Itzhak Perlman Headlines Great Neck Park District’s Summer Concert Series
4 days ago
Japan Angela Aki is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and pianist known for her piano-based pop/rock style and her significant contributions to film and video game soundtracks.
Angela Aki wrote and performed "Kiss Me Good-Bye," the theme song for the video game Final Fantasy XII. This partnership was instrumental in her early career, bringing her widespread recognition.
In 2016, Angela Aki wrote three original songs for the musical 'Out of Shadowland' at Tokyo DisneySea.
In May 2006, Angela Aki signed with Tofu Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, to release English singles and albums for the US market. Her first release with Tofu was the digital single "Kiss Me Good-Bye."
Angela Aki contracted with Epic Records, a sub-label of Sony Music Japan, for her major debut in September 2005 with the single "HOME." Her subsequent albums "Home," "Today," and "Answer" were released under this label.
Prior to her major debut, Angela Aki produced commercial music for several Japanese companies, including one for the milk product Yakult, which featured US Jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott.
Angela Aki was chosen to write and perform the theme song “Ai no Kisetsu” for the NHK morning drama "Tsubasa" broadcast from March 30, 2009. Her song "Tegami (Haikei Jūgo no Kimi e)" was also a compulsory song for junior high choirs in the 2008 Nationwide Contest of Music sponsored by NHK.
In 2016, Angela Aki participated in Walt Disney's short musical productions as a lyricist.
Kiyomi Angela Aki, born in September 1977 in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, is a singer, songwriter, and pianist. She began piano lessons at age three and spent her early education in Tokushima and Okayama. At fifteen, Aki moved to Hawaii, attending Hawaii Preparatory Academy and then graduating from Iolani School. She furthered her education at George Washington University, where she majored in political science. Aki is fluent in both English and Japanese, having been raised in Japan and then moving to the United States.
Aki’s career began with the independent album “These Words,” released in the USA in 2000. Following this, she returned to Japan in 2003, setting a goal to perform at the Nippon Budokan Hall within three years. She released the indie mini-album “ONE” in 2005, which gained attention from Nobuo Uematsu, leading her to write and perform “Kiss Me Good-Bye,” the theme song for “Final Fantasy XII.” In September 2005, she signed with Epic Records, releasing her major debut single “HOME.” She achieved her goal of performing solo at the Nippon Budokan in December 2006, making history as the first artist to do so with just her piano.
After achieving success with albums like “Today” (2007) and “Answer” (2009), Aki took a hiatus from 2014 to 2023 to study music composition at the University of Southern California and Berklee College of Music, focusing on musical theatre. During this period, she wrote music for various projects, including Tokyo DisneySea’s “Out of Shadowland” and songs for other Japanese artists. She announced her return to music activities in November 2023, composing the music for the musical adaptation of “In This Corner of the World” and preparing for a new original studio album slated for release in February 2026. She is also composing for the upcoming thriller “Eugene the Marine” (2025).
Curious about our offerings or have inquiries? We're eager to assist!
Just complete the form, and we'll respond promptly.
