Kanon Wakeshima

Kanon Wakeshima (分島 花音, Wakeshima Kanon, born June 28, 1988) is a Japanese musician and singer.[1] Originally produced by musician and fashion designer Mana, Wakeshima debuted under the DefStar Records label on May 28, 2008 with the single "Still Doll", the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga series Vampire Knight. She also provided the voice for a maid that appears in the eighth episode of the series. Wakeshima's second single "Suna no Oshiro", released on November 12, 2008, was used as the ending theme for the series' second season (subtitled Guilty).[2]

Kanon Wakeshima
Kanon Wakeshima performing at Japan Expo 2009
Background information
Born (1988-06-28) June 28, 1988
OriginTokyo, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active2008-present
Labels
  • DefStar Records
  • Warner Home Video
WebsiteOfficial Site

She was nominated for a Best Newcomer award for 2008 in the fourth annual Shōjo Beat Music Awards, nominees of which are determined by surveying "record companies, music journalists, music experts, and music fans".[1]

Life and career

Early life

At the age of three, she began learning cello, marking her entry into the world of music. In junior high school she formed her own ensemble group. At the age of fifteen, she transited from her former classical ensembles into playing in the baroque section. Appearing in a variety of recitals and concerts throughout her school years, she began writing her own music and combining singing with her cello playing at the age of sixteen. As she transited from junior high school to high school, she began writing her own music and singing. She gave her first vocal performances during a high school festival.[3]

Debut and Shinshoku Dolce

Wakeshima auditioned at Sony Music Entertainment as a singer, originally not intending to include her cello playing with her demo tape, but later changed her mind after experimenting with performing with the piano. She became a finalist at the audition, contracting with the Sony subsidiary DefStar Records and debuting on May 28, 2008 with her first single, "Still Doll".[4] The single was chosen as the ending theme for the first season of the anime adaptation of Vampire Knight.[2][5][6] She also provided the voice for a maid that appears in the eighth episode of the series.

Wakeshima released her second single, "Suna No Oshiro", on November 12, 2008. The song was used as the second ending theme for Vampire Knight.

Wakeshima was nominated for a Best Newcomer award for 2008 in the fourth annual Shōjo Beat Music Awards, nominees of which are determined by surveying "record companies, music journalists, music experts, and music fans".[1]

Wakeshima released her debut album, Shinshoku Dolce, on February 11, 2009.

Wakeshima performed at Japan Expo 2009 in Paris, France, and appeared at Otakon 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Lolitawork Libretto

The song "Toumei no Kagi" was released as a digital single on September 16, 2009. The song was used as the theme song of the online game Avalon no Kagi.

On July 27, 2010 Wakeshima released her second album, Lolitawork Libretto along with a music video for the song "Lolitawork Libretto ~Storytelling by Solita~".

Kanon x Kanon

In 2010, Wakeshima formed a duo with An Cafe's bassist Kanon, called Kanon x Kanon. The duo sang the second theme song for the anime adaptation of Shiki, called "Calendula Requiem", which was released November 23, 2010.

On June 28, 2011, Kanon x Kanon released their second single, "Koi no Doutei", which was used as the opening theme song for the anime 30-sai no Hoken Taiiku.

Wakeshima was also invited to AM² 2011, an anime convention in Anaheim, where she had both, a solo and a Kanon x Kanon concert. Following AM2, she also appeared at Hyper Japan 2011 in London in July and in Ani-Com and Games Hong Kong 2011.

At the end of 2011 Wakeshima went on her first European tour with Kanon x Kanon.

Tsukinami

Wakeshima released a solo double a-side single on November 7, 2012 called Foul Play ni Kurari / Sakura Meikyuu. "Foul Play ni Kurari" was used as the ending theme song for the anime To Love-Ru Darkness, and "Sakura Meikyuu" was used as the theme song for game Fate / Extra CCC.

On January 25, 2013 Wakeshima played at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Korea. Kanon performed at Animethon 2013 in Edmonton, Alberta.

In November 2013, Wakeshima started on "The Strange Treat!" tour. She covered hide's song "Beauty & Stupid" for the December 2013 tribute album Tribute VI -Female Spirits-.[7]

In February 2014, Wakeshima released her fourth single, "Signal", which was used as the new ending of the anime television series Strike the Blood.

Wakeshima released her fifth single, "Killy Killy Joker", on April 30, 2014, which was used as an opening theme for the anime television series Selector Infected WIXOSS.[8]

Wakeshima released her sixth single, "World's End, Girl's Rondo", on October 15, 2014. The song was used as an opening for the anime Selector Spread WIXOSS.

Wakeshima released her third studio album, Tsukinami, on February 25, 2015.

Luminescence Q.E.D.

Wakeshima released her seventh single, "Right Light Rise", on April 29, 2015. The song was used as the ending theme for the anime Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?.

Wakeshima released her eighth single, "Kimi wa Soleil" November 25, 2015. The song was used as the ending theme for the anime Strike the Blood.

Wakeshima released her ninth single, "Love Your Enemies" February 10, 2016. The song was used as the ending theme for the film Selector Destructed WIXOSS.

Wakeshima's tenth single, "Unbalance by Me" was released May 7, 2016.

Concert Tours
  • Kanon x Kanon European Tour (2011)
  • The Strange Treat Tour (2013)

Discography
Main article: Kanon Wakeshima discography

Filmography
Television
Year Title Role Network Notes
2008 Vampire Knight Maid / Voice 1 Episode (S01EP08)

Awards and nominations
Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2008 Shojo Beat Music Awards Best Newcomer Kanon Wakeshima Nominated

Trivia
  • Kanon currently has four Cellos. The white cello is known as "Mikazuki-san", which means "crescent moon" and this is the cello she normally uses during live performances. The red cello is known as "Nanachie-san", which means "wisdom" used in most music videos. According to Wakeshima, Nanachie-san is very hard to play but she manages. Her third cello is a brown cello called "Yaeharu-san", which means "multi-layered spring". Yaeharu-san is very special to Wakeshima as she has had it since middle school, and it is the one she practices on and records with. Her newest is a new silver cello named "Momotose."[9]
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References
  1. North, Dale (February 2009). "Fourth Annual Shojo Beat Music Awards". Shojo Beat. Viz Media. 5 (2): 315–216.
  2. "Archived copy" ディスコグラフィ (in Japanese). Sony Music Online. Archived from the original on 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2009-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Sugie, Yuki. "Artist Profile: Kanon Wakeshima". Sony Music. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  4. Takahashi, Szkoropad (translator). "Kanon Wakeshima Special Feature". CD Japan/Neowing. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  5. "Archived copy" 音楽情報サイト. Hot Express Music Magazine (in Japanese). 2008-03-25. Archived from the original on 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2009-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "J!-ENT INTERVIEW: Kanon Wakeshima by J!-ENT's Dennis A. Amith" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  7. "hide Tribute VI -Female SPIRITS-". cdjapan.jp. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
  8. "Steins;Gate's Satō, anohana's Okada Make selector infected WIXOSS Anime". Anime News Network. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  9. Wakeshima, Kanon. "The Lolita Revolution". The Lolita Revolution. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
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