Alma Kaminiito

Alma Kaminiito (アルマカミニイト) was a J-pop and Latin pop music duo based in Japan. It consisted of Eric Fukusaki of Peru and Munehiko Ohno from Japan. The pair released two singles in 2012: its debut "Akane" and the double A-side "Amatsubu Pearl"/"Dakishimetai Dakishimetai". Alma Kamininito released the cover album Alma Covers at the end of the year, which featured Japanese-language songs sung in Spanish and English. It marked the unit's final release following the departure of Ohno in April 2013.

Alma Kaminiito
Alma Kaminiito 1st Live "Uno", August 2012
Background information
OriginJapan
GenresJ-pop, Latin pop
Years active2012 (2012)–2013 (2013)
LabelsUp-Front Works
Websitealmakaminiito.com
Past members

History

2011: Formation

Part of the Japanese diaspora in Peru, Erik Fukusaki traveled to Japan at the age of 18 in order to pursue a career in enka. A Japanese native, Munehiko Ohno was a lifelong practitioner of the buyō style of traditional Japanese dance. Citing music duo Chemistry, he took an interest in music at the age of 18. He began taking singing lessons while attending university.[1] In order to gain entrance into Up-Front Works, Fukusaki and Ohno separately auditioned for the record company's Forrest Award in February 2011.[2][3][4] Upon their admittance, Up-Front posed the idea of the pair creating a single unit together. Ohno agreed to the proposal the day of his successful audition; after seeking advisement from Alberto Shiroma of the Peruvian ensemble Diamantes and Kazufumi Miyazawa of the Japanese band The Boom, Fukusaki deliberated for two weeks before accepting.[3]

In choosing the duo's name, Fukusaki and Ohno were told to write numerous words in Spanish and Japanese onto a paper. Staff of the record company then chose and joined two Spanish words together: "alma", meaning "soul", and "caminito", meaning "path". The president of the company decided to change the spelling of the latter to "kami ni ito", meaning "paper" and "thread".[3][5] Blending J-pop and Latin pop into its music, Alma Kaminiito sought to "unite Japan with the world".[2][6]

2012–13: Debut and dissolution

Prior to its debut, Alma Kaminiito participated in various street performances and appeared as guests at music events.[7] The three songs recorded for Alma Kaminiito's debut single were used for the drama film Share House (2011) preceding its release.[3] A reggae-tinged number, "Akane" was released on April 25, 2012.[8][9] On that day, the duo promoted the single by performing at the Sunshine City building complex in the district of Ikebukuro.[10] In August, the pair held its first concert entitled Alma Kaminiito 1st Live "Uno".[11] Alma Kaminiito released the double A-side "Amatsubu Pearl"/"Dakishimetai Dakishimetai" on October 24 as its second single.[12]

In December, Alma Kaminiito released its first album Alma Covers, which contains Spanish and English-language covers of Japanese songs from the 1980s and 1990s.[2][13] The translated Spanish lyrics were written by Fukusaki.[14] The duo embarked on its first tour at the end of 2012 to February of the following year.[8] On April 4, 2013, the departure of Ohno from the group was announced via Alma Kaminiito's official website.[15] In his blog, he disclosed his intentions to take over his family's business.[16]

Discography

Albums

Cover albums
Title Album details
Alma Covers[17]

Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales[18] Album
Oricon Singles Chart
[19]		 Billboard Japan Hot 100
[upper-alpha 1]
"Akane" (茜, "Deep Red") 2012 33 10
  • 3,734 (CD)
 Non-album single
"Amatsubu Pearl" (雨粒パール, "Raindrop Pearl") 45 22
  • 2,118 (CD)
"Dakishimetai Dakishimetai" (抱きしめたい 抱きしめたい, "I Want to Hold You, I Want to Hold You") —

Notes
  1. Week references for Billboard Japan Hot 100: "Akane",[20] "Amatsubu Pearl".[21]
gollark: My laptop has a USB-C port which can do video and it also has USB-A and such.
gollark: You can have USB-C *and* other things.
gollark: It's a big chip on a cutting-edge process with HBM on it.
gollark: To be fair, the M1 is probably ridiculously costly to make too.
gollark: Which are bad in various ways.

References
  1. Pujay, Jhohana (December 28, 2012). "La armonía de Alma Kaminiito". Kaikan (in Spanish). Asociación Peruano Japonesa (73): 17–18. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  2. "Alma Kaminiito se presenta hoy en el Matsuri". Peru.21 (in Spanish). Prensa Popular. November 10, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  3. "Con Alma Kaminiito peruano debuta mañana en Tokio como cantante profesional". International Press (in Spanish). IPC World. April 24, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  4. Mendoza, Luis Enrique (November 10, 2012). "Alma Kaminiito deleitó a fans previo a concierto". CrónicaViva (in Spanish). Universidad Jaime Bausate y Meza. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  5. ""Alma Kaminiito" en "Mundo de Alegría"". Mundo de Alegría (in Spanish). March 6, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  6. アルマカミニイト初全国ツアースタート。魂の歩みがここから. Peru News (in Japanese). December 30, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  7. アルマカミニイト、初ワンマンライブ大成功。大先輩・堀内孝雄も駆けつける. Barks (in Japanese). Japan Music Network. August 6, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  8. Hayashi, Shigeru (October 22, 2012). アルマカミニイト『異色ユニットが見せた新たな一面とは？ 2人の音楽のルーツにも迫る！』. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  9. 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 September 23, 2017.
  10. 男性ヴォーカルデュオ“アルマカミニイト”がデビュー記念イベントを開催。「歌で日本と世界の架け橋に…」. Deview (in Japanese). Oricon ME. April 26, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  11. "Peruano de Alma Kaminiito tuvo primer concierto en Tokio". Radio Programas del Perú (in Spanish). Grupo RPP. August 7, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  12. 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 September 23, 2017.
  13. Pujay, Jhohana (December 28, 2012). "La armonía de Alma Kaminiito". Kaikan (in Spanish). Asociación Peruano Japonesa (73): 17–18. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  14. "Alma Kaminiito lanzará primer álbum y anuncia gira en diciembre". Radio Programas del Perú (in Spanish). Grupo RPP. November 8, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  15. "Munehiko Ohno abandonó Alma Kaminiito". Perú Shimpo (in Spanish). April 12, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  16. アルマカミニイト、家業を継ぐため宗彦が脱退. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 5, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  17. アルマカミニイトのアルバム作品. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 23, 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 September 23, 2017.
  19. アルマカミニイトのシングル売上ランキング. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  20. "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Hankyu Hanshin Holdings. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  21. "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Hankyu Hanshin Holdings. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
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