Seiko Matsuda facts for kids

Noriko Kamachi (born March 10, 1962), known as Seiko Matsuda, 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, and appear on TV.

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 named her the second best-selling idol of all time in Japan. She had sold over 29.5 million records. She was just behind the pop group SMAP.

Matsuda once held the record for the most number-one hits by a musician in Japan. She had 25 number-one songs between 1983 and 2000. She has performed many times on the famous Kouhaku (Red White Music Battle), a New Year's Eve music show.

Early Life and Family

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. She is also a descendant of a powerful samurai family from long ago.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out: 1978–1980

In 1978, Seiko won a contest held by a popular teenage magazine. A music producer named Muneo Wakamatsu noticed her talent. She chose the stage name Seiko Matsuda. In 1979, she became a popular teen idol in magazines. She also started acting in a TV series called Odaijini.

In January 1980, Seiko began working as a radio personality. In April 1980, she released her first 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"), came out 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 also used in a commercial. After "Aoi Sangosho" became popular, many girls copied her haircut, which became known as the "Seiko-chan cut."

In October 1980, she released "Kaze wa Akiro" (meaning "Wind Is Autumn Color"). This song became her first number-one hit. By December 1980, she had released two successful albums, Squall and North Wind. She also made her first appearance on the famous Kouhaku TV show.

Rising Star: 1981–1982

Seiko continued to release hit songs in 1981. Her fourth single, "Cherry Blossom," reached number one. She also launched her first nationwide concert tours. Her third album, Silhouette, was released in May 1981.

Her seventh single, "Kaze Tachinu," came out in October 1981. It showed a big change in her singing style. This song was written by the famous musician Eiichi Ohtaki. It also reached number one and won several awards. Her fourth album, also called Kaze Tachinu, was released soon after.

In January 1982, Seiko released "Akai Sweet Pea" (meaning "Red Sweet Pea"). She also changed her look by cutting her hair short. This song became one of her most famous songs. She released her fifth album, Pineapple, in May 1982.

Her tenth single, "Komugiiro no Marmalade" (meaning "Wheat-colored Marmalade"), was released in July 1982. It won the Golden Prize award. By December 1982, she held her first big concert at the Nippon Budokan, a famous concert hall. She also appeared on Kouhaku for the third time.

Breaking Records: 1983–1984

In February 1983, Seiko released "Himitsu no Hanazono" (meaning "Secret Garden"). This song became her tenth number-one single in a row. This broke the record set by the popular duo Pink Lady.

In July 1983, she released her seventh album, Utopia. For the first time, Seiko wrote lyrics for one of her songs, "Chiisana Love Song." Her fourteenth single, "Glass no Ringo/Sweet Memories," was released in August 1983. "Sweet Memories" became very popular and was used in a beer commercial. It is her second best-selling single ever.

In December 1983, she released her eighth album, Canary. She also held her second concert at the Budokan and appeared on Kouhaku for the fourth time. In 1984, Seiko had a very busy year with four concert tours. Her song "Natsu No Jewelry" was the theme song for the Japanese version of The NeverEnding Story.

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.

In January 1985, she released "Tenshi no Wink" (meaning "Angel's Wink"). It was her last single to sell over 400,000 copies for a while. Her twenty-first single, "Boy no Kisetsu," was released in May 1985. It was used as a theme song for the movie Penguin's Memory: Shiawase Monogatari, in which she also voiced a character.

In June 1985, she released her eleventh album, The 9th Wave. On the same day as her wedding, she released her first English single, "Dancing Shoes," under the name Seiko. She had plans to release music overseas, but her marriage changed those plans.

In August 1985, she released her first English album, Sound of My Heart. Famous musicians like members of the band Chicago helped produce it. In 1986, while pregnant, Seiko released the album Supreme. It won the Best Album Award. She also wrote lyrics for another artist for the first time. In October 1986, she gave birth to her daughter, Sayaka.

Comeback and New Sounds: 1987–1989

After her marriage, Seiko decided to continue her music career, unlike some other idols who retired. She was nicknamed "Mama Doll" (a mother who works as an idol).

In April 1987, she fully returned to music with her single "Strawberry Time." One month later, she released her new album, also called Strawberry Time, which sold over 1 million copies. She also started her first concert tour in two years.

In May 1988, she released her fifteenth album, Citron, which was produced by the famous David Foster. This album showed her moving away from her idol image to become more of a professional singer.

In September 1988, her twenty-fifth single, "Tabitachi wa Freesia," was released. It was her first single where she was credited as a writer. It also became her last single to debut at number one on the Oricon Weekly charts. In June 1989, Seiko left her old music company and started her own company, Fantic. This was to help her achieve her dream of releasing music overseas more easily.

International Dreams and New Challenges: 1990–1992

In the early 1990s, Seiko focused on her dream of becoming an international artist. 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 New Kids on the Block. This song was moderately successful and charted in several countries.

