Seiko Matsuda facts for kids

Noriko Kamachi (蒲池 法子, Kamachi Noriko, born 10 March 1962), known professionally as Seiko Matsuda (松田 聖子, Matsuda Seiko), is a famous Japanese singer, songwriter, and actress. She became one of the most popular Japanese idols in the 1980s. Even today, she continues to release new music, perform in concerts, appear in TV shows and movies, and star in commercials.

Because of her huge popularity in the 1980s and her long career, the Japanese media calls her the "Eternal Idol." In 2011, a Japanese music TV show, Music Station, named her the second best-selling idol in Japan's history. She had sold over 29.5 million records! She was just behind the pop group SMAP and ahead of Akina Nakamori, who was her main rival in the 1980s.

Seiko Matsuda once held the record for the most number-one hits by a musician in Japan, with 25 songs reaching the top spot between 1983 and 2000. This record was later broken by the band B'z. She also held the record for female solo artists until Ayumi Hamasaki broke it in 2010. Seiko has performed many times on Kouhaku, a very famous New Year's Eve music show in Japan.

Early Life and Family Background

Noriko Kamachi was born on March 10, 1962, in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. She was the oldest daughter in her family. Her father worked for the government, and her mother came from a family of former village leaders. Seiko is a descendant of the Kamachi clan, who were powerful lords in the Sengoku period of Japan.

Seiko's Amazing Career

Starting Out: 1978–1980

In 1978, Seiko won a top prize in the Miss Seventeen contest, a competition held by a popular teen magazine. This led to her being discovered by a music producer named Muneo Wakamatsu. She chose the stage name Seiko Matsuda. In 1979, she became a popular magazine teen idol and started acting in a TV series called Odaijini.

In January 1980, Seiko began her career as a radio personality. In April 1980, she made her musical debut with the song "Hadashi no Kisetsu" (meaning "Barefoot Season"). This song was used in a TV commercial and quickly became a hit.

Her second single, "Aoi Sangosho" (meaning "Blue Coral Reef"), was released in July 1980. It was her first song to reach the Top 3 on the music charts and sold over 600,000 copies. This song was so popular that many girls copied her haircut, which became known as the "Seiko-chan cut."

In October 1980, Seiko released "Kaze wa Akiro" (meaning "Wind Is Autumn Color"). This song became her first number-one hit! It was the first of her incredible 24 consecutive number-one singles in Japan. By the end of 1980, she made her first appearance on the famous Kohaku TV show.

Rising Star: 1981–1982

Seiko continued her success in 1981. Her fourth single, "Cherry Blossom," also reached number one. She launched her first nationwide concert tours, "81 Seiko Big Concert in Tokyo" and "Nice Summer Seiko."

Her third album, Silhouette, was released in May 1981. In August, she got her first major movie role in Nogiku no Hana. Her seventh single, "Kaze Tachinu," released in October 1981, showed how much her singing had improved. This song also won several awards.

In January 1982, Seiko released "Akai Sweet Pea." This song became one of her most famous and loved songs. She also changed her look by cutting her hair short. Her ninth single, "Nagisa no Balcony," also became an iconic song for her.

Seiko's fifth studio album, Pineapple, came out in May 1982 and debuted at number one. In December 1982, she held her first concert at the famous Nippon Budoukan arena.

Record-Breaking Years: 1983–1984

In February 1983, Seiko released "Himitsu no Hanazono." This song became her 10th consecutive number-one single, breaking the record set by the popular 1970s duo Pink Lady.

In April 1983, she released "Tengoku no Kiss," which was the theme song for a movie she starred in. Seiko also started writing more of her own songs around this time. Her seventh album, Utopia, released in July 1983, included her first self-written song, "Chiisana Love Song."

Her fourteenth single, "Glass no Ringo/Sweet Memories," released in August 1983, became her second best-selling single ever. The song "Sweet Memories" was especially popular from a TV commercial. This single won many awards.

