Yasutaka Nakata

Yasutaka Nakata
中田 ヤスタカ
Background information
Birth nameYasutaka Nakata (中田 康貴)
Born (1980-02-06) February 6, 1980 (age 44)
Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)Music producer, DJ, remixer, composer
Years active1997–present
LabelsContemode (former), Warner
Websiteyasutaka-nakata.com

Yasutaka Nakata (中田 ヤスタカ, Nakata Yasutaka, born February 6, 1980) is a Japanese music producer and DJ. He formed the band Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer and record producer when both were 17. The band debuted in 2001 with the song "Sakura".[2]

He is known for being the music producer of Japanese girl group Perfume and Japanese model-turned-singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu since 2003 and 2011, respectively. These artists have gained commercial success for the songs that Nakata wrote and produced, such as "Chocolate Disco", "Polyrhythm", "Fashion Monster", and "Ninja Re Bang Bang". Nakata has worked with several other Japanese pop singers, including MEG, Ami Suzuki, and SMAP, and has also remixed songs by other artists, including M-Flo and Leah Dizon. He ran his own label, Contemode, in association with Yamaha. After Towa Tei, he was the second Japanese artist to officially remix Kylie Minogue,[3] contributing a version of her single "Get Outta My Way". He also formed Coltemonikha with singer, model, and fashion designer Kate Sakai. In July 2012, he won the "Creator" award for the "Change Maker of the Year 2012" event.[4] The Japan Record Awards also awarded Nakata the Best Music Arrangement Award twice, the first for the songs "Tsukema Tsukeru" by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and "Spice" by Perfume in 2012, and the second one for Kyary's songs "Harajuku Iyahoi" and "Easta" in 2017. Nakata released his first solo album, Digital Native, on February 7, 2018.

As of September 25, 2019, Nakata has yielded a total of ten number-one albums, mostly under his production with Perfume (six albums and two compilations)[5] and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (two albums).[6]

  1. ^ "Perfume Interview" (in Japanese). bounce.com. February 7, 2008. Archived from the original on December 9, 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2009. (English translation)
  2. ^ "An interview with Yasutaka Nakata". cnngo.com. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  3. ^ "capsule-web.com". capsule-web.com. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "Nakata Yasutaka wins "creator" award at "Change Maker of the Year 2012" event". tokyohive.com. July 7, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "Perfumeのアルバム売上ランキング". ORICON NEWS.
  6. ^ "きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅのアルバム売上ランキング". ORICON NEWS.