Tomoko Kawase
Profile
- Name: Tomoko Kawase (川瀬智子 Kawase Tomoko)
- Birthday: February 6, 1975
- Height: 161cm (Unconfirmed)
- Place of Birth: Kyoto, Japan
- Favourite colour: Red
The Brilliant Green
Tomoko Kawase is probably best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the J-Pop band The Brilliant Green. She was asked to join the band in 1995 after bassist Okuda Shunsaku and guitarist Matsui Ryo heard her sing when she took part in a non-professional singing contest. As the band's lyricist, she writes and sings songs in both Japanese and English - an amazing feat considering she reportedly she does not speak much English. Following the release of their 2002 album, The Winter Album, The Brilliant Green have been on hiatus. On November 22 2003, Tomoko announced her marriage to fellow band mate, bassist Okuda Shunsaku.
Solo Career
In the years following, and leading up to, the hiatus of The Brilliant Green, Tomoko has launched her solo career under the name of Tommy February6, taking it's name from her date of birth. The musical style embraced by Tomoko in her solo career is vastly different from the J-Rock sound of The Brilliant Green, verging out in the direction of a retro '80s disco' influence. Under this name, Tomoko has to date released two full albums, the first of which was released on the day of her 27th birthday.
During the fruition of her Tommy February6 career, Tomoko also released two singles under the name Tommy heavenly6. Posessing a rock sound much heavier than that of The Brilliant Green, these stand-alone releases acted as a counter-balance to the 'bubblegum pop' of her alter-ego Tommy February6. In August of 2005, more than two years after the first single, Tommy heavenly6 finally realeased her long-awaited eponymous debut album.
In addition to her own solo singing career, Tomoko briefly produced and wrote songs for a new band, Tommy☆angels, and former soloist AVEX Hinoi Asuka. Tomoko has also made an appearance as a voice actress as Pikki in the anime series Piroppo, briefly modelled for Italian fashion house Fiorucci and for a period of time hosted Break Down, an MTV show.
Discography
- 2001/07/25 - EVERYDAY AT THE BUS STOP
- 2001/11/21 - KISS ONE MORE TIME
- 2002/01/17 - Bloomin'!
- 2002/02/06 - Tommy February6
- 2003/02/06 - je t'aime je t'aime
- 2003/07/30 - Love Is Forever
- 2003/07/30 - Wait Till I Can Dream (as Tommy heavenly6)
- 2004/02/11 - MaGic in youR Eyes
- 2004/03/17 - Tommy Airline
- 2004/05/25 - Hey My Friend (as Tommy heavenly6)
- 2004/07/14 - L・O・V・E・L・Y ～夢見るLOVELY BOY～
- 2005/07/19 - Ready? (as Tommy heavenly6)
- 2005/08/23 - Tommy heavenly6 (as Tommy heavenly6)
Trivia
Tomoko is almost infamous for having a strange obsession with Elmo, the red Sesame Street muppet, Harry Potter and more recently Pikachu from the anime franchise Pokemon, to whom, as Tommy February6, she dedicated her song L・O・V・E・L・Y ～夢見るLOVELY BOY～.