Yasutaka Nakata


Yasutaka Nakata is a Japanese DJ, record producer, songwriter, composer and arranger. He formed the band Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer and record producer when both were 17. They formally debuted in 2001 with the song "Sakura".
He is known for being the music producer of Japanese girl group Perfume and Japanese model-turned-singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu since 2003 and 2011, respectively. These artists have gained commercial success for their songs that Nakata wrote and produced, such as "Chocolate Disco", "Polyrhythm", "Fashion Monster", and "Ninja Re Bang Bang". Nakata has worked with several other Japanese pop singers, including MEG, Ami Suzuki and SMAP, and has also remixed songs by other artists, including M-Flo and Leah Dizon. He ran his own label, Contemode, in association with Yamaha. After Towa Tei, he was the second Japanese artist to officially remix Kylie Minogue, contributing a version of her single "Get Outta My Way". He also formed Coltemonikha with singer, model and fashion designer Kate Sakai. On July 2012, he won the "Creator" award for the "Change Maker of the Year 2012" event. The Japan Record Awards also awarded Nakata the Best Music Arrangement Award twice, the first for the songs "Tsukema Tsukeru" by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and "Spice" by Perfume in 2012, and the second one for Kyary's songs "Harajuku Iyahoi" and "Easta" in 2017. Nakata is set to release his first solo album, Digital Native, on February 7, 2018.
As of September 25, 2019, Nakata has yielded a total of ten number-one albums, mostly under his production with Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

Works

Discography

Studio albums
YearTitleArtistRecord labelOricon
Weekly
chart
peak
position		Oricon
Weekly
digital chart
peak
position
2001High Collar GirlCapsuleYamaha Music CommunicationsN/A–
2003Cutie Cinema ReplayCapsuleYamaha Music Communications232–
2003Phony PhonicCapsuleContemode120–
2004S.F. Sound FurnitureCapsuleContemode35–
2005Nexus-2060CapsuleContemode59–
2005L.D.K. Lounge Designers KillerCapsuleContemode49–
2006Fruits ClipperCapsuleContemode29–
2007Sugarless GirlCapsuleContemode25–
2007BeamMegUniversal J24–
2007Flash BackCapsuleContemode20–
2008GamePerfumeTokuma Japan Communications1–
2008StepMegUniversal J8–
2008More! More! More!CapsuleContemode6–
2008Supreme ShowAmi SuzukiAvex Trax16–
2009BeautifulMegUniversal J10–
2009TrianglePerfumeTokuma Japan Communications1–
2010PlayerCapsuleContemode4–
2010MaverickMegUniversal J20–
2011World of FantasyCapsuleContemode3–
2011JPNPerfumeTokuma Japan Communications1–
2012Stereo WorxxxCapsuleContemode5–
2012Pamyu Pamyu RevolutionKyary Pamyu PamyuUnborde/Warner Music Japan2–
2013Nanda CollectionKyary Pamyu PamyuUnborde/Warner Music Japan1–
2013Level3PerfumeUniversal J1–
2013Caps LockCapsuleUnborde/Warner Music Japan13–
2014Pika Pika FantajinKyary Pamyu PamyuUnborde/Warner Music Japan1–
2015Wave RunnerCapsuleUnborde/Warner Music Japan5–
2016Cosmic ExplorerPerfumeUniversal J1–
2017NatsumeloNatsume MitoSony Music Associated Records64N/A
2018Digital NativeYasutaka NakataUnborde/Warner Music Japan131
2018Future PopPerfumeUniversal J11
2018JapamyuKyary Pamyu PamyuUnborde/Warner Music Japan127

Produced artists

Nakata composed the station departure melody to be used on the shinkansen platforms at Kanazawa Station from March 2015.
He has also contributed a composition that was featured in the Closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games titled "1620" which was produced to highlight Japan's electronic dance culture which also featured choreography from MIKIKO.

Awards