Yojiro Noda

Yojiro Noda
Noda performing with Radwimps in 2015
Noda performing with Radwimps in 2015
Background information
Birth nameYojiro Noda
Also known as
  • Illion
  • Yoji Noda
Born (1985-07-05) July 5, 1985 (age 39)
Japan
OriginTokyo, Japan
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Years active2001–present
LabelsWarner
Member ofRadwimps
Websiteillion-web.com

Yojiro Noda (野田洋次郎, Noda Yōjirō, born July 5, 1985), is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. Noda is the lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist of the Japanese rock band Radwimps and also began a solo project, Illion, in 2012.

Life and career

Early life, Radwimps

Noda was born in Tokyo, Japan, to a businessman father and piano teacher mother.[1] From the ages of six to ten, Noda lived overseas in the United States.[1][2] He first became interested in the guitar in junior high school, after hearing Oasis. He tried to learn how to play the chords with a guitar his family owned.[3]

While studying his first year of high school at Tōin Gakuen in Yokohama, he joined a band in 2001.[1] He joined after being asked by a friend to be the band's vocalist.[4] The band was named Radwimps, and Noda became the band's vocalist, guitarist, and sole songwriter. They released their debut independent album, Radwimps, in 2003, and the band made their major debut under Toshiba EMI in 2005. In 2006, the band became widely popular in Japan, with their fourth album Radwimps 4: Okazu no Gohan being certified platinum.[5]

In 2008, Noda produced a song for another artist for the first time. He wrote and produced the song "Labrador" for Japanese singer Chara, which was used as the leading promotional track for her album Honey.[6] In 2015, Noda wrote the song "Oaiko" (おあいこ, "Draw") for Hanaregumi's sixth studio album What Are You Looking For.[7]

Solo career

Noda's solo project, Illion, was first announced in November 2012. He began the solo career to perform overseas, which is a goal his band, Radwimps, did not share.[2][8] His debut album, Ubu, was released in Japan and Europe, first on February 25, 2013, in the United Kingdom.[9] The album was promoted with two singles, "Brain Drain" in January 2013, which received a 24-hour exclusive live music video,[9] and "Maharoba," which was released in February 2013. Noda first performed live as Illion at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on March 17, 2013. He also performed at the Indra Musikclub in Hamburg, Germany on March 19.[10] He planned to perform at the Tokyo Rocks rock festival in Tokyo on May 12, however the event was cancelled.[11]

In 2015, Noda made his debut as an actor in the film Pieta in the Toilet, which he starred in as the lead character Hiroshi.[12] Radwimps also performed the theme song for the film, entitled "Picnic" (ピクニック).[13] In May, Noda debuted as an author with Rarirure-ron, a book of essays written while RADWIMPS were on their Grand Prix 2014 Jikkyō Namachūkei tour of Japan, as well as his decision to star in Pieta in the Toilet.[14]

In 2016, Noda resumed his Illion solo project with a series of live concerts in July. This began with a performance at the Fuji Rock Festival, followed by two solo billed concerts in Tokyo and Osaka, billed as his Illion Japan Tour 2016.[15]

In 2019, Noda composed the theme song 気まぐれ雲 for the movie Day and Night.[16]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak positions
JPN
[17]
Ubu 7
P.Y.L
  • As Illion
  • Released: October 12, 2016
  • Label: Warner
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download, LP
 8

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
Billboard Japan Hot 100
[A]
"Brain Drain"[21]
(Illion) 		2013 30 Ubu
"Mahoroba"[22]
(Illion) 		27
"By My Side" (バイ・マイ・サイ, Bai Mai Sai)[B]
(Yojiro Noda (Radwimps) / Taka (One Ok Rock) 		2016 46 Non-album single
"Water Lily"[24]
(Illion) 		— P.Y.L
"Hilight"[25]
(Illion featuring 5lack) 		—
"Told U So"[26]
(Illion) 		—
"Miracle"[27]
(Illion) 		2017 —
"—" denotes items which did not chart.

Production discography

List of songs, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[C] 		Billboard Japan Hot 100
[D]
"Labrador" (ラブラドール, Raburadōru)
(Chara) 		2008 — 67 Honey
"EMI"
(Terakoya) 		2010 — 81 Non-album single
"Oaiko" (おあいこ, "Draw")
(Hanaregumi) 		2015 — 87 What Are You Looking For
"Chōchō Musubi" (蝶々結び, "Bow")
(Aimer) 		2016 10 8 Daydream
"Furaregai Girl" (フラレガイガール, "Girl Who Should Be Rejected")
(Sayuri) 		17 22 Mikazuki no Koukai
"—" denotes items which were not released as physical singles, so did not qualify for the Oricon singles chart.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2015 Pieta in the Toilet (トイレのピエタ, Toire no Pieta) Hiroshi
2017 Million Yen Women (TV) (100万円の女たち, 100 Manen no Onna-tachi) Shin Michima
2018 Isle of Dogs News Anchor (voice) American film
2018 The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan (泣き虫しょったんの奇跡) Yuya Suzuki
2020 Yell (TV) Masato Kogarashi Asadora
2021 It's a Flickering Life Terashin [35]

