request of Triangle Production alongside Carlos Toshiki & Omega Tribe and later transferring from Triangle Production to Horipro.

On May 30, 1990, Sugiyama was transferred from VAP to Warner Music Japan and released his fifth album Sprinkle, reaching 1st place on the Oricon charts. In 1996, he started annually performing at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall during tours. In 2000, he was transferred back to VAP and later left Horipro to establish the company Masterwork Co., Ltd, which later became Island Afternoon Co., Ltd. In 2004, he and other members of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe reunited for the first time for a concert.

In 2013, he released the album I Am Me which featured self covers of S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe and his solo career songs. In 2016, Sugiyama celebrated his 30th anniversary of his solo debut with a concert at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall and released the album Ocean. The next year, he released the album Driving Music. In 2018, Sugiyama and S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe reunited for a national tour for the band's 35th anniversary, with Sugiyama also having a solo tour for his own anniversary of debut. In 2020, Sugiyama released the album Rainbow Planet, his first album in three years, but had to postpone a tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. In 2023, the 40th anniversary of his debut with S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe, he released the album Freedom and the compilation album All Time Best which compiled various singles throughout his career.

Artistry Sugiyama was inspired by The Beatles and other western rock music after listening to them at a friend's house as a child, switching his instrument from a shamisen to guitar after being inspired by Beatles member George Harrison and his Fender Stratocaster. He was also interested by Japanese folk rock, including artists Takuro Yoshida and Yōsui Inoue. In high school, he became obsessed with American rock and was in a school band that mimicked the style of Santana. While as part of Cutie Panchos, he and the band were inspired by The Doobie Brothers and mimicked their style. He also was a smoker and drinker in an attempt to get his voice deeper like Otis Redding, quitting both in 2011 in order to help his voice.

Personal life Sugiyama met former singer Yuko Yanagisawa, the sister of comedian Shingo Yanagisawa, in 1980, with the two marrying in 1985 and having a daughter, Maho, the next year. In 1990, the family emigrated to Hawaii, living in Hawaiʻi Kai, obtaining permanent residency in 1992 while Sugiyama travelled to and from Japan and Los Angeles to record. During his time in Hawaii, he learned about surfing and began practicing bodyboarding. Sugiyama and Yanagisawa divorced, with Sugiyama returning his permanent residency and moving back to Japan in 2006 while Yanagisawa and Maho stayed in the United States.

Sugiyama is known for his use of sunglasses during performances and for his public image. He first began wearing sunglasses to hide a swollen face due to heavy drinking the night before a performance for S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe. The crowd reacted positively to the style, and he began using sunglasses to the point it where it became his trademark look. During his later career, he began taking off his sunglasses and showing his face without them.

Sugiyama is a fan of anime, his early aspirations as a child was to become a manga artist prior to becoming a musician. He has written multiple songs based on being inspired from anime; he created the song "Boys of Eternity" for the 1988 OVA Shounan Bakusouzoku and 2022 single "Nightmare" was inspired by the anime Call of the Night, writing the song as if it was its theme song.

Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums with chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Oricon BillboardBeyond…Released: July 2, 1986 Label: VAP Format: LP, CD147Realtime to ParadiseReleased: March 21, 1987 Label: VAP Format: LP, CD150Kona WeatherReleased: December 19, 1987 Label: VAP Format: LP, CD251Here & ThereReleased: May 17, 1989 Label: VAP Format: LP, CD 2—Listen to My HeartReleased: November 8, 1989 Label: VAP Format: CD4—SprinkleReleased: May 30, 1990 Label: Warner Pioneer Format: CD 1—Moonset – Yasashina NarumadeReleased: June 12, 1991 Label: Warner Music Japan Format: CD 4—Island AfternoonReleased: June 10, 1992 Label: Warner Music Japan Format: CD 7—Kanata Kara no KazeReleased: September 25, 1992 Label: Warner Music Japan Format: CD 19—Add WaterReleased: July 25, 1994 Label: WEA Japan Format: CD 14—Rhythm from the OceanReleased: September 25, 1995 Label: WEA Japan Format: CD 29—Rainbow Shave IceReleased: July 10, 1996 Label: WEA Japan Format: CD 30—Honolulu City LightsReleased: June 25, 1997 Label: WEA Japan Format: CD81—Harvest StoryReleased: October 25, 1997 Label: WEA Japan Format: CD 91—Ocean Side CompanyReleased: July 21, 2000 Label: VAP Format: CD 40—ZampaReleased: July 21, 2001 Label: VAP Format: CD 67—Heaven's ShoreReleased: November 21, 2001 Label: VAP Format: CD 96—Aloe Vera 99%Released: July 24, 2002 Label: VAP Format: CD 80—Hula Moon SessionsReleased: April 23, 2003 Label: VAP Format: CD 44—Shima Kara no Tegami, Umi Kara no Henji.Released: December 3, 2003 Label: VAP Format: CD 76—Bay Area KidsReleased: August 4, 2004 Label: VAP Format: CD 78—The Sunshine BandReleased: July 26, 2006 Label: VAP Format: CD 63—Favorite Eternal Numbers – DesperadoReleased: July 25, 2007 Label: VAP Format: CD82—StyleReleased: December 19, 2007 Label: VAP Format: CD 112—Favorite Eternal Numbers II – Asu ni Kakeru HashiReleased: November 5, 2008 Label: VAP Format: CD73100VeteranReleased: July 17, 2009 Label: VAP Format: CD 4966Island Afternoon II Pacific RimReleased: February 10, 2010 Label: VAP Format: CD 4980Kiyotaka Sugiyama Meets Tetsuji Hayashi ReunitedReleased: April 6, 2011 Label: VAP Format: Digital download, streaming, CD5450I Am MeReleased: April 17, 2013 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD2520Island Afternoon III Da Kine of Da BudsReleased: June 25, 2014 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD 6062OceanReleased: July 6, 2016 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD 3430Driving MusicReleased: July 19, 2017 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD 2423My Song My SoulReleased: July 19, 2017 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD 2116Rainbow PlanetReleased: May 13, 2020 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD109FreedomReleased: May 10, 2023 Label: King Records Format: Digital download, streaming, CD119

Filmography