Ryuichi Sakamoto, a revered Japanese producer, and composer known for his electronic music experiments passed away at the age of 71.
He received honors for his work as a solo artist and as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, including an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Bafta (YMO).
In 2021, Sakamoto had a second cancer diagnosis. His office announced his passing on Tuesday.
In 1983, he co-starred with David Bowie in the movie Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
He received an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for his film score for The Last Emperor in 1987. He performed as a cast member in the epic film about Puyi, the last Chinese emperor.
Sakamoto was influenced by the Beatles and Debussy when he first started studying composition at the age of 10.
He played keyboards when he founded YMO in 1978 with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. Their synthesizer innovations influenced techno-pop and hip-hop.
In 1983, he co-starred with David Bowie in the movie Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
He received an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for his film score for The Last Emperor in 1987. He performed as a cast member in the epic film about Puyi, the last Chinese emperor.
Sakamoto was influenced by the Beatles and Debussy when he first started studying composition at the age of 10.
He played keyboards when he founded YMO in 1978 with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. Their synthesizer innovations influenced techno-pop and hip-hop.
He was well-known in Japan for his environmental activism, particularly following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
His father, who was born in 1952, worked as a literary editor for Japanese authors, including Kenzaburo Oe, a Nobel Prize winner. He had classical training while a student, but at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, he later chose to specialize in ethnomusicology. World music, notably that of Japan’s Okinawa island, captivated him.
His latter partnerships included work with cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, Alva Noto, and Brian Eno. J-pop star Miu Sakamoto is Sakamoto’s daughter.
