Jun Togawa | Artist
Jun Togawa is a Japanese singer, musician and actress born 1961 in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Her unique and eccentric style, which influenced Japanese avant-garde music and media, made her a cult favorite among fans both in Japan and internationally. Togawa rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of the band Guernica, before embarking on a successful solo career that has spanned decades. Her music is characterized by its avant-garde and experimental nature, blending elements of punk, new wave, and pop. Her lyrics are often dark, surreal, and filled with imagery that is both unsettling and captivating, exploring themes of love, death, and the human experience. Togawa is also known for her striking visual style, often incorporating elaborate costumes and makeup into her performances to create a persona that is larger than life. Some of her most well-known songs include "Suki Suki Daisuki," "Tamahime-sama," and "Kyrie," which have become classics in the Japanese music scene. In 1984 Shogawa released a live album Ura Tamahime with a backing band called Yapoos. The same year she released her debut solo album Tamahime-sama, which contained themes of menstruation, womanhood, and romance with a recurring insect motif. The following year came the album Kyokuto Ian Shoka (Far Eastern Comfort Songs) with the Jun Togawa Unit backing. Later that year she released her album Suki Suki Daisuki, a satirical take on aidoru music. She joined Yapoos and solidified the group as an official band, releasing their first album in 1987. She did two more albums with Guernica in 1988 and 1989, and continued singing with Yapoos, releasing albums into the mid 90s, then two more in 2003 and 2019. Among her solo albums, standouts include Tamahime sama (1984), Kyokutō ian shōka (1985), Suki Suki Daisuki (1985), and Togawa Fiction (2004). The 1984 live album Ura Tamahime is also Recommended. Jun Togawa's creativity has led to collaborations with other leading Japanese musicians such as Haruomi Hosono from Yellow Magic Orchestra, and Susumu Hirasawa of P-Model. Despite her success, Togawa has always remained an enigmatic figure, shying away from the spotlight and maintaining a sense of mystery that has added to her allure.
Artist Website: wikipedia/Jun_Togawa
Featured Albums: Jun Togawa
Related Artists: Guernica, Yapoos, Haruomi Hosono, Susumu Hirasawa