Bibliography

  • Rarirure-ron (ラリルレ論) (2015), Bungeishunjū, ISBN 416390235X

Notes

  1. ^ Sources for chart positions are as follows: "Brain Drain",[18] "Mahoroba",[19] "By My Side".[20]
  2. ^ Originally released on Radwimps' 2006 single "Setsuna Rensa" as a B-side, it was re-recorded as a charity single to fundraise for the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.[23]
  3. ^ Sources for chart positions are as follows: "Chōchō Musubi",[28] "Furaregai Girl".[29]
  4. ^ Sources for chart positions are as follows: "Labrador",[30] "EMI",[31] "Oaiko",[32] "Chōchō Musubi",[33] "Furaregai Girl".[34]

References

  1. ^ a b c Rockin' on Japan (in Japanese). February 2007. Tokyo, Japan: Rockin' On. January 20, 2007. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Meet Yojiro Noda – Tokyo's Answer To Thom Yorke". Mark Beaumont. NME. November 13, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  3. ^ "RADWIMPS 特集" [Radwimps Feature]. Neowing (in Japanese). 2006. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  4. ^ "Biography". RADWIMPS.jp (in Japanese). April 10, 2008. Archived from the original on January 12, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  5. ^ ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2007年09月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (September 2007)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). October 10, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  6. ^ ブームいつまで!? 羞恥心の2曲目はふられた女の子への応援ソング [Booming forever!? Shuchishin's second song is an encourage song for jilted women]. RBB Today (in Japanese). June 25, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  7. ^ ハナレグミ、8/19にニュー・アルバム『What are you looking for』をリリース決定。野田洋次郎（RADWIMPS）らが楽曲提供. Skream! (in Japanese). July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  8. ^ "野田洋次郎ソロ始動、マイブラと「TOKYO ROCKS」出演へ" [Yojiro Noda solo work, performing at Tokyo Rock with My Bloody Valentine]. Natalie (in Japanese). November 8, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "RADWIMPSのヴォーカル野田洋次郎、illionとして世界進出" [Radwimps vocal Yojiro Noda, going to worldwide as illion]. Barks (in Japanese). December 24, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  10. ^ "野田洋次郎ソロ・illion初ライブでUKオーディエンス魅了" [Yojiro Noda solo project Illion, first live captivating Uk audience]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 19, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  11. ^ "マイブラ、BLURら出演フェス「TOKYO ROCKS」中止に" [My Bloody Valentine, Blur, etc featuring festival Tokyo Rocks cancellation]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 31, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  12. ^ "RAD野田主演映画に大竹しのぶ＆宮沢りえ" [Shinobu Otake and Rie Miyazawa feature in Noda from Radwimps' movie]. Natalie (in Japanese). February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  13. ^ "RADWIMPS、野田主演映画「トイレのピエタ」主題歌シングルリリース" [Radwimps release the theme song of Noda's Toilet no Pieta as a single.]. Natalie (in Japanese). April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  14. ^ "野田洋次郎、初のエッセイ本「ラリルレ論」で映画出演の心境明かす". Natalie (in Japanese). April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  15. ^ "RADWIMPS野田ソロプロジェクト・illion再始動、フジロック＆東阪ライブ決定". Natalie (in Japanese). March 25, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  16. ^ Inc, Natasha. "清原果耶の歌声流れる、山田孝之プロデュース「デイアンドナイト」PV予告". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved October 4, 2022. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ "illionの作品" [illion Products]. Oricon. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  18. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  19. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). March 13, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  20. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). May 4, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  21. ^ "野田洋次郎ソロプロジェクトillion、初アルバム『UBU』から収録曲配信スタート" (in Japanese). Cinra. January 16, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  22. ^ "illion、新曲「MAHOROBA」のミュージック・ビデオを公開！&本日よりiTunes UK ＆ JAPANでシングル先行配信！" (in Japanese). Warner Music Japan. February 6, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  23. ^ "RADWIMPS野田洋次郎、Takaと歌う「バイ・マイ・サイ」で被災地支援" (in Japanese). Natalie. April 28, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  24. ^ "野田洋次郎ソロプロジェクトillion、初アルバム『UBU』から収録曲配信スタート" (in Japanese). Cinra. January 16, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  25. ^ "【7"シングルレコード】Hilight feat.5lack＜限定盤＞" (in Japanese). Tower Record. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  26. ^ "Told U So" (in Japanese). Mora. September 30, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  27. ^ "illion「Miracle」を世界配信、国内ではアルバム全曲ストリーミング配信開始" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  28. ^ "蝶々結び". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  29. ^ "フラレガイガール(初回生産限定盤A)". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  30. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). July 2, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  31. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). November 24, 2010. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  32. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). August 26, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  33. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). August 24, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  34. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). December 14, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  35. ^ "RADWIMPS野田洋次郎、山田洋次監督作に初参加「キネマの神様」で菅田将暉の盟友役". Natalie. Retrieved October 22, 2020.