My Take
Okay, Ken Hirai is one of those artists I never get tired of recommending. He's got this tall, almost model-like frame, and then he opens his mouth and out pours this warm, velvety low register that just melts you—the contrast genuinely catches me off guard every time. The guy quietly stacks up karaoke immortals like "Hitomi wo Tojite" and "Rakuen," yet shrugs himself off as a "song idiot." I love that humility, especially since he'll turn around and dance like a goofball or ham it up in a music video instead of acting like some untouchable diva. From his "Ken's Bar" cover sessions to nearly three decades in, his voice somehow keeps deepening rather than fading. Pure craft, zero ego. Easy artist to root for.
Overview
Ken Hirai is a Japanese singer-songwriter born on January 17, 1972, in Osaka and raised in Nabari, Mie Prefecture. He made his CD debut in 1995 with the single "Precious Junk," after winning a Sony Music Entertainment audition in 1993. His 2000 single "Rakuen" brought him widespread recognition, and his 2004 single "Hitomi wo Tojite," the theme song for the film Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World, became one of the best-selling singles of that year. He has continued to release music and tour through his 30th anniversary in 2024.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ken Hirai
- Name (Japanese)
- 平井堅
- Reading
- ひらいけん
- Born
- January 17, 1972 (age 54)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rat
- Origin
- Osaka, Japan (birth) / Nabari, Mie, Japan (raised)
- Blood type
- A
- Height
- 183 cm
- Agency
- Pinnups Artist
- Active years
- 1995–present
- Occupation
- Singer / Singer-songwriter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Nabari Municipal Kikyo-ga-oka Minami Elementary School
- Junior high
- Nabari Municipal Kita Junior High School
- High school
- Mie Prefectural Ueno High School
- University
- Yokohama City University, Faculty of Commerce
- Debut
- Made his CD debut in 1995 with the single "Precious Junk," which was used as the tie-up song for the Fuji TV drama Ousama no Restaurant.
Awards & achievements
- 2001 Japan Gold Disc Award – Rock Album of the Year (THE CHANGING SAME)
- 2002 Japan Gold Disc Award – Rock Album of the Year (gaining through losing)
- 2004 MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Male Artist Video (Hitomi wo Tojite)
- 2004 MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Movie Video (Hitomi wo Tojite)
- 2005 Japan Gold Disc Award – Rock & Pop Album of the Year (Ken Hirai 10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95-'05 Utabaka)
- 2006 MTV Video Music Awards Japan – Best Male Artist Video (POP STAR)
- 2007 Japan Gold Disc Award – Rock & Pop Album of the Year (LIFE is...)
- 2014 SPACE SHOWER Music Video Awards – Special Award (Ring)
Timeline
- 1993Won the Sony Music Entertainment audition and signed with Sony Records
- 1995Made his CD debut with the single "Precious Junk"
- 2000Single "Rakuen" became a major hit, establishing his breakthrough
- 2003Released the cover album Ken's Bar
- 2004Single "Hitomi wo Tojite" (theme for Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World) became the year's biggest hit
- 2004Album SENTIMENTALovers sold 1.9 million copies
- 2005Released 10th-anniversary best-of album Utabaka
- 2015Celebrated 20th anniversary with best-of releases and a nationwide tour
- 2019Released single "Kaibutsu-san"
- 2024Marked his 30th debut anniversary with a commemorative album and tour
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Unmarried
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Father: Michinori Hirai (died 2004); Mother: Sawako
- Siblings
- One older sister, one older brother (youngest of three children)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Basketball
- Listening to music
Specialties
- Singing
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Precious Junk | Single | 1995 |
| Single | Rakuen | Single | 2000 |
| Single | Ookina Furudokei | Single (cover) | 2002 |
| Single | Hitomi wo Tojite | Single / Theme song for Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World | 2004 |
| Single | POP STAR | Single | 2006 |
| Album | gaining through losing | Original album | 2001 |
| Album | Ken's Bar | Cover album | 2003 |
| Album | SENTIMENTALovers | Original album | 2004 |
| Album | Ken Hirai 10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95-'05 Utabaka | Best-of album | 2005 |
| Album | LIFE is... | Original album | 2007 |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.