Ryuichi Kawamura

Ryuichi Kawamura
河村 隆一
Ryuichi (center) performing with Luna Sea in Singapore 2013
Background information
Also known asЯK, Rayla
Born (1970-05-20) May 20, 1970 (age 54)
Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • record producer
  • actor
  • author
  • race car driver
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • piano
Years active1985–present
Labels
Member of
Websitewww.kawamura-fc.com

Ryuichi Kawamura (河村 隆一, Kawamura Ryūichi, born May 20, 1970, in Yamato, Kanagawa) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. He started a solo career in 1997, three years before Luna Sea disbanded in 2000. In 2005, Kawamura formed Tourbillon with fellow Luna Sea member Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama. He rejoined Luna Sea when they reunited in August 2010.

Kawamura's first full-length album Love topped the Oricon chart with sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only male solo artist to have an album sell over one million copies within its initial week in Oricon charts history.[1] That same album sold over 3,200,000 copies by the end of the year, therefore it holds the record for best-selling male solo album.[2] In 1997 alone, with his mini and full-length albums and four singles (of which "Glass" sold over one million itself), he sold over six million records.

  1. ^ 平井堅ベスト盤が首位! 初動売上は男性ソロ史上3番目の大ヒット! (in Japanese). Oricon. November 29, 2005. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  2. ^ 平井堅、男性ソロ史上3人目の快挙!べスト盤が200万枚突破! (in Japanese). Oricon. April 10, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2010.