In June 1990, Seiko released her second English album, Seiko, which was released in many countries, including Japan and the United States. It was the first time in ten years that a Japanese artist charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

In November 1990, she returned to Japan to release her Japanese single "We Are Love." Her album of the same name followed in December. In May 1991, she released Eternal, her first English cover album.

In 1992, Seiko focused more on her career in Japan. In February 1992, she released "Kitto, Mata Aeru..." (meaning "Surely, We Can Meet Again..."). This was her first main single where she not only wrote but also composed the music. It was a theme song for a TV drama she starred in. The song was very successful, reaching number 4 on the charts. Her twentieth album, 1992 Nouvelle Vague, followed in March.

Continued Success: 1993–1995

In April 1993, Seiko released another hit song, "Taisetsu na Anata" (meaning "My Precious You"). It was a theme song for a TV drama she starred in and reached number 7 on the charts. In May 1993, she released her twenty-second album, Diamond Expression.

In November 1993, she released A Time for Love, her first Christmas-themed album. In June 1994, she released her twenty-fourth album, Glorious Revolution. In December 1994, her single "Kagayaita Kisetsu he Tabitatou" (meaning "Let's Depart to the Shining Season") became a hit. She also appeared on Kouhaku for the tenth time.

In May 1995, she released her twenty-fifth album, It's Style '95. After this, Seiko left Sony Music, her record label since her debut. She continued to release music with other labels.

New Labels and Challenges: 1996–1998

In April 1996, Seiko released "Anata ni Aitakute ~Missing You~" (meaning "I want to meet you ~Missing you~"). This was her first single with her new label, Mercury Records. It became her last number-one single and sold over 1.1 million copies.

She tried again to break into the U.S. music market in April 1996 with her English single "Let's Talk About It." Her third English album, Was it the future, followed in May. She also released a duet with Neil called "I'll Be There For You."

In May 1996, she released her twenty-seventh album, Vanity Fair. In December 1996, her English single "Good for you" charted on the Billboard Dance Chart. She also appeared on Kouhaku for the twelfth time.

In April 1997, she released "Watashi Dake no Tenshi:Angel" (meaning "My Only Angel:Angel"), which she dedicated to her daughter, Sayaka. This single sold over 248,000 copies. In May 1997, she released her twenty-ninth album, My Story.

The year 1998 saw a decline in her popularity, with lower sales for her songs and albums. She released her thirty-first album, Forever, in May 1998. In July, 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 forty-ninth single, "Kanashimi no Port," was released in July. In December 1999, she released her thirty-second album, Eien no Shojo (meaning "Eternal Girl"). Her daughter, Sayaka, wrote lyrics for one of the songs.

The year 2000 marked Seiko's 20th debut anniversary. She released her fiftieth single, "20th Party," in May. In June, she released two more singles, "Shanghai Love Song" and "Unseasonable Shore." Her thirty-third album, 20th Party, followed. In September 2000, she released a duet single, "True Love Story," with her former boyfriend, Hiromi Go. This song reached the Top 10.

In June 2001, she released her fifty-fifth single, "Anata shika Mienai" (meaning "I Can Only See You"). Her thirty-fourth album, LOVE & EMOTION Vol.1, was released in June. In November, she released her thirty-fifth album, LOVE & EMOTION Vol.2. This was her last work released under Universal Music Japan for a while.

In 2002, Seiko returned to her former music label, Sony Music. She also tried again to release successful music in the United States with her English single "All to you." This song charted on several dance charts. In June, she released her thirty-sixth album, area62, which was only released in America. Her daughter, Sayaka, also made her debut as a singer in July.

Continued Music and Acting: 2004–2008

In May 2004, Seiko released her sixty-first single, "Aitai" (meaning "I Want to Meet You"). She starred in a TV commercial for Daikyo with her daughter, Sayaka. In June 2004, she released her thirty-seventh album, Sunshine.

The year 2005 marked Seiko's 25th debut anniversary. In April 2005, she released her thirty-eighth album, Fairy. She also launched a national tour, with a final performance in Taiwan, her first overseas show since 1980. In August 2005, she released "I'll fall in love," which was a theme song for the Japanese remake of the movie Bewitched.

In April 2006, she released "Bless you," a song written by her daughter, Sayaka. Her fortieth album, also called Bless you, was released in May. In July 2006, Sony released a special compilation album of her work, which included 74 CDs. In December 2006, she released her second English cover album, Eternal II.

In April 2007, a documentary about Seiko's life was broadcast on Japanese TV. In June 2007, she released her forty-second album, Baby's Breath, which she wrote and produced herself. In August 2007, she released a duet single, "Manatsu no Yoru no Yume" (meaning "Midsummer Night's Dream"), with Takashi Fujii.

In May 2008, she released her forty-third album, My Pure Melody, which she also wrote and produced. In July 2008, Seiko starred as Seita's mother in the live-action movie Grave of the Fireflies, her first movie role in seven years.

Anniversary Celebrations and Recent Work: 2009–Present

In June 2009, Seiko moved back to Universal Music Japan. In August 2009, her previous label, Sony, re-released 16 of her early albums. Thirteen of these albums entered the Oricon Top 100 Album Chart at the same time, setting a new record for a female artist.

