Yuna Ito
image = | caption = From a recent photoshoot for CD Data | origin = Hawaii | years_active = 2005-present | music_genre = J-Pop | record_label = Sony Music of Japan
is a half-Japanese- and half-Korean-American rising new star in the Japanese pop music scene, an actress and a former Korean model. She was born on September 20, 1983, in Los Angeles and is a citizen of the United States.Yuna Ito was born on September 20th, 1983, between a Japanese father and a Korean mother in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in the United States, Hawaii, and even spent her High School time there as she attended McKinley High School until 2001. When Ito was little she used to sing to songs of both Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson and had always one dream: Becoming a star! In early 2005 then Ito auditioned for the role of charismatic vocalist Reira from TRAPNEST and eventually was chosen for the role. To make her debut even more exciting Ito's label SONY BMG JAPAN did everything to keep any information about Ito a secret.
The 22-year-old half Japanese, half Korean Hawaiian debuted under the synonym of "REIRA starring YUNA ITO" with her song Endless Story, which landed on number 2 of Oricon's single ranking. As Reira Serizawa from a quite popular manga, NANA, Ito's idenity was kept a secret until the end.
When NANA the movie finally released in Japan, people were going crazy about the wonderful, "high-pitched", voice of Ito and the movie song Endless Story ended its first day of sales on number 2 of Japan's Oricon charts. Ito was on magazine covers, posters and eventually had her first TV appearance on MUSIC STATION, performing Endless Story.
It was only in 2006 that her 2nd single, Faith / Pureyes, was put on the market. With Faith being ending theme to the drama, Unfair, and Pureyes being song for the Bioclen Zero commercial. This single sold about 50,000 copies which was a dissapointment considering "Endless Story" had outsold Mika Nakashima's "Glamorous Sky" with over 500,000 copies.
The third single for Ito was perhaps the biggest hit after the NANA-era. Precious was announced as theme song for the 2006 movie, "LIMIT OF LOVE ~Umizaru~". The single included two b-sides, I'm Free and Secrets, both co-written by Ito herself.Precious sold over 200,000 copies and was also the 2nd highest downloaded song in the first half of 2006 in Japan.
Sony later announced a 2-month Single Project. She covered These Boots Are Made For Walkin', for the Daihatsu "COO" commerical, featured on her 4th single stuck on you. She recently sang the Japanese ending theme song for TV show "LOST". losin' will be her 5th single.
On August 4th, 2006, Toho announced the role of Reira Serizawa in the sequel to NANA, NANA 2 will still be played by Ito. A 2nd single for REIRA starring YUNA ITO has been scheduled for December 13th, 2006, release, with NANA 2 opening on December 9th, 2006.*Attended McKinley High School until 2001.
*Her test scores where always great, which was why her mother never was too fond of her daughter becoming a singer.
*Her parents own several restaurants, the current is in Honolulu, Hawaii- "Ai No No".
*Has more than one relative that attends McKinley High.
*She is a friend with Hawaiian JPop singer melody.
*Angela Aki and Ito attended the same Japanese language school.
*Her favourite music style is R&B, even though she persues a J-pop career in Japan
*English is her native language, Japanese her 2nd language.
*She can write fluently in Kana.
*Her bloodtype is A.
*J-pop singer Mika Nakashima who starred as NANA wrote a message to Ito, wishing her good luck for the performance and that she herself was sitting in front of the TV to follow her.
*Education: Sacred Hearts Academy, McKinley High School, Iolani High School, Makiki Japanese Language School.Possible Name MeaningsIto (伊藤) is the sixth most common Japanese surname. It can either mean "thread" as in the meaning of a life thread or a red thread between lovers, or "intention". Sometimes "Ito" can be referred to as "love" as well.
Yuna(ç"±å¥ˆ) is also a common Japanese given name. "Yuna" possibly comes from the Japanese word "yunikana", which means "individual" or "original". In Okinawan "Yuna" is translated as "night".Singles| Single # | Cover | Information | Sales | | 1st | | ENDLESS STORY
*Released: September 7, 2005
*Studio Album: TBA
*Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2
*REIRA starring YUNA ITO (NANA Theme) | 467,000
copies sold |
|---|
| 2nd | | Faith / Pureyes
*Released: March 1, 2006
*Studio Album: TBA
*Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #6 | 56,000
copies sold |
|---|
| 3rd | | Precious
*Released: May 3, 2006
*Studio Album: TBA
*Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #3 | 207,000
copies sold |
|---|
| 4th | | stuck on you
*Released: August 9, 2006
*Studio Album: TBA
*Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: # | has not charted
out of
70,000 copies |
|---|
| 5th | | losin'
*Released: September 6, 2006
*Studio Album: TBA
*Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: # | has not charted
out of
70,000 copies |
|---|
|}
*Total Sales: 730,000 copies*NANA -the movie- - as REIRA (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2005)
*NANA II - as REIRA (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2006)*Best New Artist (Best Hit Kayousai 2005, 21.11.2005)
*Best New Artist (Japan Cable Awards 2005, 17.12.2005)
*Special Award for NANA (47th Japan Record Awards, 31.12.2005)
*Best New Artist (JAPAN GOLD DISC AWARDS 2006, 9.3.2006)From October 4, 2005 until March 28, 2006, Yuna was moderator of her own radio show,Journey, that aired on Tokyo InterFM radio station. It was called off because Ito was too busy promoting her songs with television performances and interviews therefore, didn't have enough time to record and moderate the show. In an interview she stated that it was "a weird feeling leaving the radio staff" and that "she would love to have a radio show someday again" hence she "loves to connect with her fans".Official links*[1] Yuna Ito
*[2] REIRA starring YUNA ITORelated links*[3] Yuna Ito's blog
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