Kominato Miwa (小湊美和) is a Japanese folk singer and a former member of Taiyou to Ciscomoon.
She started her career as a child, performing in folk music festivals. She became a member of the group Taiyou to Ciscomoon in 1999, from which she graduated in 2000. Kominato is still active in the industry as a back-up singer, live performer, she participates in special projects from time to time, and is taking care of her family.
Biography
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Early Life
Kominato Miwa was born into a family who have been singing minyo and folk music for two generations. Kominato, being the third generation, has been performing in Folk Music festivals since she was three years old.
In 1984, she won the Japanese Native Folk Song Conference at age seven. She participated in the same event in 1988 and won again (and again in 1998).
At this time she started her education learning folk songs; training to be a professional singer. After junior high, she didn’t enter a school of a higher grade, but started traveling on the road singing folk songs.
In 1995, she won the Nationwide Japanese Native Folk Song Conference, and she had now made a name for herself in this industry. All though singing folk, it was rock and roll that she mostly listened to. This year, she also got married (at the age of 17).
1996-2000
In 1996, she participated in the Sharam Q Josei Rock Vocalist Audition on ASAYAN,[1] the same one in which Heike Michiyo and the original five members of Morning Musume were discovered, but she had to bow out to give birth to her second child.
In 1998, she applied for ASAYAN's audition for the new idol unit that was going to be produced by Tsunku. The finalists were sent to San Francisco, U.S.A. for intensive training that lasted 48 days. Then she, along with Inaba Atsuko, Shinoda Miho and RuRu, made her debut as a member of Taiyou to Ciscomoon in April 1999. Originally, the unit was formed under a contract of releasing only one song. But to their great surprise, the debut song, "Tsuki to Taiyou" landed 6th place on the Oricon charts during its first release week, later moving up to 4th place. After it’s success, singles were released on a monthly basis and they kept holding live performances across the nation.
The biggest obstacle for Kominato during this time was probably being let go from the unit without any solid reason in late 1999. On the show Akashiya Santa no Shijou Saidai no Christmas Present, Kominato was forced out of the unit and put on a diet.[2] The rumor has it that it was the record label's pre-planned action to let Kominato go.
Kominato returned to the unit on January 3, 2000, and the unit’s name was changed to “T&C Bomber”. They tried to recreate the similar popularity as they used to have, but in reality it was never quite the same.
When T&C Bomber split up, in 2000, she was asked to debut as a solo enka/minyo singer, but she declined.
2001-2006
Kominato's first solo live performance took place in July 2001 in Mikasa, Hokkaido. It was an outdoor concert, and in April 2001, she appeared on NHK’s minyo TV program called Dontokoi Minyo on a monthly basis as a host and reporter.
The song "Itoshii Hito e" was not planned to be released originally; it was created as a theme song for the movie, Lady Plastic. However, a petition was created by fans and enough signatures were collected. As a result, the song was featured as a B-side for her first single, "Ai no Chikara", which was released in April 2002.
In July 2002, she is credited for the festival music used in the song "Shiawase Kyouryuu Ondo" by Odoru 11.
In 2003, after releasing only one single, she left her agency and became an independent artist. Kominato and her brother started a minyo/pop/folk inspired band as a duo, calling themselves Priest. Their latest release was an album in 2006.
2007-2008
In 2008, Taiyou to Ciscomoon was resurrected for their 10 year anniversary, releasing the best album Taiyo to Ciscomoon / T&C Bomber Mega Best and holding a reunion concert.
In June 2008, Ito Kanako, a Japanese singer whose songs have appeared in numerous video games and anime, released the single "Tsuisou no Despair".[3] Kominato sings the chorus for the single's A-side.
2012
In 2012, Kominato was featured as a singer on the compilaton album Luxendarc Dai Kikou,[4] which is a special project called LinkedHorizon; a music project started by a sound creator called Revo, whose songs are usually linked up to video games. Kominato sings in the tracks "Theme of the Linked Horizon", "Luxendarc Kikou", "Hinatori", and "Kibou e Mukau Tenshikyoku". A concert in November, linked up to the release of this album was also held, featuring songs from the album as well as non-album tracks. It was later released as a two-disc DVD and a single Blu-ray.
2013-2019
She was also featured on several of Ishii Tatuya's releases. She sings the chorus for the songs "RAIN SONG" and "Koudo" from his album White Canvas released in 2013.[5] She appears on the album STONE released in 2015,[6] singing the chorus for "Hi -Jump- Shou"[7] and "Otona-tachi no Meiro"; and the album "Ryo" released in 2018.[8]
In 2015, she appeared as a guest in Momoiro Clover Z's concert Momoiro Clover Z Toujinsai 2015 Ecopa Stadium Taikai, singing the song "Chakkiribushi".[9]
In 2016, she participated on the album Mars Red by SUPER SOUND THEATRE. They recorded four songs taken from their performance at the Maihama Amphitheater in September 2015 and released them as an EP. Kominato sang vocals for "Hitei Enbu", "Zangetsu", "Taisho Sakuran", and "Akai Yagi no Uta".[10]
In 2018, she also participated in Lisa Ono's album Tabi Soshite Furusato,[11] singing in the song "Nangoku Tosa wo Ato ni Shite", which was written and composed by Eisaku Takemasa.
