Catherine St. Onge(born July 20, 1981), better known by her stage nameHimeka(ヒメカ)(stylized asHIMEKA), is aFrench Canadiandescentanime songsinger no longer active in Japan. While fluent in English and her native French, she is moderately proficient in Japanese. Her stage name, Himeka, comes from a character she created in a story she wrote when she was 13 years old.
Himeka | |
|---|---|
 Himeka and conductor Yukihiro Notsu in Tallinn Maritime Days, July 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Catherine St. Onge |
| Born | July 20, 1981 |
| Origin | Quebec,Canada |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 2009–2014 |
| Labels | Sony Music Japan International(2009–2012) Mages./amuleto(2012–2014) |
| Website | HIMEKA (website) (archive) 1st blog - HIMEKA in JAPAN (archive) 2nd blog (archive) 3rd blog (archive) Latest blog (archive) |
Career
editBorn inQuebec,St-Onge was very interested in theater and music. At the age of 12, St-Onge taught herself English by singing Disney songs. Soon after at 13, she began writing her own stories in which Himeka was the main character.[1]Her interest in Japanese culture started at the age of 15 when she saw an episode of theanimeseriesSailor Moon.[2]In 2008, St-Onge moved to Japan to pursue her singing career.[3]
She was the winner of the Second AnnualAnimax Anison Grand Prix,which gathers aspiring singers from all over Japan for the chance to make a professional debut and sing atheme songin an anime television show.[4]Her debut single "Asu e no Kizuna",released on May 27, 2009, was the opening theme to the anime adaptation of thePlayStation 3video gameValkyria Chronicles.[5]The single debuted at number 28 on theOriconsingle charts.[6]
Her second single was titled "Hatenaki Michi",and was released on November 25, 2009.[7]It was the featured ending song for a new anime namedTegamibachi.The singled peaked at number 33 on the weekly Oricon chart.[8][9]
Himeka's first cover album,Anison: Utattemita,was released on March 3, 2010.[10] Her third single, "Mirai e...",was released on May 26, 2010. It was featured as the ending theme in the animeSenkō no Night Raid.[11] Himeka's first digital single, "La la la, Sekai o Hitotsuni", was released in July 2010. The song was an official support song for theWorld Cosplay Summit2010 in Nagoya, Japan.[12]
Himeka's first original album titled "Himekanvas"has been released on November 31, 2011, and includes all her released singles, seven original songs and two cover songs.[13]On February 12, 2012, Himeka gave her first solo live concert in the Shibuya Boxx hall.[14]The concert sold out.[15]
On July 1, 2012, Himeka confirmed that, in April 2012, she had moved to a new label named Mages./amuleto.[16]Later, it was confirmed that she would release a new single named"Where I Belong"scheduled to be released on October 24, 2012.[17]The song would be the ending theme for a series namedAudrey no Kami Appli Shin Seiki Up Date.
It was announced not long after, that she was releasing a song under the name "AG7"with 7 otherAnimax Anison Grand Prixwinners. The song is namedEndless Novaand is going to be released on July 23, 2014. It will be included on a single released by the latest Anison Grand Prix winner named Tatsuyuki Kobayashi.[18]
On April 1, 2014, it was announced that she was no longer signed to a label.[19][non-primary source needed]On her Twitter, she did express that she will continue to pursue a career in music.[20]After that, in April 2015, the doujin single "STAY DIAMOND / Because of you" was released as a duo "HIME×KANA" with Kanako Kodera.
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Himekanvas(2011)
Cover albums
edit- Love Anison: Utattemita(2010)
Singles
edit- "Asu e no Kizuna"(2009)
- "Hatenaki Michi"(2009)
- "Mirai e..."(2010)
- "Where I Belong"(2012)
- "Kagiriaru Yume" (2013)
- "Stay Diamond / Because Of You x KANA" (2015)
Digital singles
edit- 2010: "La La La (Sekai o Hitotsu ni)" (2010)
References
edit- ^"Interview with Valkyria Chronicles OP singer Himeka"(in Japanese). 2009.RetrievedApril 8,2009.
- ^"Official website profile"(in Japanese).Sony Music Entertainment Japan.May 10, 2009.RetrievedMay 10,2008.
- ^"J!-ENT interviews Himeka by J!-ENT's Dennis A. Amith"(PDF).RetrievedSeptember 26,2009.
- ^"27-Year-Old Canadian Wins Animax's Singing Contest".2008.RetrievedMarch 26,2009.
- ^"Canada's St. Onge to Sing Valkyria Anime's Theme Song".2009.RetrievedMarch 26,2009.
- ^"Asu e no Kizuna"(in Japanese).Oricon.RetrievedJune 19,2009.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2009)."Official website"(in Japanese).RetrievedOctober 10,2009.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2009)."Official website"(in Japanese).RetrievedSeptember 8,2009.
- ^"Tegamibachi official website"(in Japanese). Thiển điền hoằng hạnh ／ tập anh xã ・テガミバチ chế tác ủy viên hội ・テレビ đông kinh. September 8, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon March 22, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 8,2009.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2010)."Official website"(in Japanese).RetrievedJanuary 3,2010.
- ^Himeka (2010)."Official blog".Archived fromthe originalon July 27, 2011.RetrievedMarch 11,2010.
- ^Himeka (2010)."Official blog of Himeka".RetrievedJuly 1,2010.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2011)."Official website of Himeka".RetrievedOctober 22,2011.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2012)."Official website of Himeka".RetrievedFebruary 19,2012.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2012)."Official website of Himeka".RetrievedFebruary 19,2012.
- ^Sony Music Japan International (2012)."Official website of Himeka".RetrievedJuly 1,2012.
- ^Cdjapan (2012)."Cdjapan Whre I Belong".CDJapan.RetrievedAugust 16,2012.
- ^Avex Trax (2014)."Avex Trax – Tatsuyuki Kobayashi official website".RetrievedJune 29,2014.
- ^"Twitter / HlMEKA: 【 đại sự なお tri らせ】2014 niên 4 nguyệt 1 nhật, bổn nhật よりフリーになりま".Archived fromthe originalon April 11, 2014.RetrievedMay 26,2014.
- ^Japanator (2014)."Japanator – Himeka no longer signed with label".RetrievedJune 29,2014.