People · Kanon Wakeshima

Kanon Wakeshima

分島花音

1988-07-03

“My parents had made up their minds before I was even born that I was to take up music because they’re such great fans of music. The even gave me a musical name. Kanon, is actually taken from canon (and also written as ‘sound of flowers’ in Japanese).” ~Wakeshima Kanon

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Wakeshima Kanon [分島花音] is a Japanese singer and cellist. Produced by Mana(MALICE MIZER～Moi dix Mois), Wakeshima debuted under the DefSTAR Records label on May 28, 2008 with the single "Still Doll", the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga series Vampire Knight. She also provided the voice for a maid that appears in the eighth episode of the series. Wakeshima's second single "Suna no Oshiro" (砂のお城?), released on November 12, 2008, was used as the ending theme for the series' second season (subtitled Guilty).

She was nominated for a Best Newcomer award for 2008 in the fourth annual Shojo Beat Music Awards, nominees of which are determined by surveying "record companies, music journalists, music experts, and music fans".

Before her birth, Wakeshima's music loving parents wished for her to be a musician. At the age of three, she began learning the cello beginning her entry into the world of music. In junior high school she formed her own ensemble group. At the age of fifteen, she transitioned from her former classical ensembles into playing in the baroque section. Appearing in a variety of recitals and concerts throughout her school years, she began writing her own music and combining singing with her cello playing at the age of sixteen. As she transitioned form junior high school to high school, she began writing her own music and singing. She gave her first vocal performances during a high school festival.

Wakeshima auditioned at Sony Music Entertainment as a singer, originally not intending to include her cello playing with her demo tape, but later changing her mind after experimenting with performing with the piano. She became a finalist at the audition, contracting with the Sony subsidiary DefSTAR Records and debuting on May 28, 2008 with her first single, "Still Doll". The single was chosen to be used for the ending theme of the first season of the anime adaptation of the manga series Vampire Knight.

She uses three cellos, one for performing, one for music videos and one for recording. Wakeshima has given each cello a name. The white cello is known as Mikazuki-san which means "crescent moon." This is the cello she is normally seen performing on during live performances. The red cello is known as "Nanachie-san" which means wisdom. This is the cello commonly seen in her music videos. According to Wakeshima, Nanachie-san is very hard to play but she manages. Her third cello is a brown cello called "Yaeharu-san" which means "multi-layered spring." Yaeharu-san is very special to Wakeshima since it is the cello she had since middle school and is the one she practices on and records with. Currently, she had a new silver cello named "Momotose".

*Blood Type: A

* First Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

* Most Memorable Song: Haydn's Cello Concerto

* Favorite Cellist: Jacqueline du Pre

* Favorite Musicians: Emilie Simon, Lily Chou-Chou, Mayumi Kojima

* Favorite Composers: Claude Debussy, Erik Satie

* Favorite Painter: Alfons Maria Mucha

* Favorite Color: Red(mostly), white, gold, sliver

* Favorite Authors: Mayumi Nagano, Hiroko Taniyama

* Hobbies: drawing

* Pets: cat (one brown and one black)

Album:

侵食ドルチェ[Shinshoku Dolce](Corroding Dolce) (2009.02.18)

少女仕掛けのリブレット～LOLITAWORK LIBRETTO～ [Shōjo Jikake no Libretto: Lolitawork Libretto](A Libretto on What Makes a Girl Work) (2010.07.28-JAPAN; 2010.07.07-EUROPE)

Discography:

Shinshoku Dolce:

1. Sweet Ticket

2. 真紅のフェータリズム[Shinku no Fatalism](Crimson Fatalism)

3. 鏡[Kagami](Mirror)

4. Still Doll (2008.05.28)

5. マボロシ[Maboroshi](Illusion)

6. アンニュイ気分！ [Annyui Kibun!](Bored Feeling!)

7. 砂のお城 [Suna no Oshiro](Castle of Sand) (2008.11.12)

8. Monochrome Frame

9. L'espoir ～魔法の赤い糸～[L'espoir ~Mahou no akai ito~](The Hope ~ Red Thread of Magic~)

10. 黒い鳥籠[Kuroi Torikago](Black Birdcage)