Zard

Izumi Sakai ( Japanese 坂 井泉 水 , actually 蒲 池 幸 子 Kamachi Sachiko; born February 6, 1967 in Kurume ; † May 27, 2007 in Tokyo ) was a Japanese pop musician who from 1992 only performed under the pseudonym Zard .

Flower arrangement on the occasion of the death of Izumi Sakai with a photo of the artist

General

Zard was originally a five-member group that released their first single, "Good-bye My Loneliness," on February 10, 1991. Already the third album in September 1992 was only released by the singer Izumi Sakai, who kept the name Zard for her following solo career.

Little personal information is known about the artist, as her label barely published any information and she rarely appeared in front of an audience.

Sakai wrote the lyrics of her own songs and has also written lyrics for other artists. Some of her singles were used in world-famous anime series, including Detective Conan and Dragonball .

Sakai was one of the most successful Japanese singers of the 1990s . Eleven of her singles reached number one on the Oricon singles chart, nine albums made it to number one on the Oricon album charts. In total, she has released 42 singles and 17 albums.

Izumi Sakai has been under repeated medical treatment since June 2006 after being diagnosed with cervical cancer . During an inpatient stay in a university hospital in Tokyo , she fell seriously on May 26, 2007 while walking on the hospital grounds and died a day later from the head injuries she suffered.

On September 14, 2007, a memorial concert was held in her honor at Nippon Budōkan in Tokyo with 13,000 visitors, including members of well-known Japanese bands.

Discography

Singles

• 1991 - Good-bye My Loneliness
• 1991 - Fushigine
• 1991 - Mo Sagasanai
• 1992 - Nemurenai Yoru wo Daite
• 1992 - IN MY ARMS TONIGHT
• 1993 - Makenaide
• 1993 - Kimi ga Inai
• 1993 - Yureru Omoi
• 1993 - Mou Sukoshi Ato Sukoshi ...
• 1993 - Kitto Wasurenai
• 1994 - Kono Ai ni Oyogitsukaretemo
• 1994 - Konna ni Soba ni Irunoni
• 1994 - Anata wo Kanjiteitai
• 1995 - Just believe in love
• 1995 - Ai ga Mienai
• 1995 - Sayonara ha Ima mo Kono Mune ni Imasu
• 1996 - May Furendo
• 1996 - Kokoro where Hiraite
• 1997 - Don't you see!
• 1997 - Kimi ni Aitakunattara ...
• 1997 - Kaze ga Torinukeru Machi he
• 1998 - Eien
• 1997 - My Baby Grand -Nukumori ga Hoshikute-
• 1998 - Iki mo Dekinai
• 1998 - Unmei no Ruretto Mawashite
• 1998 - Atarashi Doa -Fuyu no Himawari-
• 1998 - GOOD DAY
• 1999 - MIND GAMES
• 1999 - Sekai ha Kitto Mirai no Naka
• 1999 - Itaikurai Kimi ga Afureteiruyo
• 1999 - Kono Namida Hoshi ni Nare
• 2000 - Get U're Dream
• 2000 - promised you
• 2002 - Sawayakana Kimi no Kimochi
• 2003 - Ashita where Yumemite
• 2003 - Hitomi Tojite
• 2003 - Motto Chikakude Kimi no Yokogao Miteitai
• 2004 - Kakegae no Naimono
• 2004 - Kyou wa yukkuri hanasou
• 2005 - Hoshi no Kagayaki yo / Natsu wo matsu SEIRU no You ni
• 2006 - Kanashii Hodo Anata ga Suki / Karatto Ikou!
• 2006 - Heart ni Hi wo Tsukete
• 2007 - Glorious Mind
• 2008 - Tsubasa wo Hirogete / Ai ha Kurayami no Naka de

Albums

• 1991 - Good-bye My Loneliness
• 1991 - Mo Sagasanai (sold over 3.3 million times)
• 1992 - HOLD ME (actually first solo album)
• 1993 - Yureru Omoi
• 1994 - OH MY LOVE
• 1995 - forever you
• 1996 - TODAY IS ANOTHER DAY
• 1997 - ZARD BLEND -SUN & STONE- (2.5 million times sold)
• 1999 - Eien
• 1999 - ZARD BEST The Single Collection -Kiseki-
• 1999 - ZARD BEST -Requested Memorial-
• 2000 - ZARD Cruising & Live
• 2001 - Toki no Tsubasa
• 2001 - ZARD BLEND II -LEAF & SNOW-
• 2004 - Tomatteita Tokei ga Ima Ugokidasita
• 2005 - Kimi to no Distance
• 2006 - Golden Best ~ 15th Anniversary ~

CD boxes

• 2001 - ZARD Premium Box 1991-2001
• 2008 - ZARD Premium Box 1991-2008

DVDs

• 2005 - What a beautiful moment
• 2006 - ZARD Le Portfolio 1991-2006

Books

• 2006 - Le Portfolio
• 2007 - Kitto Wasurenai

Web links

Commons : Zard  - collection of images

• Official website (mainly Japanese)
• Artist profile Zard (English)
• Izumi Sakai in the Internet Movie Database (English)