Profile
- Name: Kominato Miwa (小湊美和)
- Birthdate: February 15, 1977
- Birthplace: Fukushima, Japan
- Blood type: B
- Height: 154cm
- Hobbies: Traveling overseas, comics, games, camping
- Favorite artists: Bobby Caldwell, Phil Perry, Fourplay
- Hello! Project Groups:
- Taiyou to Ciscomoon (1999-2000)
- Aorio 7 (2000)
- Other Groups:
- Priest (2003-)
Personal Life
Kominato got married in 1994 at 17 years old and had two sons. They divorced in 2000, and Kominato re-married in 2003 a man 9 years older than her. They have at least one daughter.[12]
Discography
- [2002.04.24] Ai no Chikara
Discography Featured In
- Taiyou to Ciscomoon
- [1999.10.27] One
- [2000.09.27] 2nd STAGE
- [2008.12.10] Taiyo to Ciscomoon/T&C Bomber Mega Best
- Priest
- LinkedHorizon
- [2012.09.19] Luxendarc Dai Kikou (#1 Theme of the Linked Horizon, #2 Luxendarc Kikou, #20 Hinatori (Vocalized Version), #26 (Kibou e Mukau Tenshikyoku (Concert Arranged Version))
- Super Sound Theatre
- [2016] Mars Red (#1 Hitei Enbu, #2 Zangetsu, #3 Taisho Sakuran, #4 Akai Yagi no Uta )
- Taiyou to Ciscomoon
- [1999.04.21] Tsuki to Taiyou
- [1999.06.23] Gatamekira
- [1999.07.28] Uchuu de La Ta Ta
- [1999.08.25] Everyday Everywhere
- [1999.09.29] Magic of Love
- [2000.04.19] DON'T STOP Ren'aichuu
- [2000.07.19 HEY! Mahiru no Shinkirou
- Aoiro 7
- [2000.03.08] Aoi Sports Car no Otoko
- Priest
- [2003.08.19] Sotoyama-bushi
- Taiyou to Ciscomoon
- [1999] Tsuki to Taiyou DDI Pocket Special Edition
- [1999.07.23] Garage Opening Theme Song Shuu
- [1999.10.27] Garage Opening Theme Song Shuu Vol. 2
- [2000.01.26] Garage Opening Theme Song Shuu Vol. 3
- [2000.04.19] Garage Opening Theme Song Shuu Vol. 4
- by Itou Kanako
- [2008.06.26] Tsuisou no Despair
- Taiyou to Ciscomoon
- [2000.02.19] Majutsushi Orphen Revenge OST Part 2
- [2000.04.26] Petit Best ~Ki Ao Aka~
- [2013.12.31] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 1
- [2014.07.09] Hello! Project no Zenkyoku kara Atsumechaimashita! Vol. 4
- [2003.02.05] Dou Soukai '03 ASAYAN
- Aoiro 7
- [2000.04.26] Hello Project - Petit Best ~Ki Ao Aka~
- [2008.12.10] Hello! Project Shuffle Unit Mega Best
- by Itou Kanako
- ChaosAttractor
- by Ishii Tatuya
- [2013] WHITE CANVAS
- [2015] STONE
- [2018] Ryuu
- by Lisa Ono
- [2018] Tabi Soshite Furusato
DVD
- [2013.03.20] Luxendarc Kikou (ルクセンダルク大紀行) (with Linked Horizon)
- [2015.11.25] Momoiro Clover Z Momo Jinsai 2015 momo shinsai 2015 Ecopa Stadium Taikai (ももいろクローバーZ 桃神祭2015 エコパスタジアム大会) (with Momoiro Clover Z)
Trivia
- Kominato is the third generation of a nationally-renowned minyo folk singing school. She has appeared in NHK's yearly Dontokoi Minyo special both before and after her involvement with Hello! Project.
- As a married mother of two children, she was often referred to as the "true housewife" of Hello! Project. She was the first active member of Hello! Project to be married, and the first to be a mother. This situation would not be repeated again until 2007 with former Morning Musume member Iida Kaori, and in 2009 with former Morning Musume member Tsuji Nozomi.
- Kominato was the youngest member of Taiyou to Ciscomoon, and she disliked being called by her full first name. She liked being called by her last name, such as “Kominato” or “Komi”.
References
External Links
Template:T&C Bomber