A childhood fan of American artists like Jewel, Carole King, and Alanis
Morissette, Chihiro Onitsuka debuted in 2001 with Insomnia, a triple-platinum
album whose blend of alternative rock, Japanese folk, and piano-driven pop
nodded to her influences. She was born on October 30, 1980, in Nangō, Japan, and
began writing songs as a teenager, eventually winning a national competition —
the 1998 Virgin Tokyo Artists Audition — while still a high school student. She
moved to Tokyo shortly after graduation and launched her career as an artist,
earning her first hit with 2000's "Gekkō." ...