In 1984, Seiko was very busy with four concert tours. Her sixteenth single, "Rock'n Rouge," released in February 1984, also hit number one. Her ninth studio album, Tinker Bell, released in June 1984, also topped the charts. By November 1984, all of Seiko's singles since her debut had sold over 10 million copies combined!

New Beginnings: 1985–1986

The year 1985 was a big one for Seiko's personal life. She got engaged to actor Masaki Kanda and they married in June. Because of this, she took a break from music, which many thought would be her retirement.

In January 1985, she released "Tenshi no Wink," which was her last single to sell over 400,000 copies for a while. Her eleventh studio album, The 9th Wave, also reached number one. In June, she released her first English single, "Dancing Shoes," under the name Seiko.

In August 1985, her first English album, Sound of My Heart, was released. Famous musicians like the band Chicago and Billy Joel were involved in its creation.

During her pregnancy in 1986, Seiko released the album Supreme. It debuted at number one and sold over 699,000 copies, winning the Best Album Award. On October 1, 1986, she gave birth to her daughter, Sayaka.

Comeback and New Sound: 1987–1989

After her marriage, Seiko decided to continue her career, unlike some other singers who retired. This earned her the nickname "Mama Doll" (a mother who works as an idol).

In April 1987, she fully returned to music with her single "Strawberry Time," which was her first new single in almost two years. It debuted at number one. Her new album, also called Strawberry Time, released in May 1987, sold over 1 million copies!

In May 1988, she released her fifteenth studio album, Citron, which was produced by the famous David Foster. This album showed Seiko moving away from her "idol" image to become more of a professional singer. It was her last studio album to debut at number one on the Oricon Weekly Charts.

In September 1988, her single "Tabitachi wa Freesia" became her first song where she was credited as a writer. It was also her last single to debut at number one on the Oricon Weekly charts. In June 1989, Seiko started her own company, Fantic, to help her achieve her dream of becoming a singer overseas.

International Dreams and New Challenges: 1990–1992

In the early 1990s, while many idols from her era faded, Seiko continued to be strong. She focused on her dream of an international career.

In April 1990, she released her second English single, "All the way to Heaven," in England. In July 1990, she released "The Right Combination," a duet with Donnie Wahlberg from the band New Kids on the Block. This song was moderately successful, selling over 300,000 copies and charting in several countries, including the US Billboard 100.

In June 1990, her second English album, Seiko, was released worldwide. It was promoted in magazines like Us Weekly and sold well in Japan, the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia. It was the first time in ten years that a Japanese artist charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

In November 1990, Seiko returned to Japan to release "We Are Love," which debuted at number 16. Her album of the same name, released in December, featured songs she wrote and produced herself.

In 1992, Seiko focused more on her home country, Japan. In February, she released "Kitto, Mata Aeru...," a song she wrote and composed herself. It was a theme song for a TV drama she starred in and was quite successful. Her twentieth studio album, 1992 Nouvelle Vague, also featured songs she composed.

Continued Success: 1993–1995

In April 1993, Seiko had another hit song with "Taisetsu na Anata," which was a theme song for a TV drama she starred in. This single sold over 323,000 copies.

In May 1993, she released her twenty-second studio album, Diamond Expression. In November 1993, she released A Time for Love, her first Christmas-themed album, with all songs written and produced by her.

In December 1994, Seiko released "Kagayaita Kisetsu he Tabitatou." For this song, she used a new pen name, Meg.C, inspired by the American actress Meg Ryan. This single sold over 371,000 copies. She also appeared on Kohaku for the 10th time, her first appearance in five years.

In May 1995, she released her twenty-fifth studio album, It's Style '95. After this release, Seiko left Sony, the music label she had been with since her debut.

New Labels and Milestones: 1996–1998

In April 1996, Seiko released "Anata ni Aitakute ~Missing You~" under her new label, Mercury Records. This song became her last number-one single on the Oricon Weekly Charts (as of 2023) and sold over 1.1 million copies, making it a "million-seller."

