Naoto Inti Raymi facts for kids

Naoto Nakamura, known by his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and composer. He was born in Mie Prefecture and grew up in Chiba Prefecture. His stage name, Inti Raymi, means "festival of the sun" in the Quechuan language. This name reflects his love for travel and different cultures.

Naoto is famous for his energetic music, which blends J-Pop with funk and Latin American sounds. He has traveled to many countries, and these journeys inspire his songs and his unique performances. He dreams of going on a world tour and is even making music in languages other than Japanese!

Naoto's Musical Journey

Early Days and Big Dreams (1979–2000)

Naoto started playing the guitar and writing songs when he was 14 years old. He loved making music so much that he even made his own album in high school. To get better at performing, he played his songs on the streets. This helped him learn how to get his audience involved in his shows.

In 1999, while he was a university student, Naoto visited New York City. He got a surprise chance to perform at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem! He wasn't scared at all. He grabbed the microphone and entertained everyone, even making music with the band on the spot. The audience loved it and gave him a standing ovation. This amazing experience made him dream of becoming a world-class performer who could connect with people through music, no matter the language.

A Trip Around the World (2001–2004)

In 2001, Naoto signed a music deal with Sony Music Records. He released some songs and an album, but they weren't big hits. Feeling a bit disappointed, he decided to take a break. He remembered his dream of a world tour and decided to travel the world to learn more about music and life.

In 2003, his incredible journey began. He visited 28 countries in 515 days! This trip showed him how much more there was to the world than what he saw on TV. He especially loved the Middle Eastern countries and the kind people he met there. This experience gave him a new goal: to use his music to help make the world a more peaceful place. During his travels, he even got to sing for Yasser Arafat, a famous leader, performing a popular Japanese song called "UE O MUITE ARUKOU". He also toured with a band in Miami and almost became a professional football player in Peru! His journey truly helped him grow as a person and an artist.

New Name, New Start (2005–2009)

After his world trip, Naoto chose his new stage name, Naoto Inti Raymi. He was inspired by his travels, especially a memorable visit to Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. "Inti" means sun and "Raymi" means festival in the Quechuan language, which was spoken by the Inca Empire.

He worked hard, performing in many small venues and on the streets. Then, he met Kazutoshi Sakurai, the lead singer of Mr. Children, a very popular Japanese rock band. Naoto started singing backup for Mr. Children's concerts in 2008. While doing this, he also signed a new contract as a solo artist. He kept performing his own shows, improving his music and stage presence.

Reaching New Heights (2010–Present)

In April 2010, Naoto made his third major debut with the song "Carnival?". Just eight months later, he performed a successful solo concert at Nippon Budokan, a famous concert hall where many Japanese artists dream of playing. He released many songs and albums quickly, and his popularity grew.

In 2012, he was invited to perform on "NHK KOUHAKU UTAGASSEN," a very important New Year's Eve TV music show in Japan. In 2015, he held a huge concert at KYOCERA Dome in Osaka, where 40,000 fans came to celebrate his fifth anniversary with a major record label.

Naoto isn't just a singer. He also writes songs for other artists and has started acting! He appeared in the movie "KAMISAMA WA BALINI IRU" in 2015, played the main role in the musical "DNA-SHARAKU" in 2016, and was in the TV drama "KOUNODORI" in 2017.

He continues to travel the world, visiting 19 countries in 2017 to find new musical ideas. In 2018, he toured all 47 prefectures of Japan by himself. He also wrote songs for famous artists like Masashi Sada and the pop group BOYS AND MEN. His latest album, "7," was released in December 2018 and even included a song he wrote with Mr. Children's Kazutoshi Sakurai.

Naoto's goal is to go on a world tour. To make this dream come true, he is now working with songwriters from other countries and creating music in different languages.

Naoto's Music

Naoto Inti Raymi has released many albums and singles throughout his career. Here are some of his main works:

Albums

• Funk Renaissance (2002) - Released as Naoto
• Shall We Travel?? (2010)
• Adventure (2011)
• Kazauta Caravan (2012)
• Nice catch the moment! (2013)
• Tabi uta diary (2013)
• Viva The World (2014)
• THE BEST! (2015)
• Six Sense (2016)
• Tabi-uta diary 2 (2017)
• 7 (2018)

Extended Plays

• Ultra C (2009)

Singles

• "Growing Up!!" (2001) - As Naoto
• "High" (2002) - As Naoto
• "Ano Subarashii Ai o Mō Ichido" (2002) - As Naoto
• "Itareri Tsukuseri" (2005)
• "Sakura Komachi" (2006)
• "Carnival?" (2010)
• "Takaramono (Kono Koe ga Naku Naru Made)" (2010)
• "Aritakke no Love Song" (2010)
• "Adventure" (2010) - Digital single
• "Ima no Kimi o Wasurenai" (2011)
• "Brave" (2011)
• "Hello" (2011)
• "Kimi ni Aitakatta" (2012)
• "Ai Shiteta" (2012)
• "Naite Tatte" (2012)
• "Shiawase ni Naru Tameni" (2012)
• "Koisuru Kisetsu" (2013)
• "Tegami" (2013)
• "The World Is Ours!" (2014)
• "Life" (2014)
• "Itsuka kitto" (2015)
• "Mirai He" (2016)
• "Together" (2016)
• "Overflows〜Kotoba ni dekinakute〜" (2016)
• "Yume no arika" (2016)
• "Hibiscus" (2018)
• "Start to Rain" (2018)
• "Mangetsu no Yoru" (2019)
• "El Japonés" (2019) - with Joey Montana, as Naoto