The year 2010 marked Seiko's 30th debut anniversary. In April 2010, she appeared as a guest on the American TV show Bones. In May 2010, she released "Ikutsu no Yoke wo Kazoetara" (meaning "How Many Nights Have I Counted"), her first TV drama theme song in 14 years. Her forty-fourth album, My Prelude, also reached number 4 on the charts.

In June 2011, she released her forty-fifth album, Cherish. In September 2011, she was invited to perform at a concert by American music producer Quincy Jones in Los Angeles. In November 2011, she released "Tokubetsu na Koibito" (meaning "Special Lover"), a song written and produced by Mariya Takeuchi. She also appeared on Kouhaku for the sixteenth time, singing a cover of "Sukiyaki" with her daughter, Sayaka.

In May 2012, Seiko released "Namida no Shizuku" (meaning "Teardrops"), which was a theme song for the movie Chronicle of My Mother. Her forty-sixth album, Very Very, followed in June. In September 2012, she was a guest vocalist on an album by the jazz group Fourplay.

In May 2013, she released "LuLu!!," a single written by the singer Chara. Her forty-seventh album, A Girl in the Wonder Land, was released in June. In October 2013, she released a duet single, "Yume ga Samete" (meaning "When the Dream Ends"), with Chris Hart. This song won an award. She continued to appear on Kouhaku every year until 2020.

In February 2014, Seiko started her new agency, Felicia Club. In June 2014, she released her forty-eighth album, Dream & Fantasy.

The year 2015 marked her 35th debut anniversary. In June 2015, she released her forty-ninth album, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. In October 2015, she released "Eien no Motto Hate made" (meaning "To the Farther End of Eternity"), a song written by Yumi Matsutoya. This song won the Best Singer award.

In June 2016, she released her fiftieth album, Shining Star. In September 2016, she released "Bara no youni Saite Sakura no youni Chitte" (meaning "Bloom Like a Rose, Fall Like a Cherry Blossom"), a song written and produced by Yoshiki from X Japan. This was her last single released physically.

In March 2017, Seiko released her first jazz album, Seiko Jazz. It won awards for Best Jazz Album. In June 2017, she released her fifty-first album, Daisy. In November 2017, she held her first jazz concert.

In June 2018, she released her fifty-second album, Merry-go-round. In February 2019, she released her second jazz album, SEIKO JAZZ 2.

The year 2020 marked her 40th debut anniversary. Due to the global pandemic, some of her planned concerts were canceled. She released digital singles like "Sweet Memories: Amai Kioku" and "Ruriiro no Chikyuu 2020." In October 2020, she held her first online concert. In September 2020, she released her fifty-third album, Seiko Matsuda 2020, which included re-recorded versions of her old songs and new ones. She received a Special Achievement Award in December 2020.

In May 2021, she released a re-recorded version of her 1980 hit "Aoi Sangosho: Blue Lagoon." She even styled her hair in the famous "Seiko-chan haircut" for the music video. In June 2021, she released "Jikan no Kuni no Alice: Alice In the World of Time." She also held a concert tour that had been postponed from 2020. In October 2021, she released her fifty-fourth album, Seiko Matsuda 2021. In November 2021, she made her debut as a director for a film.

Sadly, in December 2021, her only child, Sayaka Kanda, passed away. Seiko canceled her remaining shows and TV appearances. She did not release new music in 2022 but continued to hold dinner shows and concerts.

As of 2025, Seiko Matsuda still holds annual concerts and Christmas dinner shows. In February 2024, she released her third jazz album, Seiko Jazz 3. This album includes a jazz version of her 1982 hit song "Akai Sweet Pea" with English lyrics and a saxophone solo by Kenny G. In March 2024, Matsuda graduated from Chuo University.

Legacy and Influence

Seiko Matsuda has influenced many musicians and idols, especially those from the 1980s. Many celebrities look up to her.

She is one of the top artists for having the most number-one albums and Top 10 singles and albums as a solo artist. HMV Japan ranked her as one of the Top Japanese Artists of All Time.

Matsuda has performed many concerts at the Nippon Budokan, a famous venue. Even though her concert tickets are expensive, her shows always sell out.

In a 2011 survey, she was named the number one "everlasting idol" of all time. Her ability to keep changing and stay popular is a big reason for her long success. She was even called a "Mamadol" because she remained popular after having children. Her hairstyles, fashion, and makeup have been copied by millions of girls and women in Japan and other parts of Asia.

Personal Life

Seiko 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), was also a singer. Her second husband was a dentist named Hiroyuki Hatano, whom she married in 1998 and divorced in 2000. On June 13, 2012, she announced her third marriage to university professor Hiromasa Kawana.

In 2016 and 2017, Seiko gained attention for modeling for a lingerie company.

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

In October 2023, news reported that Matsuda donated over 10 million yen (about 66,000 dollars) to her hometown of Fukuoka. This was to help after heavy rains affected the area in July 2023.

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