April 02 (THEWILL) – Oscar and Grammy-winning singer, composer, actor, producer, activist and writer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, has died at 71 after his second cancer diagnosis.
He shot to fame in the 70s with the influential Japanese group, ‘Yellow Magic Orchestra’. Sakamoto’s electronic innovations helped lay the foundations for synth-pop, house music, and hip-hop.
He was perhaps best known for his film soundtracks, including the one composed for the World War II drama, ‘Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence’, where he acted alongside his friend, David Bowie, as a prisoner of war camp commandant.
His management team announced on Sunday, that he died on March 28, and a funeral was held with close family in attendance, at his request.
“We would like to share one of Sakamoto’s favourite quotes: ‘Ars longa, vita brevis. Art is long, life is short,” the team said in a statement.
Sakamoto, who married and divorced twice, is the father of J-pop singer, Miu Sakamoto, born in 1980 to the Japanese pianist and singer, Akiko Yano.
He received two golden globes and a BAFTA during his active career.
