Kawai Sonoko

Kawai Sonoko河(かわ)合(い)その子(こ)
Profile
Kanji	河(かわ)合(い)その子(こ)
Real Name	Goto Sonoko (後藤その子)
Born	June 20, 1965 (age 59)
Birth Place	Chita, Aichi, Japan
Blood Type	B
Zodiac Sign	Gemini
Height	162 cm (5 ft 3.7 in)?
Professional Information
Genre	Kayokyoku, J-Pop
Occupation	Idol, Actress
Years Active	2010 1985-1990
Label	CBS/SONY Apollon (1988)
Former Group	Onyanko Club
Join Date	April 5, 1985
Graduated	March 31, 1986

Kawai Sonoko (河合その子) is a Japanese former singer, idol, actress, producer, composer and a former member of Onyanko Club.

History

She started in show business after winning second place in CBS/SONY's Teens Pop Contest in 1983. She lost to Sawada Tamae. However, she managed to get a talent contract, but her debut was delayed as producers figured out how to present her.

In early 1985 she was one of the selected representatives from CBS/SONY to audition for Onyanko Club. Despite concerns about her older age than other candidates, she passed the pre-screen audition. She officially joined Onyanko Club on April 5, 1985 after being voted in with Utsumi Kazuko and Tomikawa Harumi. She was also the first added member to the group's lineup. She became popular very quickly due to her "eternally young" appearance, and was the first Onyanko Club member to go solo.

In early 1986 she announced that she would be leaving Onyanko Club to focus on her solo career. However the timing also coincided with popular member Nakajima Miharu's departure, so she was grouped in with Nakajima as a future "Onyanko Club Graduate" despite the fact that she had graduated high school over two years prior. She graduated from Onyanko Club on March 31, 1986.

After departing from Onyanko Club, she became more involved with her musical production and both her image and music style changed drastically. By 1990, most of her music was self produced. She went on extended hiatus after the release of her album Replica.

In 1994 it was announced that she married her former musical collaborator, musician Goto Tsugutoshi (後藤次利), who composed almost all of her music from 1985-1987. After that, she effectively retired, until 2010 when she briefly returned to entertainment for a cosmetics commercial campaign.

Profile

• Member Number: 12

Discography

Albums

1. [1985.12.05] Sonoko (その子)
2. [1986.05.21] Siesta
3. [1986.10.01] Mode de Sonoko
4. [1987.07.22] Rouge et Bleu
5. [1988.05.21] Colors
6. [1989.03.21] Dancin' In The Light
7. [1990.04.21] Replica

Best Albums

1. [1988.01.01] Dedication
2. [1988.01.01] KAWAI SONOKO BEST ALBUM
3. [1988.07.21] Ame no Ki (雨の木; Rain Tree)
4. [1990.12.21] sonnet
5. [1997.07.21] Kawai Sonoko best collection (河合その子 ベスト・コレクション)
6. [2002.11.20] GOLDEN☆BEST KAWAI SONOKO (GOLDEN☆BEST 河合その子)

Collaboration Albums

1. [1986.12.05] Merry X'mas for You (w/ Kokusho Sayuri, Jounouchi Sanae, Watanabe Minayo, and Watanabe Marina)

Collaboration Best Albums

1. [1987.12.09] Otoshidama (お年玉; New Year's Gift) (w/ Kokusho Sayuri, Jounouchi Sanae, Watanabe Minayo, and Watanabe Marina)
2. [2010.04.28] GOLDEN☆BEST Kawai Sonoko / Kokusho Sayuri / Jounouchi Sanae / Watanabe Minayo / Watanabe Marina (GOLDEN☆BEST 河合その子・国生さゆり・城之内早苗・渡辺美奈代・渡辺満里奈) (w/ Kokusho Sayuri, Jounouchi Sanae, Watanabe Minayo, and Watanabe Marina)
3. [2012.01.10] Sony Music no Onyanko 5 Ri Musume Best of Best (ソニーミュージックのおニャン子5人娘 ベスト・オブ・ベスト) (w/ Kokusho Sayuri, Jounouchi Sanae, Watanabe Minayo, and Watanabe Marina)

Singles

1. [1985.09.01] Namida no Marika LOVE (涙の茉莉花LOVE; Tearful Jasmine LOVE)
2. [1985.11.21] Ochiba no Crescendo (落葉のクレッシェンド; Crescendo of Fallen Leaves)
3. [1986.03.21] Aoi Station (青いスタスィオン; Blue Station)
4. [1986.07.02] Saikai no Labyrinth (再会のラビリンス; Labyrinth of Reunion)
5. [1986.10.22] Kanashii Yoru wo Tomete (悲しい夜を止めて; Stop the Sad Night)
6. [1987.02.26] Aishuu no Carnival (哀愁のカルナバル; Sorrowful Carnaval)
7. [1987.06.17] JESSY
8. [1987.10.21] Yume Kara Sameta Tenshi (夢から醒めた天使; An Angel Awaken From a Dream)
9. [1988.04.21] Ame no Memorandum (雨のメモランダム; Rain Memorandum)

Video Releases

1. [1986.03.21] Sonoko Genki Desu. (その子 元気です。; Sonoko is Well)
2. [1987.03.05] Aphrodite no Yume (アフロディーテの夢; Aphrodite's Dream)
3. [1987.11.21] Sonoko no Natsu (その子の夏; Sonoko's Summer)
4. [1988.03.05] JESSY
5. [1989.07.21] Sweet Contrast

Collaboration Video Releases

1. [2011.07.20] Idol ♥ Miracle Vision Kokusho Sayuri / Jounouchi Sanae / Kawai Sonoko (アイドル♥ミラクルビジョン 国生さゆり・城之内早苗・河合その子) (w/ Kokusho Sayuri and Jounouchi Sanae)

Box Sets

1. [2007.02.21] KAWAI SONOKO COMPLETE DVD-BOX (河合その子 コンプリートDVD-BOX)
2. [2009.09.30] KAWAI SONOKO PREMIUM (河合その子プレミアム)

Gallery

• July 1986

1/10

Trivia

• She is the mother of one child.
• She was the oldest member of Onyanko Club.
• Her presentation as an idol suggested that she is a "Hafu" (mixed race person) but this is not actually true. She is 100% ethnically Japanese.
• She was roommates with Jounouchi Sanae in 1985 when they shared a room in the Sony Music employee dormitory. Before becoming roommates, Jounouchi and Kawai climbed to the top of the Tokyo Tower together after the initial screening of candidates for Onyanko Club. Both girls believed they had no chance getting in, but they were not only both selected as audition candidates, they also became members of Onyanko Club (Jounouchi became member number 17.)
  • During this time she was also floormates with current member Kokusho Sayuri and future members Watanabe Minayo and Kudo Shizuka.