She also tried to break into the US music market for the third time, releasing the English single "Let's Talk About It" and the album Was it the future. While these didn't chart in the US, her English single "Good for you" did reach number 37 on the Billboard Dance Chart in December 1996.

In April 1997, she released "Watashi Dake no Tenshi:Angel," a song she dedicated to her daughter, Sayaka. The single cover even featured her daughter's hand. This was Seiko's last single to sell over 100,000 copies (as of 2023).

In May 1997, her twenty-ninth studio album, My Story, debuted at number 5. In July 1998, Seiko had a small role as a Japanese tourist in the American movie Armageddon.

Anniversaries and Collaborations: 1999–2003

In 1999, Seiko changed her management agency. In July, she appeared as an actress in the American movie Drop Dead Gorgeous. Her album Eien no Shojo (December 1999) featured songs written by her daughter, Sayaka, under the pen name Alice.

The year 2000 marked Seiko's 20th debut anniversary. She released her fiftieth single, "20th Party." In September 2000, she released a duet single, "True Love Story," with her former boyfriend, Hiromi Go. This song reached the Top 10 for the first time in three years.

In 2002, Seiko returned to her former music label, Sony. She also made her fourth attempt to succeed in the United States with the English single "All to you," which charted on several Billboard Dance charts. Her daughter, Sayaka, also made her debut as a singer in July 2002.

Later Career and Continued Performances: 2004–Present

In May 2004, Seiko released "Aitai," which was used in a TV commercial where she starred with her daughter. Her thirty-seventh studio album, Sunshine, released in June 2004, was her first album to reach the Top 10 since 1997.

The year 2005 marked Seiko's 25th debut anniversary. She held her first overseas performance since 1980 in Taiwan, where she even sang some songs in Chinese.

In 2006, Sony released a special compilation album of 74 CDs called Seiko Matsuda. It became the highest-priced album in Oricon history at the time. In 2007, a documentary about her life, "Matsuda Seiko: Josei no Jidai no Monogatari," was broadcast on national television.

In 2010, for her 30th anniversary, Seiko's popularity saw a revival. She made a guest appearance on the popular American TV drama Bones. Her album My Prelude debuted at number 4, her first Top 5 album since 1997.

In 2011, she was invited to perform at a concert by American music producer Quincy Jones in Los Angeles. She also appeared on Kohaku for the first time in 10 years, singing a cover of Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki" with her daughter.

In 2012, Seiko performed as a guest vocalist on an album by the jazz group Fourplay. In 2013, she released a duet with Christ Hart, "Yume ga Samete," which won an award.

In 2015, for her 35th anniversary, she released the album Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. In October 2015, she released "Eien no Motto Hate made," written by Yumi Matsutoya, who had written many of her 1980s hits. This single won her the Best Singer award for the first time in 23 years.

In 2016, her album Shining Star reached number 5. Her single "Bare no youni Saite Sakura no youni Chitte," written by Yoshiki of X Japan, debuted at number 6, her highest charting single in 16 years.

In 2017, Seiko explored a new music style by releasing her first jazz album, Seiko Jazz. It was very successful, winning awards for Best Jazz Album. She continued to release original albums like Daisy.

In 2020, her 40th anniversary was affected by the global pandemic. Many of her planned concerts were canceled. She released digital singles and held her first online concert. Her self-cover album, Seiko Matsuda 2020, debuted at number 3. She also received a Special Achievement Award.

In 2021, she continued the self-cover concept, re-recording her hit songs like "Aoi Sangosho: Blue Lagoon" and "Jikan no Kuni no Alice: Alice In the World of Time." She even brought back her famous "Seiko-chan haircut" for a music video. In November 2021, she made her debut as a director for the film Folklore 2 on HBO Asia.

Sadly, in December 2021, her only child, Sayaka Kanda, passed away. Following this, Seiko canceled her performances and TV appearances. After a break, she slowly returned to performing in 2022, holding dinner shows and concert tours.

