Ryuichi Sakamoto

Film score, Composer

1952 –

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Who is Ryuichi Sakamoto?

Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese musician, activist, composer, record producer, writer, singer, pianist, and actor, based in Tokyo and New York. He began his career in 1978 as a member of the pioneering electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, where he played keyboards and was an occasional vocalist. The band was an international success, with worldwide hits such as "Computer Game / Firecracker" and "Behind the Mask", the latter written and sung by Sakamoto.

He concurrently began pursuing a solo career, debuting with the experimental electronic fusion album The Thousand Knives of Ryūichi Sakamoto, and later released the pioneering album B-2 Unit, which included the electro classic "Riot in Lagos". After YMO disbanded in 1983, he produced more solo records, including collaborations with various international artists, through to the 1990s.

He began acting and composing for film with Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, which he starred in and composed the score for; the song "Forbidden Colours" which he composed for it became a worldwide hit, and he won a BAFTA Award for the film's score. He later won an Academy Award and Grammy Award for scoring The Last Emperor, and has also won two Golden Globe Awards for his work as a film composer. In addition, he also composed music for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics opening ceremony.

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Born
Jan 17, 1952
Nakano, Tokyo
Also known as
  • Ryuchi Sakamoto
  • Sakamoto
  • Sakamoto Ryuuichi
  • Sakamoto, Ryuchi
  • Sakamoto, Ryuichi
  • Sakamoto Ryūichi
  • Yellow Magic Orchestra
  • Kyoju
  • Ryûichi Sakamoto
  • Ryuichi Sakamamoto
Parents
Spouses
Children
Nationality
  • Japan
Profession
Education
  • Tokyo University of the Arts
Lived in
  • Tokyo

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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"Ryuichi Sakamoto." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/ryuichi_sakamoto>.

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