Wakana (singer, born 1984) explained

Wakana
Birth Name:Wakana Ootaki
Alias:FictionJunction Wakana
Birth Date:10 December 1984
Birth Place:Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Genre:J-pop, anison
Occupations:Singer
Instruments:Vocals
Years Active:2005 - present
Label:Victor Entertainment
Past Member Of:FictionJunction, Kalafina

, who goes by the mononymous stage name Wakana, is a Japanese pop singer. She was one of the vocalists of the FictionJunction project started by Yuki Kajiura, and was a core member of the vocal group Kalafina.She is currently signed with Victor Entertainment with a solo career, having released two albums and an EP that have charted on Oricon.

Biography

Wakana is from Fukuoka. She started learning singing at age 12.[1] She joined the FictionJunction project in 2005, where she performed on many of Yuki Kajiura's soundtracks for anime shows and films. She performed two songs for the original soundtrack of Fist of the North Star True Saviour Legend: and the Japanese version of "Where the Lights Are" bonus track.[2] She sang "Paradise Regained" (an insert song for El Cazador de la Bruja) and in the Pandora Hearts soundtrack.

In 2007, she and FictionJunction colleague Keiko joined Kajiura's new vocal group Kalafina, which was put together to sing the theme songs for The Garden of Sinners film series. Their first single was "Oblivious" which reached number 8 on the Oricon charts.[3] Vocalists Hikaru and Maya joined the group for the singles "Sprinter/Aria", after which Maya left the group, resulting in a trio. Over the next ten years, Kalafina would continue to release more anime theme songs as well as original material, with five studio albums and two compilation albums that have charted in Oricon's top 10. In 2018, Kajiura resigned from Space Craft, and Keiko left the group soon afterwards. The group was officially disbanded in 2019.[4]

Wakana moved from Space Craft to Victor Entertainment. She had a solo debut with the single "Toki o Koeru Yoru Ni" in February 2019. She released a self-titled album in March and an EP titled Aki no Sakura in November. They reached No. 19 and No. 34 respectively on the Oricon charts. She released the album magic moment in 2020, which charted at No. 22.[5] [6] On April 24, 2021, she held her solo concert Wakana Spring Live 2020 ~ magic moment ~ in Ōtemachi to promote the album.[7]

In October 2020, she released a cover album of anime songs.[8] She won an award for Classic Anison Singer at the Weibo Account Festival in Tokyo 2020.[9]

In May 2022, she announced a collaboration song with the mobile game "Memento Mori". Flag is used as a character song for Florence, voiced by Ayaka Suwa.[10]

Discography

See also: Kalafina discography.

Solo singles

Other appearances

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum informationOricon[13] <-- ADD LATER IF AVAILABLESales[14] -->
Peak
position
Weeks
charted
Wakana
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-1573)
193
EP
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-65270)
342
magic moment
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-1731)
222
align=left Wakana Covers ~Anime Classics~
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-65447, VICL-1830 (limited edition))
421
align=left
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-65821)
281

Video albums

List of video albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum informationOricon[15] <-- ADD LATER IF AVAILABLESales[16] -->
Peak
position
Weeks
charted
Wakana Live Tour 2019 ~VOICE~ at 中野サンプラザ【初回限定盤】
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-1647)
  • Format: Blu-Ray
302
Wakana Spring Live ~magic moment~2021(初回限定盤)
  • Released:
  • Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-1914)
  • Format: Blu-Ray
151

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Space Craft Group. spacecraft.co.jp.
  2. Web site: FictionJunction News. March 7, 2007. FictionJunction.com. February 21, 2007. Japanese.
  3. Web site: Kalafina-リリース-ORICON STYLE ミュージック . www.oricon.co.jp . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071205214312/http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/746497/1/ . 2007-12-05.
  4. Web site: Bunshun: Kalafina Members Want to Get Back Together. Anime News Network. 26 May 2023 .
  5. Web site: Wakanaの作品. ORICON NEWS.
  6. Web site: Wakana | DISCOGRAPHY. www.jvcmusic.co.jp.
  7. Web site: Wakana、延期のライブ開催に喜び「歌とよく向き合うことができた一年だった」. ORICON NEWS.
  8. Web site: Wakana、カバーアルバム収録曲発表+オンライン企画続々決定. BARKS. 23 October 2020 .
  9. Web site: Wakana、微博の「クラシックアニソンシンガー賞」受賞 "成人式以来"の和服で登壇. ORICON NEWS. 8 February 2021 .
  10. Web site: Florence's Lament | Memento Mori. news. Memento Mori.
  11. Web site: 時を越える夜に | Wakana. ORICON NEWS.
  12. Web site: Flag | Wakana. JVC Music.
  13. Web site: ja:Wakanaのアルバム作品 . A Look at Wakana's Releases . http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/479392/products/album/ . Japanese . . July 22, 2020.
  14. Web site: オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 . Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' . Japanese . . subscription . May 21, 2014.
  15. Web site: ja:WakanaのBlu-ray作品 . Wakana's Blu-Ray releases . https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/479392/products/blu-ray/ . Japanese . . November 3, 2020.
  16. Web site: オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 . Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' . Japanese . . subscription . May 21, 2014.