Fun-Tap Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shimogyo, Kyoto; CEO: Daisuke Araki), operator of the digital musical scores delivery service “Digital Musical Score Canon,” has today released episode 3 of its interview series “Story: How the masterpieces were born” on YouTube. The video, titled “Koi ni Ochite,” delves into the untold stories behind the song’s creation and the sentiments embedded in its lyrics and music.
This episode features “Koi ni Ochite” by Akiko Kobayashi, a massive hit in the 1980s that continues to be sung and loved by many people today. How was this timeless song, which portrays the bittersweet feelings of adult love, created? From the story behind its creation to her life after the big hit, we spoke with Akiko Kobayashi herself.
Akiko Kobayashi: After graduating from Gakushuin University with a degree in philosophy, she worked part-time while devoting herself to songwriting. She then joined a management office as a songwriter and began her career as a composer. Her debut as a songwriter was “Moon Eyes” by Bread & Butter. The director on that project later asked her to write the song that would become “Koi ni Ochite.” Because the voice on her demo tape was so well received, she was asked to sing it herself, which led to her CD debut. In 1985, the song was used as the theme for the TBS drama “Kinyobi no Tsumatachi e III” and became a million-seller, earning her the Composition Encouragement Award at the Japan Record Awards. She has since expanded her activities as both an artist and a composer.
MARK’E: After graduating from Kindai University, he moved to the United States, where he experienced a wide range of American culture. Upon returning to Japan, he worked as a commentator and hype announcer at sporting events. He then expanded his career as a radio DJ at various radio stations in the Kansai region, including a long tenure at FM802. Since 2010, he has hosted “MARK’E MUSIC MODE” on FM COCOLO. Now over 70, he remains curious about everything and stays active in many other fields, including commercial narration and serving as an emcee at events and parties.
■ About the Digital Musical Score “Canon”
“Canon” is an online musical score delivery service offering scores of approximately 10,000 songs—ranging from popular hits to classical music—with a primary focus on piano scores. Purchased music scores can be downloaded in PDF format and are also accessible via dedicated apps for smartphones and tablets.
Name: “Digital Musical Score Canon” https://www.canon-score.com/
Recommended Environment: Safari (latest version), Google Chrome (latest version), Microsoft Edge (latest version)
Launch Date: December 9, 2016
