Stephanie (singer)

Stephanie
Born Stephanie Nonoshita Topalian
(1987-08-05) August 5, 1987
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Residence Tokyo, Japan
Other names Steph
Occupation
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active 2007–present
Website www.stephanietopalian.com

Musical career

Genres Pop
Labels SME Records
Associated acts Genealogy

Stephanie Topalian (Armenian: Ստեֆանի Թոփալյան) Western Armenian Սթեֆանի Թօփալեան, professionally known as Stephanie (ステファニー (Sutefanī), born August 5, 1987) is a singer and actress. Stephanie is signed with SME Records Japan (part of Sony Music). She released two albums, self-titled Stephanie in 2008 and Colors of my Voice in 2009 and has won the Japanese Music Awards in 2007. A number of her songs have been featured in Japanese films and she has also taken roles in a few Japanese films, notably Pride and Tokyo Tribe. In 2014, she was included in the Armenian super group project Genealogy to represent Armenia in the 2015 version of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Face the Shadow".

Biography

Life and family

She was born to a Japanese mother and an Armenian father in Los Angeles, California. Although Stephanie is residing in Japan she has a strong commitment to her Armenian background and is very attached to her grandparents. Her paternal grandfather Jean Pierre Topalian was from France and her grandmother Koharik Mikaelian Topalian was born in Lebanon. Her Armenian grandparents had relocated to the United States from Lebanon, choosing final destination and place of dwell the state of Wisconsin. She heard many stories about the Armenian Genocide – a historical event that changed so many destinies; including her grandparents’. Those stories led to the enhancement of her consciousness on the issue and despite being far from homeland Stephanie is true to her Armenian roots and is a keen learner of the culture and history. Stephanie graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University Law School. She is bilingual, and speaks Japanese and English.

Career as a solo artist

She began singing at a young age and at age 13, she moved to Japan with her family. At 14, Stephanie sent an audio demo tape of her singing to various music productions,[1] and received a response from a Japanese music producer Joe Rinoie. Rinoie was impressed with her singing, and at the age of 19 Stephanie made her major debut in Japan from SME Records (Sony).[1] She achieved the “Best New Artist Award” at the prestigious 49th Japan Record Awards in 2007 and afterwards released two albums. Stephanie Topalian – her magical voice and wide vocal diapason has already touched thousands of hearts in Japan.

Stephanie's songs were featured in the Japanese "Anime" scene. Her debut single "Kimiga Iru Kagiri" and the follow up single "Because of You" became the ending themes of the anime Kiss Dum. Her fifth single "Changin", was also featured as the last ending theme of the anime D.Gray-man. In early 2008, her single "Friends" became the second ending theme for the anime television series Gundam 00. The song appeared in the Top 10 of Japanese Oricon charts.

As an actress Stephanie debuted in the film Pride in 2009, based on Yukari Ichijo's shōjo comic. She portrayed the protagonist Shio Asami, and also took part in the film's theme song, "Pride ~A Part of Me~" that featured SRM. Aside from Pride, Stephanie also starred in 2009 in the short film It's All Good which was fully scripted in English and in 2014 in Tokyo Tribe and a short film.

Eurovision

In February 2015 she was announced as a member of the music group Genealogy (made up of singers from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora) that represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. Stephanie Topalian represents the Asian continent in the formation whereas the Ethiopian Vahe Tilbian represents Africa, the American Tamar Kaprelian the American continent, the French Essaï Altounian the European continent and the Australian Mary-Jean O'Doherty Basmadjian Oceania and Inga Arshakyan Armenia. The super group sang "Face the Shadow", the Armenian entry to the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria. She became an Armenian citizen along with the other foreign members of Genealogy on 28 April 2015 after being given Armenian passports by President Serzh Sargsyan.[2]

Discography

Albums

Stephanie (ステファニー)

  1. Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (君がいる限り As Long as You Are Here)
  2. Friends (フレンズ)
  3. Life
  4. ANGEL GIRL
  5. Fallin'
  6. Shiny Days!
  7. Smile and Turn Away
  8. Beyond Myself
  9. Truth
  10. To.Be.Me.
  11. Winter Gold
  12. because of you
  • Peak Position: #16
  • Total Sales: 12,516

Colors of my Voice

  1. Kotoba Nanka Iranai Hodo ni (It doesn't need words) (言葉なんかいらないほどに)
  2. Changin' feat. Tanaka Roma
  3. FUTURE
  4. Kindan no Knockout (禁断のKnockout)
  5. Together
  6. Forever
  7. Pride ~A Part of Me~ feat. SRM
  8. KISSES
  9. Kizuna (キズナ)
  10. a song for you
  11. Daisuki na Minna e. feat. fans (大好きなみんなへ。)
  • Peak Position:
  • Total Sales:

Singles

Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (君がいる限り)

  1. Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (君がいる限り As Long as You Are Here)
    First ending theme for the anime Kissdum -ENGAGE planet-
  2. All the Way
  3. ANGEL GIRL
  • Peak Position: #36
  • Total Sales: 10,382

Because of You

  1. because of you
    Second ending theme for the anime Kissdum -ENGAGE planet-
  2. To.Be.Me.
  3. Ben
  • Peak Position: #50
  • Total Sales: 7,898

Winter Gold

  1. Winter Gold
  2. Life
  3. Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (Acoustic ver.) (君がいる限り (アコースティックver.))
  • Peak Position: #80
  • Total Sales: 1,863

Friends (フレンズ)

  1. Friends (フレンズ)
    Second ending theme for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam 00
  2. Let's Go!!
  3. because of you (Acoustic ver.) (because of you (アコースティックver.))
  • Peak Position: #8
  • Total Sales: 31,201

Changin' feat. Roma Tanaka

  1. Changin' feat. Roma Tanaka
  2. Changin' (Stephanie Only ver.)
    Eighth ending theme for the anime D.Gray-man
  3. Together
  4. Truth (orchestral ver.)
  • Peak Position: #50
  • Total Sales: 2,961

Pride ~A Part of Me~ feat. SRM

  1. Pride ~A Part of Me~ feat. SRM
    Theme song for the live-action movie Pride
  2. Pride ~A Part of Me~ (Stephanie only ver.)
  3. KISSES
  4. Changin' (Double Piano Mix)
  • Peak Position: #82
  • Total Sales: 1,150

FUTURE

  1. FUTURE
    Theme song for the movie High Kick Girl
  2. Breakdown
  3. Pride ~A Part of Me~ (Sweet & Mellow Version)
  • Peak Position: #155

Singles

as part of Genealogy (band)
Featured in

References

  1. 1 2 Shegrikyan, Zaven (March 24, 2015). "Exclusive interview with Stephanie Topalian!". ESC Bubble. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Jiandani, Sanjay (28 April 2015). "Eurovision Armenia: Genealogy meet the president of Armenia". Esctoday. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Wiwibloggs: Tamar Kaprelian releases ESC collaboration "The Otherside"
  4. ↑ iTunes: "The Otherside"
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