As of 2023, Seiko Matsuda continues to hold annual concerts and Christmas dinner shows. In 2024, she released her third jazz album, Seiko Jazz 3, which includes a jazz version of her hit song "Akai Sweet Pea" featuring saxophonist Kenny G.

Artistic Style

Influences

Seiko Matsuda has inspired many musicians and idols, especially those from the 1980s. Many artists, like Shoko Nakagawa, have called her a "God" and "My Universe."

Legacy and Impact

Seiko Matsuda is among the top artists for having the most number-one albums, Top 10 singles, and Top 10 albums as a solo artist in Japan. HMV Japan ranked her as the No. 10 Top Japanese Artist of All Time and No. 7 Top Singer of All Time.

She is also second only to Eikichi Yazawa for performing the most concerts at the Nippon Budokan arena. Even though her concert tickets are often very expensive, her shows always sell out.

In a 2011 survey, Oricon crowned her the No. 1 everlasting idol of all time. Her ability to stay popular for so long is due to her constantly reinventing herself. She was called a "Mamadol" because she remained popular even after having children. Her hairstyles, fashion, and makeup have been copied by millions of girls and women in Japan and other parts of Asia.

In 2023, a survey of the best 100 80s Showa Idols ranked Seiko at number 2.

Personal Life

In 1983, Seiko Matsuda was linked to singer Hiromi Go. While there were rumors of marriage, Go's traditional views meant Seiko would have to stop her singing career. Seiko chose to continue her career, setting an example for Japanese women to pursue their careers even after marriage.

Matsuda has been married three times. She married actor Masaki Kanda in 1985, and they divorced in 1997. Their only child, Sayaka Kanda (1986–2021), also became a singer. Her second husband was Hiroyuki Hatano, a dentist, whom she married in 1998 and divorced in 2000. On June 13, 2012, she announced her third marriage to Hiromasa Kawana.

In 2013, Seiko was seen with her daughter Sayaka at the funeral of her former director, Hideyoshi Aizawa. In 2016 and 2017, Seiko gained attention for modeling for the lingerie company, Triumph International.

On December 18, 2021, Seiko Matsuda's only child, Sayaka Kanda, passed away.

On October 16, 2023, it was reported that Matsuda donated over 10 million yen (about 66,000 US dollars) to her hometown of Fukuoka, which had been affected by heavy rains. On March 26, 2024, Matsuda graduated from the Faculty of Law at Chuo University.

Discography

Filmography

Films

• Nogiku no Haka (1981) (Tamiko)
• Purumeria no Densetsu Tengoku no Kiss (1983)
• Natsufuku no Eve (1984)
• Karibu Ai no Symphony (1985)
• Penguin's Memory: Shiawase Monogatari (1985) (Voice)
• Docchimo Docchi (1990)
• Final Vendetta (1996)
• Armageddon (1998) (Cameo)
• Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
• GEDO The Final Blade (2000)
• Sennen no Koi Story of Genji (2001)
• Shanghai Baby [it] (2007)
• Grave of the Fireflies (2008)
• Yazima Beauty Salon The Movie (2010)
• Ramen Teh (2018)

TV Shows

• The Big Easy (1997) as Yuki (Episodes "Shrimp Stew" and "The Black Bag")
• Partners (2000) as Lin
• King of the Hill (2002) – Season 6, Episodes 21 & 22 (Rhythm game playing girl, and her song "Kimono Beat" is used.)
• Tatta Hitotsuno Takaramono (2004)
• Doraemon (2007) – Appearance cameo in Season 2, Episode 190 "We're Gonna Steal Mom's Diamond"
• Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (2007)
• Bones (2010) – Season 5, Episode 15 (Riku Iwanaga)
• Taira no kiyomori (2012), Gion no nyōgo

See Also

In Spanish: Seiko Matsuda para niños

• List of best-selling music artists in Japan
• Seiko-chan cut