- Album list
- Singer Intro
Naoto Nakamura (中村 直人 Nakamura Naoto?), better known by his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi (ナオト・インティライミ Naoto Intiraimi?), is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He initially debuted with Sony in 2001 under the stage name Naoto (なおと?), however rose to fame in 2010. He is also known for being a radio personality on bayfm in 2005, and for his travel diary Sekai yo Odore, published in 2006.
'Inti Raymi' is Quechuan (Incan language) for 'festival of the sun.'
Biography
Naoto Inti Raymi was born in Mie Prefecture in 1979, however grew up in Noda, Chiba. He began writing songs in his second year of junior high school, while playing soccer in a junior youth team for Kashiwa Reysol. In high school, Nakamura started producing demo tapes of his songs, and performed street lives in Kashiwa City. In 1998, he formed a band called Freeman. The group managed to sell 1,800 copies of their demo material around the Kashiwa area, however in 1999 he started solo activities (including a performance at the Apollo Theater in New York City).
In 2000, Nakamura signed a contract with major label Sony, and debuted in the following year. During this time, he took extended trips alone to countries such as Brazil, Kenya and Thailand. After two singles, he debuted with the album Funk Renaissance in 2002. Following up this album, he released a cover of Kazuhiko Kato's 'Ano Subarashii Ai o Mō Ichido' on a compilation album called What's Cover?, and released it as a single two months later. None of Nakamura's Sony releases charted on Oricon's charts.
From August 2003 until the end of 2004, Nakamura travelled overseas to 28 different countries, spending much of his time in South America. The journal entries for this trip would later be published in 2006.
In late 2005 and early 2006, Nakamura released two independent singles, using his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi for the first time. The first was only sold at Shinseido. In 2005, Nakamura became a radio personality for Chiba-based 'bayfm', and during his time there, released the single 'Sakura Komachi.' The song topped the request charts at bayfm.
2009 saw a return to music for Nakamura. He released an EP, Ultra C, which became his first charting release (at #85). He performed at many summer festivals, and joined Mr. Children on their 2009 dome tour as a support member (adding with guitar and background vocals). This led to his second major label debut (this time under Universal Music Japan) with the single 'Carnival?' in 2010. His second single, 'Takaramono (Kono Koe ga Naku Naru Made),' debuted at #5 on RIAJ's Full-length cellphone download chart.
In 2015, he collaborated with the idol group LinQ to become total producer of their single 'Hare Hare Parade'. This was the second in a series of LinQ singles created in collaboration with various third-party producers.
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