(Link dump ensues)
This isn’t the same question as “Who is THYME?” (English) Wikipedia seems to have a decent idea of the band, but nary a word on the group’s lead vocalist. This isn’t unusual, and indeed isn’t even a big deal, but then again most other artists don’t use a lower-cased English word for their stage name.
It’s a shame that Wiki.ThePPN’s status is in DreamHost limbo. Just throwing that out there.
Anyway, my admittedly short search began at the Jpopmusic.com forums, wherein thyme is unmasked as Sayaka Kamiyama (given name / family name order) which…doesn’t mean anything to me. I can go play TF2 or something now, right?
Searching for that name leads to a possible kanji writing, along with a photo that seems far removed from what she looks like now. But if you plug 神山さやか into YouTube, you get a recently posted video of THYME promoting their Fly Away single. Although she only refers to herself as thyme in the video, the video itself is tagged with her real name.
Continuing on, the Japanese Wikipedia has a brief profile on her, linking her current and past musical careers. I’m loathe to buy too much into what Google Translate says, but it seems that she at least appeared on the now defunct ASAYAN idol search show during 2001, and met with some success judging by the release of 3 singles during 2002.
Incidentally, those singles are available on YesAsia. It’d be interesting to hear her, pre-THYME. As for the THYME indie singles? Nowhere in sight. But at least they re-recorded Seiten and Drive for their album.
Tying it all together is this Hatena Diary keyword page. Most interesting is that among her favourites she lists four female, Western, singer-songwriters, from whom I think she at least derives her forceful singing style.
And I think, that’s really what started me down the trail in the first place.
4 Comments
The post I was looking for! I can’t read Japanese properly, so looking on their official website for all their bios was just tough-going really. I was actually quite impressed that Wiki had such a comprehensive entry on the band. Thanks for all the research ;)
On a whim I just went checked that YouTube link only to find that the user took it down. It doesn’t change anything, but it’s a bit of a disappointment.
I’m not sure if this is the real Thyme, but I can only assume it is with all the profile photos (I’d like to look that good ;) but it it is, she was active on LJ around this time last year. Her English is really good, so maybe she is mixed after all?
http://community.livejournal.com/asianmusicrp/488854.html
p/s: Pity about the Youtube video. I didn’t get to watch it >_<
Just to confirm that it’s not Thyme after all. Apparently it’s a role play thing. Sorry >_<
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[...] first thing you ever hear in Fly Away is thyme (or Kamiyama Sayaka). I personally think that she’s not mixed, but speculation aside, there’s no disputing [...]