Musician Yumi Matsutoya was born on January 19, 1954, in Hachioji, Tokyo. From a young age, she developed a passion for various instruments, including piano, shamisen, and bass. She began her professional career at age 14. She wrote songs while playing piano in the studio, debuting as a lyricist at age 15 and as a composer at age 17. She enrolled at Tama Art University in 1972 and made her debut as a singer-songwriter in July of the same year with "I Don't Need an Answer." She released her first album, "Hikoukigumo," in 1973, and achieved her first No. 1 on the Oricon charts in 1975 with "Ano Hi ni Kaeritai." Known affectionately as "Yuming," her lyrics, combining a painterly and urbane sensibility, were highly praised. She married arranger Masataka Matsutoya in 1976. She continued to release hit after hit, including "DESTINY," "Koibito ga Santa Claus," and "Mamotte Agetai." Her highly entertaining stage performances, incorporating the latest technology, have consistently garnered attention. From 1999 to 2007, she collaborated with a Russian circus team to hold three "Shangri-La" concerts, attracting a total of one million audiences. Her greatest hits album, "Japanese Love and Yuming," released in 2012, reached number one on Oricon's album charts, achieving an unprecedented five consecutive decades (1970s-2010s). Last year, her 1973 song "Hikoukigumo" (Contrail), was chosen as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's animated film "The Wind Rises." When she released her 37th album, "POP CLASSICO," she collaborated with Barneys New York, creating buzz with the release of original merchandise, window displays, and her own appearance as a doorman.