Ray (musician)

Reika Nakayama (中山 怜香, Nakayama Reika, born October 14, 1990),^[1][2] better known by her stage name Ray, is a Japanese singer and radio personality from Hokkaido. She signed to Geneon Universal Entertainment.

Ray 中山 怜香
Birth name	Reika Nakayama
Also known as	Clione Reika Reika Kisumi
Born	(1990-10-14) October 14, 1990 (age 34) Hokkaido, Japan
Genres	J-pop
Occupations	Singer radio personality
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	2012–2017
Labels	NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan (2012–2017) Warner Home Video (2012)
Website	nbcuni-music.com/ray/

Biography

Ray was born in Sapporo and raised in Otaru, Hokkaido. Ray originally worked as a gravure idol, performing at a singing audition event sponsored by Avex and Usen called a-motion2007, and releasing a DVD called Peach Collection^[1][2][3][4] and a second DVD called Pure Smile in 2008.^[5][6] She tried out for the All-Japan Anime Song Grand Prix in 2010. She also covered songs under the moniker Clione (クリオネちゃ).^[5]

She made her debut as a singer in 2012, performing the opening theme song "Sign" for the anime Waiting in the Summer.^[7] Her second single "Rakuen Project" (楽園PROJECT, "Paradise Project") was released on October 24, 2012, which is used as the opening theme to the 2012 anime television series To Love-Ru Darkness.^[8] Her third single "Recall" was released on February 6, 2013, which is used as the ending theme to the 2013 anime television series Amnesia.^[9]

On a blog post posted on January 25, 2017, Ray announced her retirement from singing to pursue other unspecified activities.^[10][11]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Album information	Oricon[12]
Peak position
Rayve	Released: June 5, 2013[13] Label: Geneon Universal Entertainment Format: CD (GNCA-1374)	25
Milky Ray	Released: June 4, 2014[14] Label: Geneon Universal Entertainment Format: CD+DVD (GNCA-1406), CD (GNCA-1407)	28
Little Trip	Released: June 6, 2016[15] Label: Geneon Universal Entertainment Format: CD+Blu-ray (GNCA-1484), CD (GNCA-1485)	14

Singles

Year	Song	Peak Oricon chart positions	Album	Theme song featured in
2012	"Sign"	11[16]		Waiting in the Summer
	"Rakuen Project"	22[17]		To Love-Ru Darkness
2013	"Recall"	30[18]		Amnesia
	"lull ~Soshite Bokura wa~"	21[19]		Nagi no Asukara
2014	"ebb and flow"	24[20]		Nagi no Asukara
2015	"secret arms"	34[21]		To Love-Ru Darkness 2nd
	"Hajimete Girls"	35[22]		Wakaba Girl
2016	"a-gain"	23[23]		Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue
2016	"(heart)km/h"			Long Riders!

Other album appearances

Year	Song	Album	Notes	Ref.
2012	"Chigiri -Kono Hiroi Hiroi, Toki o Koete-" "Uwagoto -Shizumiyuku Watashi no-"	Yūkyū no Uta	Theme song collection for the PlayStation Portable visual novel Toki no Kizuna: Sekigahara Kitan.	[24]

Appearances

Television

• Anime-TV (studio guest: December 29, 2011 and February 16, 2012)
• Anipara Ongakukan (live guest: March 30, 2012)

Radio

• A&G Artist Zone 2h (Tuesday host: January 3, 2012 – )
• A&G Chō Radio Show: Anisupa! (guest: January 28, 2012)
• Radio Rondo Robe (guest: February 3, 2012)
• Nonko to Nobita no Anime Scramble (guest: February 24, 2012)
• Kawada Mami no Attack Young (guest: November 14, 2012)

References

1. "中山怜香 ピーチ!コレクション". June 18, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
2. 株式会社スポーツニッポン新聞社マルチメディア事業本部 (July 22, 2008). "中山怜香 初ブルマにワクワクドキドキ― スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能". Sponichi (in Japanese). Retrieved February 1, 2017.
3. "BBRK 07-06-05 :: アーティストオーディション a-motion '07（その１１）". unknown24.net. n.d. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
4. "パソコンテレビ GyaO [ギャオ] 無料動画 ｜a-motion'07｜". archive.org. June 10, 2007. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
5. "BBRK 08-10-09 :: 中山怜香が 2ndイメージDVDリリース". Unknown24.net. n.d. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
6. "Amazon.co.jp： 名探偵コナン 女子高生探偵 鈴木園子の事件簿 DVD: ホビー". Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
7. "Staff & Cast". J.C. Staff. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
8. "OPED". Xebec. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
9. "Staff & Cast". Brain's Base. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
10. "いつも応援して下さっている皆様へ". Ray Official Blog. Ameblo. January 25, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
11. "Long Riders!, Waiting in Summer Singer Ray Retires This Summer". Anime News Network. January 25, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
12. "Rayのアルバム売上ランキング" [Ray Album Sales Ranking]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved February 1, 2017.
13. "Rayve". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved February 1, 2017.
14. "Milky Ray". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved February 1, 2017.
15. "Little Trip". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved February 1, 2017.
16. "Sign" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
17. "楽園Project" [Rakuen Project] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
18. "Recall" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
19. ｌｕｌｌ～そして僕らは～ (in Japanese). Oricon.
20. ｅｂｂ ａｎｄ ｆｌｏｗ (in Japanese). Oricon.
21. "secret arms" (in Japanese). Oricon. n.d.
22. "初めてガールズ!" (in Japanese). Oricon. n.d.
23. "a-gain" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
24. "悠久ノ謳 PSP専用ソフト「十鬼の絆 関ヶ原奇譚」主題歌集" [Yūkyū no Uta: PSP Video Game "Toki no Kizuna: Sekigahara Kitan" Theme Song Collection] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 14, 2012.

External links

• Official blog (in Japanese)
• Geneon website (in Japanese)
• Warner website (in Japanese)
• Ray at Oricon (in Japanese)