Seiko Oomori (大森靖子, Ōmori Seiko, born 18 September 1987)[1] is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Her musical career began in the underground music culture of Tokyo's Kōenji neighborhood, briefly playing in the punk band Kuchuu Moranko before going solo and releasing two independent albums until signing with major record label Avex Trax in 2014. Oomori's music style is influenced by idol culture and punk rock among other clashing musical styles, and she is considered one of the early pioneers of the "anti-idol" and alternative idol scenes led by groups like BiS that would eventually give way to the more popular Kawaii metal movement, utilizing shock value and performance art throughout the early parts of her career.[2][3]
Seiko Oomori 大森靖子 | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 September 1987 Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Avex Trax |
| Spouse | |
| Website | oomoriseiko |
Career
editBorn in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Oomori moved to Tokyo to attend Musashino Art University in Kodaira.[1] Starting from 2007,[4] Oomori performed in one of Kōenji's "live houses" named Muryoku Muzenji, singing while playing an acoustic guitar.[2] In 2011, Oomori formed a band named "Seiko Oomori & The Pink Tokarev" (大森靖子＆THEピンクトカレフ). During her time in Kōenji, Oomori's music pushed back against the dominance of Japanese idols on the music charts, a style that Ian Martin of The Japan Times compares to Jun Togawa and Ringo Sheena.[5] Oomori held multiple concerts within Tokyo,[6] including a first appearance at the 2013 Tokyo Idol Festival, a venue she would continue to appear in.[7] Her growing popularity attracted the attention of Avex Trax to offer a contract in 2014.[8]
Oomori's first album with Avex Trax, Sennō, sees her depart from her guitar-wielding "anti-idol" image to explore other types of music by incorporating more electronic elements, but her lyrics still explore darker themes, similar to Avex Trax's other band BiS.[7] Her subsequent albums saw her continue to adapt to a more mainstream-friendly style and adapting from even more genres.[2] In 2018, Oomori created an idol group named ZOC (short for "zone of control") in which she was both a member and a producer.[2][9] On 9 June 2021, ZOC released their first album PvP, a double-album produced by Oomori herself with additional contributions from Kenta Sakurai, the producer of now-defunct idol group Maison Book Girl. Later that year on 9 November, ex-BiS and Maison Book Girl member Megumi Koshouji debuted her new idol group MAPA with the full-length album Shitennou, produced entirely by Oomori.[citation needed]
Personal life
editOomori announced in 2014 that she had gotten married, although she did not specify to whom. In 2020 she publicly revealed her husband's identity as Pierre Nakano of Ling Tosite Sigure,[10] also the long-time drummer in her backing band. The couple have one son, who was born in 2015.[11] On August 18, 2024, the day that would have been their tenth wedding anniversary, the couple announced their divorce through their respective social media accounts.[12] [13]
Discography
edit| Seiko Oomori discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 8 |
| EPs | 1 |
| Compilation albums | 2 |
| Singles | 10 |
Studio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [14] |
JPN Comb [A][15] |
JPN Hot [16] | ||
| Mahō ga Tsukaenai nara Shinitai (魔法が使えないなら死にたい) |
|
— | — | — |
| Zettai Shōjo (絶対少女) |
|
53 | — | — |
| Sennō (洗脳) |
|
18 | — | — |
| Tokyo Black Hole |
|
19 | — | 22 |
| Kitixxxgaia |
|
10 | — | 25 |
| Kusokawa Party (クソカワPARTY) |
|
9 | — | 12 |
| Kintsugi |
|
35 | 45 | — |
| Persona #1 |
|
13 | 45 | — |
| 超天獄 (天 ver.) |
|
24 | 42 | — |
| This Is Japanese Girl |
|
29 | — | 26 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
Extended plays
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Pink |
|
Compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak Position | |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [14] |
JPN Comb [B][15] | ||
| Muteki | 27 September 2017 | 20 | — |
| Seiko Oomori (大森靖子) | 12 February 2020 | 31 | 24 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak Position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [14] |
JPN Comb [C][17] |
JPN Hot [18] | ||
| "Midnight Seijun Isei Kouyū" (清純異性交遊) | 2014 | 178 | — | — |
| "Kyuru Kyuru" (きゅるきゅる) | 20 | — | 32 | |
| "Magic Mirror/Sacchan no Sexy Curry" (マジックミラー/さっちゃんのセクシーカレー) | 2015 | 20 | — | 49 |
| "Aishiteru.com/Gekiteki Joy! Before After" (愛してる.com/劇的JOY!ビフォーアフター) | 2016 | 26 | — | 93 |
| "Pink Methuselah/Guttokuru Summer" (ピンクメトセラ/グッとくるSUMMER) | 51 | — | — | |
| "Positive Stress" | 51 | — | — | |
| "Orion Za/Yabatan Densetsu" (オリオン座/YABATAN伝説) | 26 | — | — | |
| "Draw(A)Drow" | 2017 | 30 | — | — |
| "Zettai Kanojo" (絶対彼女) | 2019 | 24 | 35 | — |
| "Re:Re:Love Oomori Seiko" (Re:Re:Love 大森靖子) | 19 | 41 | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
Notes
edit- ^ The Oricon Combined Albums Chart was established on December 24, 2018.
- ^ The Oricon Combined Albums Chart was established on December 24, 2018.
- ^ The Oricon Combined Singles Chart was established on December 24, 2018.
References
edit- ^ a b "大森靖子". Tower Records Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d St. Michel, Patrick (26 September 2018). "Seiko Oomori: J-pop's reigning rule-breaker". The Japan Times. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ Robson, Daniel (14 August 2014). "Japanese Pop Star Oomori Seiko's Music Sounds like "Disneyland in Hell"". Vice. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "大森靖子 結婚はロックじゃない！私が出産した訳". Nikkei Dual (in Japanese). 10 August 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ Martin, Ian (2 September 2014). "The hammer and scalpel are what's needed to subvert idol-pop culture". The Japan Times. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ 宗像明将 (19 May 2013). "音楽を語る言葉を捨てよ、そして音楽へ 大森靖子ワンマンライヴレポート". Yahoo!. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Seiko Oomori – Midnight Seijun Isei Kouyuu: New music from Japan". The Guardian. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ St. Michel, Patrick (16 December 2014). "Rock, J-pop and dance: Albums we liked in 2014". The Japan Times. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Seiko Oomori's Idol Unit 'ZOC' Announce Debut Single". Arama Japan. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "「凛として時雨」ピエール中野、大森靖子との結婚を"反省の場"で発表" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "大森靖子、第1子男児出産 母子ともに健康「きゃぅわいー」" (in Japanese). Oricon. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "大森靖子＆ピエール中野、離婚発表 「10度目の結婚記念日」に決断". ORICON NEWS. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ "Oomori Seiko and Pierre Nakano (drummer of the rock band Ling Tosite Sigure) have announced they are now divorced". Neo-Tokyo 2099. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "大森靖子の作品". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Seiko Oomori on Oricon Combined Albums chart". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Billboard Japan Hot Albums:
- 4 April 2016, accessed 2 November 2020
- 27 March 2017, accessed 2 November 2020
- 9 October 2017, accessed 2 November 2020
- 23 July 2018, accessed 2 November 2020
- 24 February 2020, accessed 2 November 2020
- 25 September 2024, accessed 25 September 2024
- ^ "Seiko Oomori on Oricon Combined Singles chart". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Billboard Japan Hot 100:
- 29 September 2014, accessed 2 November 2020
- 27 July 2015, accessed 2 November 2020
- 29 June 2016, accessed 2 November 2020