Rake (singer)

Rake
Born (1979-08-15) 15 August 1979 (age 45)
OriginSendai, Japan
GenresJ-pop, pop-rock
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentAcoustic guitar
Years active2010–present
LabelsSony Music Entertainment Japan
Websitewww.rake.website

Rake (レイク, Reiku, born 15 August[1]) is a Japanese singer-songwriter who debuted under Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 2010.

Biography

Rake was born in Sendai, Japan. He began an interest in music by playing an antique guitar at his family home, and in high school, was a member of a hard rock band.[1] In university, Rake considered singing for the first time, and began steps to becoming a professional musician.[1]

Rake performed as the opening act to Japanese band Kimaguren's 2009 tour Kid in the Sky, and the following January debuted under Sony Music Japan, with the single "Fly Away." The song was used as the theme song for the Tokyo MX drama Taxmen, and while few copies were sold,[2] the song received such extremely heavy airplay across Japan that it topped Billboard's Japan Hot 100 chart for two weeks.[1][3] Rake, after releasing his debut extended play All You Need Is, performed his first solo concert in July,[4] followed by performances at summer festival Summer Sonic in August.[5]

In 2011, Rake had his first hit single, "Hyakuman-kai no "I Love You"," which was used in a television commercial campaign for Yokohama Tire.[6] The song was successful on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart in its first week, debuting at number six.[7] However, due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurring several days after the single's physical release in Rake's hometown, many promotional events for the song were cancelled.[8] Rake was at his home in Sendai at the time of the earthquake.[9]

In 2015 he went into retirement as a singer-songwriter until 2018 when he resumed under a new project called "Samurai Japan Project".[10]

Discography

Album

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[2] 		Reported
sales
[11]
2011 First Sight
  • Released: 1 June 2011
  • Label: Sony Music Japan (BVCL-202)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 20 24,000

Extended play

Year Album Information
2010 All You Need Is...
  • Released: 9 June 2010
  • Label: Sony Music Japan (BVCL-96)
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

Release Title Notes Chart positions Oricon
sales
[11] 		Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[2] 		Billboard Japan Hot 100
[12] 		RIAJ digital tracks
[13]
2010 "Fly Away" Billboard No. 1 for two weeks. 159 1 — 300 All You Need Is.../First Sight
"Sekai wa Kyō mo Bokura o Nosete Mawaru" (世界は今日も僕らをのせてまわる, "Today, the World Keeps Turning and Carrying Us") — 75 — — All You Need Is...
2011 "Hyakuman-kai no "I Love You"" (100万回の「I love you」, "The Millionth 'I Love You'") Certified platinum for full-length cellphone downloads.[14] 25 33 6 16,000 First Sight
2012 "Futari Hitotsu" (フタリヒトツ, "Two People, One Person") TBA 66 13 TBA WONDERFUL WORLD
2012 "Subarashiki Sekai/Taisetsu Na Hito" (素晴らしき世界/大切な人, "Wonderful World/Precious One") ED song for Space Brothers anime. TBA TBA TBA TBA WONDERFUL WORLD

Other charted songs

Release Title Chart positions Album
Billboard Japan Hot 100
[12] 		RIAJ digital tracks
[13]
2010 "All I Need Is..." 99 — All You Need Is...
2011 "Chikai" (誓い, "Oath") — 88 First Sight

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Profile" (in Japanese). Sony. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "アーティスト： Ｒａｋｅ". Oricon. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  4. ^ "7/9（金） Rake初のワンマンライブが決定!! (2010.5.7)" [Rake, first one man live decided for July 9!!] (in Japanese). Sony. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  5. ^ サマーソニック2010大阪にも出演決定!! [Also performing at Osaka in Summer Sonic 2010!!] (in Japanese). Sony. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  6. ^ "ニューシングル『100万回の「I love you」』にタイアップ決定!!!" [New single "Hyakuman-kai no 'I Love You' receives a tie-up!!] (in Japanese). Sony. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  7. ^ "レコード協会調べ 2011年03月02日～2011年03月08日＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  8. ^ 東北地方太平洋地震に伴う3月12日（土）、3月13日（日）の発売記念イベント中止のお知らせ [Notice for the cancellation of release events on March 12 and 13, due to the Tōhoku region Pacific Ocean offshore earthquake] (in Japanese). Sony. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  9. ^ Rake (14 March 2011). 心から [From my heart] (in Japanese). Ameba. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  10. ^ "新しい日本を世界100以上の都市へ". Home | Rake. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  11. ^ a b "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 8 June 2011. (subscription only)
  12. ^ a b "Hot 100｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard.
  13. ^ a b 有料音楽配信チャート (in Japanese). RIAJ.
  14. ^ レコード協会調べ 6月度有料音楽配信認定＜略称：6月度認定＞ [Record Association report: June digital music download certifications (Abbreviation: June Certifications)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). 20 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.


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