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Eric Fukusaki (エリック・フクサキ, born April 27, 1991) is a Peruvian singer based in Japan. Born and raised in Lima, he began singing in competitions during his adolescence and placing first in several. After successfully auditioning for the Up-Front Works record label, he debuted alongside Munehiko Ohno in Alma Kaminiito in 2012. The duo released three singles and one album before its dissolution the following year. In 2014, he embarked on a solo career; his discography consists of three singles and one cover mini-album.

Life and career

Eric Fukusaki was born on April 27, 1991, in Lima, Peru. His mother is Chinese Peruvian and his father is Japanese Peruvian. Part of the third generation of Japanese diaspora, Fukusaki is the middle child between brothers Dennis and Kenneth. He was raised listening to enka from his parents. Starting at the age of 12, he participated in singing competitions, winning several of them. In 2008, he traveled to Brazil and won a competition meant to "represent the colony". He later traveled to Japan with his parents for a month to participate in another contest. With his siblings, along Hisae and Mabi, they formed the band Akinee. However, he decided to emigrate to Japan in 2009 at the age of 18 to pursue a music career in enka. He lived in Japan for a year in order to "take in the ambience ". Upon his return to Peru, musician Kazufumi Miyazawa called him to suggest taking part in Nipponia, a concert which takes place in Okinawa targeting Japanese diaspora.

Together with Munehiko Ohno, Fukusaki was selected by Up-Front Works in February 2011 to establish a group to sing in Japanese, Spanish, and English. Seeking to "unite Japan with the world", Alma Kaminiito released its debut single in April 2012. It ranked in the top 10 of the Billboard Japan Hot 100. In August, the pair embarked on its first Alma Kaminiito 1st Live "Uno" concert. In December of that year, Alma Kaminnito released its first album Alma Covers, which contains Spanish and English-language covers of Japanese songs from the 1980s and 1990s. In 2013, Ohno announced his departure from the group, resulting in its dissolution.

By the end of the year, Fukusaki announced his plan to debut as a soloist. On April 9, 2014, Fukusaki released his debut single "Shinjiru Mono ni Sukuwareru"/"Subete no Kanashimi ni Sayonarasuru tame ni"/"Tsuioku". "Ai Yai Yai!"/"Ikanaide Señorita" was released as his second single on August 19, 2015. In 2017, he composed the single "Peanut Butter Jelly Love" for idol girl group Country Girls, his first contribution for another music act. He also wrote "Fiesta! Fiesta!" for idol girl group Juice=Juice, where he also provided the Spanish lines on the track. Following two years of absence, Fukusaki released his first cover mini-album Aru Koi no Monogatari on August 23. This was followed by the release of his third single "Kazaranai Uta" on October 4.

Discography

Albums

Cover EPs

Singles

As lead artist

References

1. Oricon Sound Blowin'2012～Spring～『スペシャルゲストはソナーポケット！注目の“新人”ライブへ無料ご招待！』. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. April 4, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
2. ^ Taihei, Kubota (September 14, 2015). ペルー生まれの日系3世、エリック・フクサキが2つのルーツをベースに〈文化交流〉させたラテン×歌謡な新シングルを語る. Mikiki (in Japanese). Retrieved November 3, 2017.
3. Ōhashi, Mikiko (August 6, 2012). アルマカミニイト、意気込み充分！年末から初の全国ツアーへ. Barks (in Japanese). Japan Music Network. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
4. "Akinee en el Matsuri 2012". Akinee Official Website (in Spanish). November 8, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
5. ^ "Con Alma Kaminiito peruano debuta mañana en Tokio como cantante profesional". International Press (in Spanish). IPC World. April 24, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
6. "[EN] Interview of Eric Fukusaki and his musicians". Facebook. Up-Front Link. February 9, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
7. ^ Pujay, Jhohana (December 28, 2012). "La armonía de Alma Kaminiito". Kaikan (in Spanish) (73). Asociación Peruano Japonesa: 17–18. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
8. Coral, Mirtha (April 10, 2015). "Eric Fukusaki se presentará en Suiyou Kayosai". La Prensa (in Spanish). Peru.com. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
9. Yoshioka, Alejandro (November 8, 2012). "Alma Kaminiito: "Soñamos con conectar Japón con el mundo"". Perú Shimpo (in Spanish). Retrieved November 3, 2017.
10. ^ "Alma Kaminiito se presenta hoy en el Matsuri". Peru.21 (in Spanish). Prensa Popular. November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
11. "Peruano de Alma Kaminiito tuvo primer concierto en Tokio". Radio Programas del Perú (in Spanish). Grupo RPP. August 7, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
12. ^ "Eric Fukusaki debuta como solista en Japón con single". Radio Programas del Perú (in Spanish). Grupo RPP. April 14, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
13. "[Country Girls] lanza nuevo vídeo". Noticias Nippon (in Spanish). January 23, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
14. Coral, Mirtha (July 29, 2017). "Eric Fukusaki compone tema para grupo idol Juice=Juice". La Prensa (in Spanish). Peru.com. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
15. Florian, Jenny (July 16, 2017). "Eric Fukusaki presenta su nuevo mini álbum". Oh Asia (in Spanish). Retrieved November 3, 2017.
16. Florian, Jenny (October 3, 2017). "Kazaranai Uta, nuevo single de Eric Fukusaki". Oh Asia (in Spanish). Retrieved November 3, 2017.
17. エリック・フクサキのシングル作品. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
18. オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 －CD・ブルーレイ・DVD・書籍・コミック－. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 3, 2017.

External links

• Official website

• 1991 births
• English-language singers from Japan
• Japanese-language singers
• J-pop singers
• Latin pop singers
• Living people
• Peruvian guitarists
• Peruvian composers
• Peruvian male composers
• 21st-century Peruvian male singers
• 21st-century Peruvian singers
• Peruvian expatriates in Japan
• Peruvian people of Chinese descent
• Peruvian people of Japanese descent
• Peruvian singer-songwriters
• Peruvian male singer-songwriters
• Singers from Lima
• Spanish-language singers of Japan
• 21st-century guitarists