Hizaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hizaki
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Hizaki in Santiago, Chile, 2010
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Hizaki (緋咲) |
| Born | February 17, 1979 Shiga |
| Origin | Kyoto, Japan |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
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Hizaki (born February 17, 1979) is a Japanese metal musician. He is also a songwriter and record producer. He is famous as the guitarist for the band Versailles. Hizaki is also a member of the band Jupiter. He also has his own solo music career. Before joining Versailles, he played in several other bands.
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Early Life and Music Journey
Hizaki grew up in the countryside of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. When he was young, he loved classical music, especially the violin. However, his parents did not let him learn an instrument.
When he was in sixth grade, his older brother started learning guitar. Hizaki tried it and immediately loved it. He wanted to create his own songs, even at a young age. He was a fan of bands like Loudness and X Japan. Hizaki wanted to play lead guitar. He practiced a lot and became very skilled by middle school.
In high school, he finally found other musicians to play with. But he had to play at a lower skill level to fit in. His friends liked punk or grunge music, while Hizaki loved metal and visual kei. He said he didn't have much fun in high school bands.
After high school, Hizaki moved to Kyoto. There, he found the music scene he had always wanted. He formed a visual kei band. Visual kei is a style where musicians use elaborate costumes, makeup, and hairstyles. Hizaki felt that just playing well wasn't enough. He wanted to stand out on stage. He decided to look like a girl for his stage presence. He has kept this visual kei style, including makeup and skirts, since high school.
Hizaki's Music Career
Hizaki started his music career as a guitarist in 1997. His first band was Garnet Grave, based in Kyoto. After two years, he formed a new band called Crack Brain.
In 2002, Crack Brain broke up. Hizaki then formed Schwardix Marvally, which released two EPs (Extended Play records). These are shorter than full albums.
Solo Work and New Bands
In 2004, Hizaki began his solo career. He released his first solo album, Maiden Ritual. He also released two more EPs, Dance with Grace and Maiden Ritual -Experiment Edition-. During this time, he worked with many musicians from the visual kei scene.
In 2005, he joined the band Sulfuric Acid. He stayed with them until they disbanded in 2006. After that, he restarted his solo music. He formed his solo group, Hizaki Grace Project. This group included Hikaru on vocals, Yuu (Jasmine You) on bass, and Mikage on drums. They also had Teru on guitar and Juka on vocals. They released the album Dignity of Crest in 2007.
Forming Versailles and Jupiter
In early 2007, Hizaki joined a project called Node of Scherzo. There, he met Kamijo. On March 14, Kamijo and Hizaki announced they were forming a new band together. This band was named Versailles. It also included drummer Yuki, and Hizaki Grace Project members Jasmine You and Teru. Hizaki then focused mainly on Versailles.
In 2011, Hizaki and the other members of Versailles starred in a TV mini-drama. It was called Onegai Kanaete Versailles.
After a big earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011, Hizaki wrote a song called "Prayer." He dedicated it to the victims. He also joined the Blue Planet Japan project. This project included many visual kei artists. They performed live and released a single to raise money for the victims.
In 2012, Versailles announced they would stop all activities by the end of the year. However, on April 1, 2013, most of the Versailles members (Hizaki, Teru, Masashi, and Yuki) formed a new band called Jupiter. They added Zin as their new singer. Jupiter released their first single, "Blessing of the Future," that summer.
Returning to Solo Music
Hizaki returned to his solo music in 2015. He went on short tours in Europe and South America. In 2016, he released his first solo album in 11 years, called Rosario. It was released by a major record label, Warner Music Japan. He has continued to release solo music, including the mini albums Back to Nature (2019) and Rusalka (2021).
Hizaki's Music Style
Hizaki's solo music mainly focuses on guitar instrumentals. This means the guitar plays the main melody, almost like a singer. He believes his strength is creating beautiful melodies, not just playing technically difficult parts.
When he plays guitar solos in a band, Hizaki tries to make them unique. Instead of just fitting into the song, he wants his solos to take the song to "another dimension." He creates a "song within a song" during his solos.
Hizaki has said that he doesn't like practicing guitar. He prefers to create new music whenever he picks up his guitar. He admits that he sometimes loses his skill if he doesn't play for a couple of days.
He also explained the difference between Jupiter and Versailles. When Jupiter first started, it sounded similar to Versailles because they shared many members. But when Versailles reunited, they decided to make each band sound different. Hizaki said the main difference is the singer's voice. Jupiter's singer has a powerful, masculine voice, while Versailles' singer has a mid-range voice with a great aesthetic appeal. This difference in vocals changes how Hizaki writes music for each band.
Hizaki Grace Project Members
- Hizaki – guitar
- Yuu/Jasmine You – bass
- Teru – guitar
- Mikage – drums
- Juka – vocals
Discography Highlights
Hizaki has released many albums and EPs throughout his career.
Solo Albums and EPs
- Maiden Ritual (2004)
- Dance with Grace (2005)
- Rosario (2016)
- Back to Nature (2019)
- Rusalka (2021)
With Hizaki Grace Project
- Dignity of Crest (2007)
- Curse of Virgo (2007)
With Versailles
With Jupiter
See also
In Spanish: Hizaki para niños
