As the third vocalist of Pizzicato Five, Nomiya Maki has a brilliant presence and a beautiful, flowing voice. When and how did she make her debut as a singer? Her deep love and passion for singing are the reasons she continues to captivate so many people across generations.


■Hint 2: Singing: Maintaining Passion

--I heard you wanted to be a singer from a young age. Why? Was there a particular trigger?

Nomiya: When I was in elementary school, I wasn't good at communicating with others, and I wasn't very good at talking. Even so, even as a child, I wanted to make a presence. I thought I could express myself through song, even though I wasn't good at talking to people.

I think that's what I thought when I listened to popular songs on TV at the time. I loved fashion, so I could wear beautiful dresses and sing my favorite songs! I thought, "This is the job for me!" At the time, Megumi Asaoka, singing in a mini dress, was the object of my admiration. --And so, Nomiya, a girl dreaming of becoming an idol, began working to make her dream a reality. Nomiya: In the 1970s, NHK aired a program called "Stage 101." It brought together aspiring singers selected through nationwide auditions to form a group called "Young 101." The group sang and danced to songs by popular Western artists of the time, such as The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, mostly with translated lyrics. Original songs created through the program also became hits. Watching this program was my first introduction to Western music. Through this encounter with music, I wanted to sing songs like that! I wanted to be a member of "Young 101!" My dreams expanded. --But I never became a member. And that's why I'm now active as Maki Nomiya. Nomiya: I think there was an age limit for applicants. I think it was 16 or older, but I can't quite remember. Unfortunately, the show had ended before I reached that age, so I couldn't even apply. But it's fair to say that my encounter with the Western music I heard on the show paved the way for me to become a band member. --Did you do that in Hokkaido? Nomiya: I lived in Hokkaido until I was in the second year of junior high school. After that, I moved to Tokyo and started my band. It was around this time that I started reading more music-related magazines. After graduating from high school, I went to an English vocational school and started my band activities in earnest. I entered many contests, hoping to get a chance to make my debut. Before I knew it, I graduated, and without making a debut, I got a job. I also had some experience working as an office lady. Although it was only for a short time, about a year. --Office lady...!! What kind of job was it? Nomiya: I worked as a sales clerk at a regular company. I had to go out once a month, but otherwise I just did desk work and answered the phone. Even while living like that, I continued to enter contests with my band. I felt like this wasn't where I belonged. Continuing my band activities also helped me make more musical friends. One of those friends started a band that was about to debut, and I was invited to sing chorus for their recording, which led to me being scouted by their director. --I'm sure there are hardships in realizing your dreams, and once they've come true, it takes a lot of effort to continue. But Nomiya's way of life seems unwavering. Nomiya: When I debuted, it was during the so-called bubble period, and I think a lot of creative work was being produced, even in advertising. Looking back now, there was a lot of interesting stuff going on. I debuted in the '80s, but my debut album didn't sell very well. Despite my debut, reality wasn't easy, and I experienced some harsh times. Still, I wanted to be involved in music as much as possible, so I sang commercial songs and sang chorus for other artists. It was later in 1990 that I joined Pizzicato Five as its third vocalist.

During my 10 years with Pizzicato Five, I was able to see and experience so much. I also got married and had a child. My 30s were a hectic, yet enjoyable time, like being on a roller coaster.


--The final chapter, Hint 3, is "Beauty: The desire to keep wearing high heels forever."