Seiko Matsuda (松田 聖子, Matsuda Seiko), born Noriko Kamachi (蒲池 法子, Kamachi Noriko), on March 10, 1962 is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Due to her popularity in the 1980s and her long career, she has been dubbed the "Eternal idol" by the Japanese media.

Biography

Seiko Matsuda was born to the Kamachi clan, from the Saga Genji line and was also a former sengoku daimyo of Yanagawa Domain. However, she adopted the stage name "Seiko Matsuda" and rose to fame in 1980 as a teen idol, making her debut with the song "Hadashi no Kisetsu" (lit. "Season of bare feet"). Later in the same year, "Kaze wa Aki-iro" (lit. "Wind is autumn color") became the first of her 24 consecutive number 1 hits in Japan. She shattered the Japanese former record of nine consecutive number-ones by popular music duo Pink Lady. Her consecutive number 1 record ended when her 27th single "Precious Heart" was ranked at number-two because Tetsuya Komuro's "Gravity of Love" was ranked at number-one. Matsuda made one more number 1 single "Anata ni Aitakute ~Missing You~" (lit. "I want to meet you ~Missing you~") in 1996. The single was certified a million-seller by RIAJ.

Matsuda used to hold the records for the most number 1 singles (25) and most consecutive number 1 singles (24) on the Japan's Oricon charts, for 12 years from 1988 to 2000. Both were surpassed by B'z in late 2000. She still had held the record for the most number 1 singles (25) by a female singer for 18 years from 1988 to 2006 when Ayumi Hamasaki's "Startin'/Born to Be..." reached number 1, making it her 26th single to top the charts. Matsuda's streak for the most consecutive number 1 singles (24) by a female singer and any soloist was held from 1988-2010 for 22 years. It was then broken by Hamasaki's "L" in September/October 2010. Matsuda also used to hold records for the most top 10 albums (44) and most number 1 albums. Both these records have been broken by Ayumi Hamasaki. Matsuda was the first person in the Oricon history to have a single and an album debut at No. 1 on Oricon Chart in the same week. So far, this has only happened three times.

In a May 2011 Oricon survey crowned her the No. 1 everlasting idol of all time, beating the also legendary Momoe Yamaguchi (2), Kyoko Koizumi(3), Morning Musume(4) and Akina Nakamori (5).

Her long staying power is mainly due to her continuous re-invention of herself. Many social phenomenon such as 'Mamadols' (idols who remain popular even after having children), setting up own brand name gift shop (Flawless Seiko) and setting up own management company (Fantic) just name a few. Her hair, fashion and makeup have all been copied by millions of girls and women in Japan and in certain parts of Asia.

Matsuda's angelic voice and singing technique have won her two best performance awards from Nippon Record Awards, first in 1983 for ガラスの林檎 (lit.Glass Apple) and in 1993 for 'きっと、また逢える・・・' (lit. Surely, will meet again).

Matsuda began to write her songs by herself. She wrote lyrics for the first time when she produced her song "Chiisana Love Song" (lit. "Small Love Song") in 1983. This was followed by her first composed song "Canary". All music and lyrics of her 2007 album Baby's Breath were written by herself. It became her first completely self-produced album.

Matsuda attempted to break into the North American market with an English-language, self-titled album in 1990. She scored a hit with "The Right Combination", a duet with boy band New Kids on the Block singer Donnie Wahlberg. Album sales were mediocre, however, and her follow-up Was it the Future failed to generate any significant sales. In 2002, Matsuda's English dance hits "All To You" and "Just for Tonight" reached Billboard dance chart No. 8 and No. 2 respectively.

In July 2006, Matsuda's compilation Seiko Matsuda, which consisted of 74 CDs, debuted at number 96, becoming the highest-priced album in the Oricon history. Its price was 100,000 yen (about 850 dollars). Hibari Misora held the previous record with her 1989 album Kyō no Ware ni Asu wa Katsu (60,000 yen).

Although female singers like Namie Amuro became successful after the end of the 1980s, "typical" idols like Matsuda disappeared in Japan. She has been a secret idol for subsequent female celebrities such as Shoko Nakagawa who called Matsuda "God" and "My Universe". Japanese voice actress Nana Mizuki released her cover version of Matsuda's "Akai Sweet Pea" (lit. "Red Sweet Pea") as the B-side of an image song single under the character name Moka Akashiya of the anime Rosario + Vampire on February 14, 2008. There are endless cover version of Matsuda songs and tribute albums being released every year. Among those 'Diamond Eyes', 'Missing You' and 'Akai Sweet Pea'(lit. Red Sweet Pea) and Sweet Memories have been reinterpreted by other artists countless times.

On 5 August 2009, Sony re-released 16 of Matsuda's early albums under the Blu-spec CD format. 13 of them entered Oricon Top 100 Album Chart at the same time, surpassing the record of Hibari Misora (12 albums) and making her the first female artist to do so.

Matsuda is also on the Top 3 list of Most No.1 albums, Most Top 10 singles and Most Top 10 albums for a solo artist. HMV Japan ranked her No. 10 Top Japanese Artist of All Time, and No. 7 Top Singer of All Time.

Matsuda still holds annual concerts, Christmas dinner shows and New Year's Eve Countdown shows. Despite the high ticket prices (her dinner show tickets are the most expensive among female artists) for many years and to this day, she always performs to a sold out crowd. Matsuda is also listed as second only behind Eikichi Yazawa as an artist to have performed many concerts at the Nippon Budokan.

Matsuda was invited by Quincy Jones to appear on Hollywood Bowl 2011.


Personal life
Matsuda has been married three times. She was married to actor Masaki Kanda from 1985 to 1997, Matsuda has a daughter, Sayaka Kanda, who is also a singer. Her second husband was a dentist whom she married in 1998. They divorced in 2000. On June 13, 2012, she announced her marriage to a university associate professor on her official website.

In addition to music, her career includes appearances in television, film, and radio. Several books of photos of Matsuda including Five Seasons, No Comments, Akai Sweet Pea, along with other books about her, have been published. Matsuda has appeared in numerous commercials, including numerous Glico products including Pocky Curry and chocolate, Minolta camera, Sony walkman, VCR and computer, Diosa Hair Color, Suntory beverages, Direct TV, NTT Docomo mobile phone, cosmetics products endorsements include: Fujifilm Astalift, Kanebo, Doctor Drive, Takano Yuri and Shiseido cosmetics.