Hitomi Tohyama
Hitomi Tohyama 当山ひとみ | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama |
| Born | 28 December 1957 Koza, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Labels | Nippon Columbia |
| Website | https://ameblo.jp/shineon-penny/ |
Hitomi Tohyama (当山 ひとみ, Tōyama Hitomi; born 28 December 1957), also known as Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama, is a Japanese singer from Okinawa city. Raised in California, where she attended Oakland High School, she released several albums and singers with Nippon Columbia in the 1980s. Her music regained popularity as part of the 21st-century city pop wave.
Biography
Early life and education
Hitomi Tohyama, a native of Koza, Okinawa, was born on 28 December 1957, daughter of a United States Armed Forces officer of Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish descent.[2] Originally raised in Okinawa when it was still part of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands, she and her parents moved to California while she was in junior high school, and she enrolled at Oakland High School; her song "SFO-Oakland" was inspired by her experiences from that time.[3]
During her youth, Tohyama was interested in Motown music and Philadelphia soul.[4] Tohyama's older sister Myrah Kay,[3] also a musician, inspired her to take up a career in singing after she performed the song "Sunny" at her sister's club.[5] She obtained the nickname Penny from her "petite frame".[6]
Music career
What I found fascinating was that she sang several songs in English. She was incredibly skilled, just like an American singer. She sang in a soul style, with a rich, powerful voice that contrasted with her petite frame.[a]
Tohyama's music career began after she became a choral singer for Rie Ida's band Auction, later joining the chorus trio Joy.[3] Prior to her solo debut, her first record release was with Katsuya Kobayashi's disco project Ecstacy E.Z., performing alongside Auction member Yoshihiro Yonekura who would later be one of her songwriters.[3]
Raised primarily in an English-speaking environment,[b] Tohyama did not learn Japanese until she began performing professionally in Japan, where her producer Hikaru Kanematsu asked her to do so.[3] Despite her initial frustration with being required to sing in Japanese,[6] she later learned the language,[3] and by 1988, she had sung in Japanese "more than half the time".[6]
In 1981, Tohyama made her debut with Nippon Columbia, releasing her album Just Call Me Penny and her single "So Many Times (Doa-Goshi no Good Song)" that year.[7] She later released several more original albums:[7] Next Door, Sexy Robot (both 1983), and Watch Out (1988).[4] She also worked with Mike Baird, Eric Gale, Randy Jackson, and Richard Tee for a 1988 overseas recording session in Los Angeles,[4] where she recorded her album Imagination that year.[6] Her 1986 song "Ikisaki wa Oshienai" was the theme song for the TV Asahi variety show Beichō/Meiko no Omoshiro Nippon .[8] She also performed the ending song for the 1987 animated film Wicked City, "7 Course no Prologue", as well as an insert song.[9][10]
Ed Cunningham of Tokyo Weekender says that synth-funk was "a relatively common feature" of Tohyama's music.[11] Bryan Harrell of Asahigraph said that Tohyama's singing has a "nostalgic 1970s soul feel" and "captivates and draws listeners into a world of love."[6] Yu Onoda of Mikiki by Tower Records called her "a veteran of the disco scene".[4] Theron Martin of Anime News Network described her Wicked City songs as an "unrema[r]kable adult contemporary style typical of late '80s/early '90s anime OVAs and movies".[10] Tohyama herself cited Motown as an inspiration for her music.[4]
Tohyama was also a radio personality, appearing in ABC Radio's Midnight Best Sound and FM Yokohama's Marine Fantasia.[12]
Later life
Tohyama's music regained popularity with the 21st century resurgence of city pop.[13] Her song "Tuxedo Connection" appeared on WYMS' Sound Travels show on city pop in February 2019.[14] Her song "Exotic Yokogao" appeared in the 2019 compilation album Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR and Boogie 1976–1986.[15] Onoda said that "pursu[ing] a singing style that combined melody and groove rather than relying on vocal ability" may have contributed to her rise in the city pop wave.[4]
In January 2024, Night Tempo released remixes of her songs "Cathy" and "Exotic Profile" as part of his Showa Groove series.[16] On 6 March 2024, Nippon Columbia released Tohyama's greatest hits album "Pretty Penny Hitomi Tohyama: The Best and Rare", featuring remixes from Dimitri from Paris and Muro in addition to previous existing hits.[1]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Just Call Me Penny[17] |
|
| Heart Full Of L.A. Mind[18] |
|
| On The Radio[19] |
|
| Next Door[20] |
|
| Sexy Robot[21] |
|
| Five Penny's[22] |
|
| Human Voice[23] |
|
| Lady Ballad[24] |
|
| Hello Me[25] |
|
| One Scene[26] |
|
| Imagination[27] |
|
| Watch Out![28] |
|
| After 5:00 Story[29] |
|
| Munasawagi[30] |
|
Singles
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| "Doa-goshi no Good Song (So Many Times) / SFO-Oakland"[31] |
|
| "Symphony / Midnight Express"[32] |
|
| "I Don’t Think I Can Wait / Office Date"[33] |
|
| "Our Lovely Days / My Guy"[34] |
|
| "Good-Bye / Exotic Yokogao"[35] |
|
| "Try To Say / Sexy Robot"[36] |
|
| "Kanojo ni wa Wakaranai / Air Pocket"[37] |
|
| "Behind You / Try To Say"[38] |
|
| "School Band / You Are The One"[39] |
|
| "Ginga no Katasumi de / I Belong To You"[40] |
|
| "Ikisaki wa Oshienai / Hello Me"[8] |
|
| "7 Course no Prologue"[9] |
|
Notes
- ^ 私が面白いと思ったのは、彼女が何曲かを英語で歌っていたことだ。それは実に上手で、アメリカ人が歌うのとまったく変わらなかった。彼女はソウルのスタイルで歌った。その小柄な体つきとは対照的に、豊かで力のみなぎった声で。
