:: BIOGRAPHY

A striking siren whose sweet, sensual voice is equally adept at lulling children to sleep,making women jealous and causing men to squirm with anticipation, Aco forges beyond the confines of contemporary "pop Diva" conventions. Though consistently a recipient of the "Diva" label for lack of a more suitable tag, Aco's musical ability and laid-back attitude dismiss it quickly. "I'm a contrary girl you know," explains Aco. "There have been too many "Divas" already, and besides - I don't even fit into that type of thing.". Aco's music displays and elicits an ocean of emotion, from placid seas of soft soul to meandering waves of ethereal sweetness and churning whitecaps of passionate release. Having emerged as one of Japan's most popular and critically acclaimed pop artists, Aco is poised for introduction to the rest of the world. Her recent fourth album, Absolute Ego is the perfect exhibition of Aco's compositional talent and vocal range. From soothing string arrangements to soft jazz, reggae beats to steel drums and electric guitar, Aco successfully uses anything her heart desires as a backdrop for her emotive vocal work. Absolute Ego is the culmination of five years of personal and professional growth for Aco, who debuted at age 18 with a track titled "Fuan nano." Since her debut, Aco has written music and lyrics for a discography that includes five albums and ten singles, and has appeared on television in programs ranging from Sonic Train to the MTV Christmas Special. Garnering a growing audience through her first three albums Kittenish Love, Nude, and Lady Soul,Aco garnered widespread national popularity for her vocal contribution to Dragon Ash's hit single "Grateful Days." Absolute Ego has since exploded.. "I never thought it would sell that well," admits Aco, who mentions that her approach to songwriting changed on the new album. "I used to think too much, constantly reading books," explains Aco. "Primarily, I'd read books on religion, looking for exact answers to life's questions. Then, I realized that I'll never get those answers, and we're all dying in the end, so why not have fun now? You just can't be too serious about things - otherwise, it will drain you." The songs of Absolute Ego are painted with a full pallet of instrumental brush strokes. Where "Spleen" uses piano and violin to create a cafe style atmosphere with poignant touches, "Aishita Anata ha Tsuyoi Hito" features emphatic bursts of string arrangements a la Barry White for punctuation. Where "Kyo made no Youtsu" rides a smooth hip-hop flow, her sultry cover of Stevie Wonder's "Black Maybe" needs only a soft complementary jazz guitar. Whatever instrumentation and song structure Aco chooses to employ, she does so in a carefully metered manner, allowing each element to be heard clearly without obstructing or overshadowing the driving force behind each song -her beautiful voice. Aco's vocals range substantially on Absolute Ego, from the beautiful sustains and soft tapers of "Aishita Anata ha Tsuyoi Hito" to the teasing squalls and colorful layering of the sexy Ramprasad/Matthewman cover "Intensity (you are)." Whether singing in English or her native Japanese, Aco's voice is enthralling. "Music reflects one's personality, and that definitely applies to me," explains Aco. "I want to try some new things and have fun with music this year." One of Aco's first breaks into new musical territory was her release of The Other Side of Absolute Ego, a collection tracks from Absolute Ego remixed by a variety of talents including Hideaki Ishi,better known throughout the world as DJ Krush. Having worked with the likes of NAS, Guru from Gang Starr and DJ spooky among others, Krush was well suited to throw a wonderful spin on Absolute Ego's first single, "Aishu to Ballad." Framing the song with a solid hip-hop groove, shuffle beat, and echo treatments replete with the warm scratch of a needle embracing vinyl, Krush gives the song an ethereal cloud-free atmosphere Aco's voice floats freely throughout. The dub style employed by Silent Poets on their mix of "Yorukobi ni Saku Hana" rings with reverberations reminiscent of old Pink Floyd. Tricky guests as well, funking up "Natsu no Hi" with an intermittent flow and adventurous semi-chaotic Rasta vibe that is unlike anything in Aco's repertoire. In addition to the likes of DJ Krush and Tricky, Aco has worked with the amazing Satoshi Tomiie,who produced "Ai Shita Anata ha Tsuyoi Hito," Absolute Ego's second single. Tomiie's own single "Up in Flames" has placed his album Full Lick all over the RPM radio charts, in rotation at stations from Oregon to Florida. Aside from her ventures into the remix realm on The Other Side of Absolute Ego, Aco recently joined avant grade rapper Twigy to lay down vocals on a new single by DJ Krush titled "Tragicomic." Providing an alluring teasing bridge between Twigy's hard-hitting rap verses, Aco exhibits a vibrant physical and vocal presence that exudes sexuality, commands attention, and defines attraction. If you're looking for Aco in the near future, check the Billboard charts. You might also want to try the skate parks of Southern California. "I'd like to go to LA - it's really laid-back, and I could just relax there," explains Aco. "I'll go skateboarding!"