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Mariya Takeuchi (竹内まりや, Takeuchi Mariya) (born March 20, 1955) is a Japanese singer and songwriter.

In 1978, when she had studied at Keio University, Takeuchi started her own career with a single "Modotte-Oide, Watashi no Jikan". From the late 1970s to the early '80s, she have recorded 5 albums and several singles including top-ten hit "Fushigi na Peach Pie". Those materials have featured dozens of Japanese and North American distinguished songwriters, instrumentalists, and producers, such as David Foster, Jim Keltner, Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate, Kazuhiko Kato, Kunihiko Kase, Shigeru Suzuki, Takashi Matsumoto, and her future long-term partner Tatsuro Yamashita. "Heart to Heart", one of her songs co-written by Roger Nichols and released in 1980, was recorded by the Carpenters two years later, and became the last recording for the late Karen Carpenter.

In 1981, Takeuchi married to a singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, and stopped her career temporarily owing to the pregnancy. After her comeback to the Japanese music industry in 1984, she have accomplished huge commercial success more than when she was single. From that year to the present, she have recorded 6 successful studio albums that mainly consisted by her self-penned songs, and all of them have reached #1 on the Japanese Oricon chart. As a singer-songwriter, she have produced 8 top-ten hit singles on the Oricon, including "Single Again", "Kokuhaku", "Junai Rhapsody", "Konya wa Hearty Party" and her only #1 hit "Camouflage".

In addition to the work as a performer, she have also written multiple songs and lyrics for various singers, such as Yukiko Okada, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Hiromi Iwasaki, Masahiko Kondo, Masayuki Suzuki, Tackey and Tsubasa. Several songs of them scored top-ten on the Oricon, such as "Kenka o Yamete" and "Invitation" performed by Naoko Kawai, "Iro (White Blend)" performed by Miho Nakayama, and "Maji de Koi Suru 5 Byoumae" by Ryoko Hirosue. Takeuchi have often rerecorded those songs for her album. "Eki", a song originally written for the album by Akina Nakamori, became known by the composer's recorded version. "Genki o Dashite" , a song first recorded by Hiroko Yakushimaru, is recognized as one of Takeuchi's notable compositions, despite it was not released as a single. That song was covered by Hitomi Shimatani in 2003, and became moderate hit.

At the stage now, Takeuchi have released 11 studio albums, 35 singles, several compilations, and a live album which was recorded in 2000. Its sales have estimated more than 15 million units. In particular, her 1994 compilation Impressions was sold more than 3 million copies in Japan only, and became the best-selling album for her.

Discography

• Charts - Oricon (Japan)

Albums

• Beginning (1978) - #17
• University Street (1979) - #7
• Love Songs (1980) - #1
• Miss M (1980) - #14
• Portrait (1981) - #14
• Viva Mariya!! (compilation, 1982) - #32
• Variety (1984) - #1
• Request (1987) - #1
• Quiet Life (1992) - #1
• Impressions (compilation, 1994) - #1
• Souvenir: Mariya Takeuchi Live (live album, 2000) - #3
• Bon Appetit! (2001) - #1
• Longtime Favorites (2004) - #1
• Denim (2007) - #1

Singles

• "Modotteoide, Watashi no Jikan (戻っておいで･私の時間)" (1978) - #84
• "Dream of You" (1979) - #30
• "September" (1979) - #39
• "Fushigi na Peach Pie (不思議なピーチパイ)" (1980) - #3
• "Futari no Vacance (二人のバカンス)" (1980) - #42
• "Ichigo no Yuwaku (イチゴの誘惑)" (1981) - #80
• "Special Delivery: Tokubetsu Kokubin (特別航空便)" / "Crying All Night Long" (1981) - did not chart
• "Natalie" (1981) - #70
• "Mou Ichido (もう一度)"/"Honki de Only You (本気でオンリーユー) (Let's Get Married)" (1984) - #20
• "Mersey Beat de Utawasete (マージービートで唄わせて)" (1984) - #78
• "Plastic Love" (1985) - #86
• "Koi no Arashi (恋の嵐)" (1986) - #20
• "Toki no Tabibito (時空の旅人)" (1986) - #46
• "Yume no Tsuzuki (夢の続き)" (1987) - #43
• "Eki (駅)"/"After Years" (1987) - #55
• "Genki wo Dashite (元気を出して)" (1988) -#70
• "Single Again" (1989) - #2
• "Kokuhaku (告白)" (1990) - #3
• "Eki (駅)" (Re-issue, 1991) - #18
• "Manhattan Kiss" (1992) - #11
• "Uchi ni Kaerou (家に帰ろう) (My Sweet Home)" (1992) - #18
• "Shiawase no Sagashikata (幸せの探し方)" (1992) - #42
• "Ashita no Watashi (明日の私)" (1994) - #19
• "Junai Rhapsody (純愛ラプソディ)" (1994) - #5
• "Honki de Only You (本気でオンリーユー) (Let's Get Married)" (Re-issue, 1994) - #48
• "Konya wa Hearty Party (今夜はHearty Party)" (1995) - #3
• "Lonely Woman"(1996) - #13
• "Camouflage" / "Winter Lovers"(1998) - #1
• "Mou Ichido (もう一度)" (Re-issue, 1999) #35
• "Tenshi no Tameiki (天使のため息)" (1999) - #6
• "Mayonaka no Nightingale (真夜中のナイチンゲール)" (2001) - #7
• "Mainichi ga Special (毎日がスペシャル)" (2001) - #40
• "Nostalgia" (2001) - #30
• "Henshin (返信)" / "Synchronicity" (2006) - #8
• "Slow Love"(2006) - #30
• "Ashita no Nai Koi (明日のない恋)" (2006) - #19
• "Chance no Maegami (チャンスの前髪)" (duet with Yuko Hara, 2007)

References

1. Japanese West Coast Music Releases (List of the Japanese albums recorded by West Coast studio musicians in the 1980s)
2. ^ Yamachan Land | Album Chart Daijiten | Mariya Takeuchi (Archives of the chart positions and sales of the albums)
3. Yamachan Land | Single Chart Daijiten | Mariya Takeuchi (Archives of the chart positions and sales of the singles)
4. List of Mariya Takeuchi compositions for other performers (1984-1995)

External links

• Mariya Takeuchi Official Site (Japanese)
• Warner Music Japan | Mariya Takeuchi (Japanese)

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