- ^ Tohyama was raised by her father and older sister in the United States, in contrast to her mother being a speaker of the Okinawan language.[3]
References
- ^ a b c "当山ひとみオールタイムベストにMUROリエディット曲など初CD化音源も収録". Music Natalie (in Japanese). 2024-01-04. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ 現代日本人名錄90 (in Japanese). Vol. 2. 日外アソシエーツ. 1990. p. 1208. ISBN 978-4-8169-0914-6. Archived from the original on 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g "【インタビュー】当山ひとみ、これまでのキャリアを振り返る". BARKS (in Japanese). 2019-02-21. Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ a b c d e f Tohyama, Hitomi (2024-03-26). "当山ひとみが明かす、シンガーとしての決意 2枚組オールタイムベストに凝縮された音楽人生を振り返って". Mikiki by TOWER RECORDS (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yu Onoda. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ J-DIGS (2022-08-31). HITOMI TOHYAMA, City Pop LEGEND | CITY POP STORIES with BBC RADIO DJ Nick Luscombe. Retrieved 2025-04-13 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e f Asahigraph - Issues 3438-3447 (in Japanese). 1988.
- ^ a b "プロフィール | 当山ひとみ". Nippon Columbia (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-05-14. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ a b Ikisaki wa Oshienai / Hello Me (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1986. AH-739.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "7コースのプロローグ | 当山ひとみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ a b Martin, Theron (2016-03-16). "Wicked City DVD". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ Cunningham, Ed (2020-07-17). "A Complete Guide to City Pop". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ DJ名鑑 1987. Sansai Books. 1987-02-15. p. 109.
- ^ Ohara, Kaori (2024-04-16). "当山ひとみ『Pretty Penny Hitomi Tohyama The Best & Rare』シティポップ人気で再評価が高まる、初CD化音源も収録した2枚組ベスト". Mikiki by TOWER RECORDS (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-05-13. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ "The unforgettable funk of '70s and '80s Japanese City Pop". Radio Milwaukee. 2019-02-19. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ "'Pacific Breeze' and the Lost Japanese Genre of City Pop". PopMatters. 2019-05-03. Archived from the original on 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ "Night Tempo、『昭和グルーヴ』シリーズ第19弾で当山ひとみをフィーチャー". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 2024-01-25. Archived from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ Just Call Me Penny (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1981. AF-7045-AX.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Heart Full Of L.A. Mind (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1982. AF-7104-N.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ On The Radio (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1982. AF-7135.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Next Door (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1983. AF-7178.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Sexy Robot (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1983. AF-7224.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Five Penny's (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1985. AF-7346.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Human Voice (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1985. AF-7383.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Lady Ballad (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1986. AX-7438.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Hello Me (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1986. AF-7415.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "ONE SCENE | 当山ひとみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-08-05.
- ^ Imagination (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1988. AF-7478.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Watch Out! (CD). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1988. CA-2988.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ After 5:00 Story (CD). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1989. CA-4325.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "胸さわぎ | 当山ひとみ". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ Doa-goshi no Good Song (So Many Times) / SFO-Oakland (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1981. AH-53-AX.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Symphony / Midnight Express (liner notes). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1981. AF-7045.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ I Don't Think I Can Wait / Office Date (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1982. AH-108-N.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Our Lovely Days / My Guy (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1982. AH-229.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Good-Bye / Exotic Yokogao (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1983. AH-298.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Try To Say / Sexy Robot (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1983. AH-376.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Kanojo ni wa Wakaranai / Air Pocket (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1985. AH-576.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Behind You / Try To Say (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1985. AY-7403.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ School Band / You Are The One (liner notes). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1985. AH-670.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ginga no Katasumi de / I Belong To You (center label). Hitomi Tohyama. Nippon Columbia. 1986. AY-7408.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)