Ishiguro Aya

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Tumblr mbykdpeBeG1rrshrdo1 500 — Ishiguro Aya, 2013

Aya2012marchaya — Ishiguro Aya, March 2012

O0640048011119225529 — Ishiguro Aya, March 2011

O0640048010473774941 — Ishiguro Aya, March 2010

O0640048010159296405 — Ishiguro Aya, March 2009

10103133160 — Ishiguro Aya, October 2008

Ishiguro Aya (石黒彩) (Legal Name: Yamada Aya (山田亜弥)) is a singer, writer, TV personality and fashion designer in Japan. She is most famous for her participation in J-pop group Morning Musume. She was born in Hokkaido, Japan on May 12, 1978.

History

Ishiguro Aya was a runner-up in a 1997 contest to find a new female rock idol. After the contest was over—with the winner being Michiyo Heike—music producer, former rock musician, and contest judge Tsunku decided to focus his attention on five runners-up, which included Ishiguro, Abe Natsumi, Iida Kaori, Fukuda Asuka, and Nakazawa Yuko.

Tsunku promised to take the quintet under his wing if they sold 50,000 copies of their CD "Ai no Tane" (also known as Morning Musume's 0th single) within five days. They accomplished this task within four days, and Tsunku upheld his end of the bargain.

During her years in Morning Musume, Ishiguro was given mostly harmony lines due to her low singing voice, which was used to support the voices of others. However, in late 1998 Tsunku decided to create Tanpopo, a sub-group of Morning Musume that included Ishiguro, Iida Kaori and 2nd generation member Yaguchi Mari. Tanpopo's songs were slower and more mature than the majority of Morning Musume's, which allowed Ishiguro's voice to shine through.

After seven singles and three albums with Morning Musume (and four singles and one album with Tanpopo), Ishiguro left both groups and graduated from Hello! Project in January 2000, shortly after the release of the single "Love Machine" in September 1999.

While being a mother and homemaker (the Yamadas had two more children in the years that followed), Ishiguro also dabbled in various careers —ranging from fashion designer to writer (she has written a book about her transition from being an idol to a mother) to TV show host (where she interviewed celebrity wives). She also re-united with the new Tanpopo briefly to sing the Grand Symphonic version of the song "Tanpopo."

In November 2004, Ishiguro's released a book called "Kosodate Project."

On February 23, 2012, it was announced that she would make a guest appearance at Dream Morning Musume's last live at Nippon Bukodan, with Tsuji Nozomi, after 12 years.

On March 10th 2012, Dream Morning Musume held their ‘First chapter final’ live concert titled “Dream Morning Musume Special LIVE 2012 Nippon Budokan~Dai 1 Shou Shuumaku ‘Yuusha tachi, Shuugou seyo’~” at Nippon Budokan. Current Morning Musume members, and OG members Ishiguro Aya and Tsuji Nozomi made their guest appearance. Moreover, Goto Maki, who had been on indefinite hiatus since the end of 2011, also made a surprise appearance. For this day’s live, a total of 24 former and current Morning Musume members got together on the stage.

Personal Life

Relationships

In May 2000, Ishiguro married Shinya Yamada from J-Rock band Luna Sea and changed her name to Aya Yamada (山田亜弥). She gave birth to their first daughter, Rimu (玲夢) in November, 2000.

Profile

Birth Name: Ishiguro Aya (石黒彩)
Legal Name: Yamada Aya (山田亜弥)
Nickname: Ayappe (あやっぺ)
Family: Husband/Rock Singer Yamada Shinya, 2 Daughters Rimu, Sona and 1 son, Youta
Date Married: May 2000
Birthdate: May 12, 1978 (1978-05-12) (age 45)
Birthplace: Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Blood Type: A
Height: 165cm
Western Zodiac: Taurus
Eastern Zodiac: Horse
Hello! Project Status:
- 1997-09-07: Member
- 1997-09-07: Morning Musume Member
- 2000-01-07: Graduated
Up-Front Agency Status:
- 1997-09-07: Member
- 2000-01-07: Graduated
- 2012-03-10: Member Only For That Day
Years in Morning Musume: 3 Years
Assets: E.T. mimicry, nose piercing
Vices: Smoking
Hello! Project Groups:
- Morning Musume (1997-2000)
Subgroups:
- Tanpopo (1998-1999)

Singles Participated In

Morning Musume

Tanpopo

Discography

Soundtrack album

[2004.07.22] Sore Ike! Anpanman: Yumeneko no Kuni no Nyanii (それいけ!アンパンマン夢猫の国のニャニイ) (track #13, "Futatsu no Hikari ~Tukiko to Shiratama~", with Ikura Kazue)

Solo songs

[1999.03.31] Wakattenai Janai
[1999.10.20] Seinaru Kane ga Hibiku Yoru (featuring Ishiguro) (Tanpopo cover)

Works

Movies

[1998] Morning Cop ~Daite HOLD ON ME!~ (モーニング刑事。～抱いてHOLD ON ME!～)
[2004] Sore Ike! Anpanman: Tsukiko to Shiratama ~Tokimeki Dancing~ (それいけ!アンパンマンつきことしらたま〜ときめきダンシング〜) (voice role, as Tsukiko-chan)

TV Shows

[2000] Morning Musume no Heso (モーニング娘。のへそ)
[2000] Friday Night wa Onegai! Morning (フライデーナイトはお願い!モーニング)
[2000-2007] Hello! Morning (ハロー!モーニング)
[2004] Hapihiru! (はぴひる!)
[2008-2013] Gohan no Gakkou (ごはんの学校)
[2011-] Arigato! (ありがとッ!)

Radio

[2011-2012] Aneki to keiko no healthy cooking (アネキと慶子のヘルシークッキング)
[2012-] Anetama! (あねたま!)

Essay Books

[2003.09.??] Musume. Kara Mama he Ishiguro Aya no LOVE 2 Kosodate Reboryuushon (娘。からママへ―石黒彩のLOVE2子育てレボリューション)
[2004.11.12] Kosodate Project! (子育てプロジェクト!)
[2007.10.30] Ishiguro Aya no 3 Biki no Kobuta Shokudou (石黒彩の3びきのこぶた食堂)

Trivia

She changed her name to "Yamada Aya" after she was married, and the character for "Aya" (彩) was later changed to two different characters (亜弥).
Contrary to popular rumor, Aya was not pregnant when she left Morning Musume. She officially resigned in December of 1999, with her last public performance with the group in January of 2000. She was, however, pregnant when she married her boyfriend, the former drummer of Luna Sea Yamada Shinya. Her daughter was born in November almost a full year after she announced that she was leaving the group.
She is good at mimicking E.T.
During her time in Morning Musume, she had her nose pierced.
Her daughters' names are Rimu (玲夢) and Sona (宙奈). Her son's name is Youta (耀太).
She is the first former Morning Musume member to get married.
On March 10, 2012 She returned to the stage for the 1st time in 12 years.
She is the second former Morning Musume member to graduate from both Morning Musume and Hello! Project. The first being Fukuda Asuka.

Yamada Family Tree

Shinya
(b.1970)

Aya
(b.1978)

Rimu
(b.2000)

Sona
(b.2002)

Youta
(b.2004)

External Links

Official Blog