, married name , is a Japanese TV personality, singer and actress who achieved significant success as a pop idol in the early 1980s. She is currently signed to the Production No Title agency.
Early life Matsumoto was born in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. She attended from kindergarten through middle school and continued to Horikoshi High School, a private high school in the Nakano section of Tokyo. She completed her studies at Toita Women's College also in the city.
Career Matsumoto debuted in the entertainment business in 1981 when she was 15 years old, after being scouted by the agency Bond Kikaku while shopping in Shinjuku. Dubbed "Toshihiko Tahara's little sister", her singing career was launched in October the same year with the single "Sentimental Journey" which was an instant hit, making it to no. 9 on the Oricon Chart. The single went on to sell over 300,000 copies, and remains her biggest hit.
In 1982, she was awarded the Newcomer Prize at the 24th Japan Record Awards., along with many other newcomer awards from various TV stations. On January 1, 1983, Matsumoto became the youngest artist to hold a concert in Nippon Budokan at the age of 17 years and 6 months. The record was broken that September by Sayuri Iwai, at 15 years and 1 month.
From 1984 to 1986, Matsumoto hosted the midnight TV show All Night Fuji, while steadily releasing four singles each year.
After the peak of her pop idol career in the late 80s, she shifted her focus onto becoming a TV presenter as well as doing other work, and was well received. In 1992, she starred in the Tokyo TV drama Kinono Watashi Ni Sayonara (Goodbye to the Old Me)Clements, Jonathan, and Tamamuro, Motoko, The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953, Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press, 2003, p. 103 Four years later she participated as a judge on Iron Chef. She teamed up with fellow idols Yū Hayami and Chiemi Hori in 2005 to form the unit Cutie☆Mommy, with whom she released two singles.
In 2009, she released Sweet 16 Box, a box set that compiled all of the albums from her idol career and a bonus CD and DVD. Included was her first new song in 19 years, titled , written by Ami Ozaki.
As a 30-year commemoration of her debut, in 2012 she held a concert at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel's Stellar Ball and released a best-of album which included a handshake ticket.
On January 13, 2016, while filming a travel programme with Hayami, both of them allegedly trespassed onto the track of the Sanin Main Line near Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto without authorization and were almost prosecuted. Both Matsumoto and Hayami were heavily criticized by the media and held separate press conferences apologising after the incident was made public. After the situation was assessed, and both were acknowledged as unaware of the regulations, the charge was dropped.
In 2017, the unit Cutie☆Mommy was renewed, this time with Hiroko Moriguchi replacing Chiemi Hori, and was renamed Cutie☆MoriMori. In February 2024, the unit released a new single, entitled "Soro Soro Fuyu desu nee" (It's almost winter, isn't it?), produced by Noritake Kinashi and written by George Tokoro. The single was billed under each singer's individual discography, particularly on RecoChoku and Apple Music.
Personal life In 1993, she married Japanese comedian Hiromi. She is the mother of two sons: the eldest is actor Ryo Kozono.
Discography Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Formats JPNPhysical1981"Sentimental Journey"（センチメンタル・ジャーニー） 9 CD, LP, Cassette1982"Love Me Tender"（ラブ・ミー・テンダー） 11 CD, LP, Cassette"TV no Kuni kara Kirakira"（TVの国からキラキラ） 15 CD, LP, Cassette"Otona ja Nai no"（オトナじゃないの） 16 CD, LP, Cassette"Dakishimetai"（抱きしめたい） 9 CD, LP, Cassette1983"Chinese Kiss"（チャイニーズ・キッス） 12 CD, LP, Cassette"Taiyou ga Ippai"（太陽がいっぱい） 12 CD, LP, Cassette"Koi no Biorhythm"（恋のバイオリズム） 16 CD, LP, Cassette"Toki ni Ai wa"（時に愛は） 8 CD, LP, Cassette1984"Koi no KNOW-HOW"（恋のKNOW-HOW） 10 CD, LP, Cassette"Nagareboshi ga Suki"（流れ星が好き） 24 CD, LP, Cassette"Shyness Boy"（シャイネスボーイ） 24 CD, LP, Cassette"Believe"（ビリーヴ） 11 CD, LP, Cassette1985"Anata ni Kaeritai (Dancin' In the Heart)"（あなたに帰りたい） 16 CD, LP, Cassette"Ponytail wa Musubanai"（ポニーテイルは結ばない） 21 CD, LP, Cassette"Gekka Bijin"（月下美人） 30 CD, LP, Cassette1986"Last Kiss wa Hoho ni Shite"（Last Kissは頬にして） 22 CD, LP, Cassette"Shinjikata wo Oshiete"（信じかたを教えて） 17 CD, LP, Cassette"Sayonara wa Watashi no Tame ni"（サヨナラは私のために） 18 CD, LP, Cassette1987"Omoide wo Kirei ni Shinaide"（思い出をきれいにしないで） 23 CD, LP, Cassette"Suteki na Jealousy"（すてきなジェラシー） 19 CD, LP, Cassette1988"Samishisa nara Hitotsu"（淋しさならひとつ） 23 CD, LP, Cassette"Sonatine/Nakanaide Gatsby"（泣かないでギャツビー） 83 CD, LP, Cassette1989"Kanashikute Yarikirenai"（悲しくてやりきれない） 57 CD, Cassette1990"Kitto Wasureru kara"（きっと忘れるから） - CD, Cassette "—" denotes items which did not chart
