Tomomi Kahara (華原 朋美, Kahara Tomomi) (formerly, Kahala Tomomi) born Tomomi Shimogawara (下河原 朋美, Shimogawara Tomomi) on August 17, 1974 in Tokyo), is a Japanese pop singer. She is famous for working with Tetsuya Komuro who gave her much success in the 1990s, which led to her deep dip in popularity after 1999, the year in which she released her first non-TK produced album, One Fine Day. Tomomi Kahara and Tetsuya Komuro dated for a few years, but they suffered from personal problems which led to their breakup. After a period of sickness, Kahara's talent agency terminated her contract on June 29, 2007.[1][2]
Biography
Before 1995: Early life and career
Kahara was born in Koto, Tokyo in 1974. She attended Showa Gakuin Elementary, Shoin Junior, and Senior High School. She started her horse-riding lesson when she was three, and later received the 4th place in the National Sports Festival of Japan in 1992. Before she started her career as a singer, she worked as a model, and appeared in fashion magazines such as CanCam and Vivi as well as TV shows.
1995–1997: Rise to fame
While working with Tetsuya Komuro, her first single "Keep Yourself Alive", was released in late 1995. It sold over 360,000 copies and went Top 10, peaking at No. 8. Her second single, "I Believe", was her first million-seller and added to her popularity. In March 1996, she released the single "I'm Proud" which peaked at No. 2 and was her best-selling single. It outsold Namie Amuro's singles released that year. In June 1996, she finally released her first album, Love Brace, a collection of songs about love and stated by Tetsuya Komuro to be his best work to date. It was a huge success selling over 2.5 million copies, half of them within the first week of release.
Already a big star, she and Tetsuya Komuro became an item and she continued to release singles, all peaking at 1. In December 1997, she finally released her second album, Storytelling. It went to the top of the charts and sold 1.37 million copies, much less than the 2.5 million copies that her previous album has sold.
1998–1999: Decline
Since the release of Storytelling, her popularity began to decline and her relationship with her mentor, Tetsuya Komuro, was in every tabloid. Gossip magazines rumored that both of them were abusing drugs and that their relationship was beginning to fall apart. Her next single tumblin dice went only to the number-two position.[3] Her music did not reach the top position again. Her next album, nine cubes, sold a depressing 261,000 copies, much less than her first two albums.
Her breakup with Tetsuya Komuro, frequent scandals, and suicide attempts shed her in a negative light in the conservative Japanese media. She finally left her record company, who released a compilation which sold well, over 600,000 copies and debuted at No. 1. At that time, gossip magazines were labeling rising-star, Ami Suzuki, as Kahara's replacement.
After some time relaxing after the scandals, Tomomi Kahara resumed her career at Warner writing her own lyrics.
1999–2006: Post-Tetsuya Komuro
After Komuro, Kahara worked with a variety of producers at Warner Music Japan, including American Andy Marvel (Diana King, Jessica Simpson) and recorded songs by Gary Carolla (N Sync) and Vincent Degiorgio (N Sync, Atomic Kitten, Love, Inc., Mink, Nakano Mori Band) which appeared on her albums One Fine Day and Love Again, released in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
In 2004, Kahara signed with Universal Music Japan. (Now credited as Kahara. formerly Kahala.) Her most recent recordings for Universal Music Japan have shown her in a dazzling and sultry light with some of her best vocal performances to date. She covered some of her biggest hits and also recorded new songs from Korean and Japanese composers as well as pop standards such as "Ben", a cover version of the song by Michael Jackson. Her best-selling album at Universal sold a little over 50,000 copies and her latest album, Naked, sold only 12,000 copies, but she was still be seen in the media.
In 2006, after years of average fame, Tomomi Kahara returned briefly to the spotlight. She starred in a musical and her latest photobook, Crystallize II, which came with two strawberry condoms, sold unexpectedly well.[4] She was one of the voice actors for the 'Sound of Music' Japanese DVD and she sang the theme song for a NHK Taiga drama.
2007–present: hiatus and comeback announced
On June 29, 2007, Kahara canceled her contract with Ogipro after repeated personal problems affected her professional appearances.[1][2] After this, she went on a hiatus, and it was unsure if she would return.[5]
On November 4, 2008, Tetsuya Komuro was arrested, and Japanese weekly magazine Josei Jishin reported that Kahara was shocked by his arrest and suffered from insomnia.[6]
On January 17, 2009, she was taken to a hospital reportedly because she took excessive amounts of tranquilizers.[7]
On October 30, 2011, she announced that will make a return to the entertainment industry. She has taken vocal lessons and acting classes.
End of 2012, she made her return by live FNS TV program.
On April 17, 2013, she released new single. Dreamed a Dream
On June 26, 2013, she released new album. Dream – self cover Best
In August 2013, following the suicide of Hikaru Utada's mother, Kahara generated controversy when she stated that she wished to make a song about the event. Her comment was criticized as being insensitive.[8]
In 2016, Kahara made an appearance as a guest artist at the Japanese touring ice show Fantasy on Ice, where she performed live in collaboration with various figure skaters at the tour stops in Makuhari and Sapporo.[9]
