Akiko Yano was born Akiko Suzuki in Tokyo, and grew up in Aomori. She became Akiko Yano when at a young age she married producer Makoto Yano, who produced her debut album Japanese Girl. She later divorced, but has kept Akiko Yano as her stage name, although she later married and divorced Ryuichi Sakamoto, who she met while performing as part of the expanded Yellow Magic Orchestra band. Yano began playing piano at age 3, and established herself as a piano virtuoso at an early age, comfortably...

Akiko Yano was born Akiko Suzuki in Tokyo, and grew up in Aomori. She became Akiko Yano when at a young age she married producer Makoto Yano, who produced her debut album Japanese Girl. She later divorced, but has kept Akiko Yano as her stage name, although she later married and divorced Ryuichi Sakamoto, who she met while performing as part of the expanded Yellow Magic Orchestra band. Yano began playing piano at age 3, and established herself as a piano virtuoso at an early age, comfortably and impressively playing pop, folk, jazz or classical music at whim. She became so involved with music that she dropped out of high school and became an in-demand studio musician. She made her solo debut album Japanese Girl in 1976, which she recorded half of with the American band Little Feat. She has since often collaborated with foreign musicians, including Thomas Dolby, Charlie Haden, the Chieftains, Gil Goldstein, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern, Robby MacIntosh (who has served as guitarist for Paul McCartney and the Pretenders) and Pat Metheny, who she has also co-written with. She is a prolific writer, with an earthy and spiritual feel, but also a sense of humor. She is most often compared to Carole King and Joni Mitchell. While Yano maintains a devout following in Japan, she has lived in New York since 1990, and sometimes plays at the local Joe's Pub. She has also toured extensively in Europe and composed for film, most notably for Studio Ghibli's My Neighbors the Yamadas. She sings in both Japanese and English, and frequently mixes musical styles. She has released 24 albums, three of which are available domestically in the States.