Digital singles Year Single Reference2013"Watashi no Koe wo Kiite"2015"Sentimental Journey: Mada 50sai ver."2021"Sentimental Journey: 40th Anniversary Version""Kutenai Hotel""Love Me Tender"2022"Toki ni Ai wa (2022 New Vocal Version)""Shinjikata wo Oshiete (2022 New Vocal Version)"2024"Chotto Suteki na Journey""Soro soro Fuyu desu nee"As part of the unit Cutie☆MoriMori, billed individually
Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Sentimental I-Y-OReleased: December 5, 1981 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 8 Something I-Y-OReleased: April 21, 1982 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 4 Only SeventeenReleased: October 5, 1982 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 4 Endless SummerReleased: June 21, 1983 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 Yume Hitotsu ShinkirouReleased: December 5, 1983 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 16 Sugar RainReleased: March 5, 1984 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 17 Sentimental Dance ClubReleased: August 21, 1985 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 26 Tenshi no BakaReleased: September 5, 1986 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 33 Kaze no You niReleased: December 16, 1987 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 67 Private FileReleased: January 21, 1989 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 97 InnocenceReleased: October 21, 1989 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Mariage: Mou Wakakunai karaReleased: January 21, 1991 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - "—" denotes items which did not chart
Cover albums + List of cover albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Treasure Voice (40th Anniversary Song Book) Dedicated to Kyōhei TsutsumiReleased: December 22, 2021 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 2 "—" denotes items which did not chart
Live albums + List of live albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Iyo in BudokanReleased: January 1, 1983 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 13
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon BelieveReleased: December 21, 1984 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 17 Review Super BestReleased: November 21, 1985 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Single CollectionReleased: March 5, 1986 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 44 Complete Single CollectionReleased: November 21, 1986 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo CD FILE VOL.1/2/3Released: December 16, 1987 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - The Best REFILLReleased: November 21, 1989 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo CD FILE VOL.4Released: June 21, 1990 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Siesta: The BestReleased: November 7, 1990 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo ZenkyokushuuReleased: December 1, 1993 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo Best of BestReleased: October 26, 1994 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - New Best OneReleased: August 4, 1999 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo Best SelectionReleased: March 24, 2005 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Matsumoto Iyo Golden BestReleased: September 16, 2009 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Always I-Y-O (30th Anniversary BEST ALBUM)Released: September 26, 2012 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 217 YAPPARI I・Y・O'16Released: September 28, 2016 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - "—" denotes items which did not chart
Box sets + List of box sets, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon Matsumoto Iyo BoxReleased: March 24, 2003 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: 4CD+3DVD - Sweet 16 Box: Original Album CollectionReleased: September 23, 2009 Label: Victor Entertainment Formats: 15CD+2DVD - "—" denotes items which did not chart
Other appearances + List of non-studio album or guest appearances that feature Iyo Matsumoto Title Year Artist Album/Single "BOYFRIEND A GOGO" 2007 - Beautiful Katamari Original Soundtrack "Ima ga Ichiban Suki" 2022 Yu Hayami Affection: YU HAYAMI 40th Anniversary Collection "Shinjikata wo Oshiete (2022 New Vocal Version)" 2023 Tetsuji Hayashi 50th Anniversary Special A Tribute of Hayashi Tetsuji: Saudade "Cécille"2026AKB48Nagori Zakura (名残り桜)
References
External links Official website Profile at Production No Title's website deadlink