Hiroji Miyamoto (宮本浩次, Miyamoto Hiroji), born June 12, 1966, in Japan, is a Japanese rock singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of the rock-band Elephant Kashimashi, actor and former folk-choir singer. In 2018, he launched his solo career under talent agency Amuse and recording label Universal Music Japan.[2] His alma mater is Tokyo International University.[3]
Biography
Since early age, Hiroji has been in touch with the music. Between third and fifth year of the elementary school, he was part of the NHK Tokyo Children's Choir. At age 10, he has released his first solo single "Hajimete no Boku Desu", credited as artist with Hiragana instead of Kanji. The song was broadcast on the NHK television station Minna no Uta.[4] The single sold over 100k copies.[5]
During the middle school in 1981, he formed the rock band Elephant Kashimashi with his classmates and made major debut in 1989 under Epic/Sony RECORDS label.[6] The band has been actively performing and making music as of 2023.[7]
In 2000, he made acting debut in the Japanese television drama Friends broadcast on the TBS. On the 26th "The Television Drama Academy Awards", he received award for the category Best New Actor.[8]
In 2018, he has officially launched his solo career by releasing digital duet single Kemono Yuku Hosomichi with Ringo Sheena.[9] The single served as an theme song to the Nippon TV news program zero news.[9] With this single on the same year, as soloist, he made first appearance in the NHK 69th new-year television program Kōhaku Uta Gassen.[10] In 2020, he released his first full-length album Miyamoto, Dokupo . .[11] In 2021, he released his first kayokyoku cover-album Romance.[12] On the same year, he received Award-winning work from category Pop-entertainment given by Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Art Encouragement.[13] In 2022, he released his first home-video DVD release Jūō Mujin Kanketsu-hen on birthday.[14]
Discography
He has released 4 albums, 5 physical singles, 4 digital singles 2 DVD/BD.[15]