Takuya Kimura

For the baseball player, see Takuya Kimura (baseball).

Takuya Kimura
木村 拓哉
Kimura in 2008
Born (1972-11-13) November 13, 1972 (age 52)
Tokyo, Japan[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actor
Years active1987 (1987)–present
AgentStarto Entertainment
Spouse
​
(m. 2000)​
Children
Musical career
GenresJ-pop
Instrument(s)Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Labels
Formerly of
Signature

Takuya Kimura (Japanese: 木村 拓哉, Hepburn: Kimura Takuya, born November 13, 1972) is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality. He is regarded as a Japanese icon after achieving success as an actor. He was also a popular member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia. In the media, he is known as an huge heartthrob in Japan, and a sex symbol.[2] In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa chose six out of the twenty boys to create a new boy band; "SMAP."[3]

In 2020, Kimura released his first solo album, entitled "Go with the Flow". The album, which included songs written for Kimura by well-known bands and artists such as [ALEXANDROS], Superfly, Noriyuki Makihara, and Love Psychedelico, debuted at #1 on the Oricon Albums Chart on the week of its release.[4] A month later, he held a four-day tour in both Tokyo and Osaka entitled "TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2020 Go with the Flow". The concert was released on Blu-Ray and DVD, on July 8, 2020, debuting at #1 as well on the Oricon Charts.[5]

On May 20, 2021, the Weibo Starlight Awards 2020 ceremony was held online. Kimura, alongside his two daughters, Cocomi and Kōki, were awarded alongside Western artists such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Louis Koo.[6]

A follow-up to his solo album "Go with the Flow" was released on January 19, 2022, entitled "Next Destination". The album features the song entitled "Mojo Drive", a collaboration between Kimura and renowned city-pop artist Tatsuro Yamashita, who wanted to write a song to highlight Kimura's baritone voice after attending his solo concert in February.[7] Yamashita also composed two other tracks, namely "Good Luck, Good Time", and "Morning Dew" for the album. In addition to Yamashita, "Next Destination" also features songs written by Kyōka Suzuki, Sanma Akashiya, Man with a Mission, and Shigesato Itoi.[8]

  1. ^ "SMAP member profiles" (in Japanese). Johnny's net. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  2. ^ Brasor, Philip (December 9, 2000). "SMAP star finds true love, new role". Japan-Zone. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  3. ^ "SMAPの前身「スケートボーイズ」に所属していた豪華メンバーたち". Excite News. Nikkan Taishu. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "2020年01月06日～2020年01月12日 オリコン週間 アルバムランキング". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2020 Go with the Flow | 木村拓哉". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "微博星耀盛典頒獎禮 木村父女齊得獎 古天樂蟬聯年度影響力演員兼獲名人堂". MingPao news. 2021-05-22
  7. ^ "Takuya Kimura to release second solo album, Next Destination, in January". ph.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "木村拓哉 ニューアルバム「Next Destination」スペシャルサイト". 木村拓哉 ニューアルバム「Next Destination」スペシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved January 30, 2022.