Behind the Scenes with Izumi Sakai, Staff Share Untold Stories on ZARD’s 35th Anniversary

The diva’s eternal radiance — a grand reveal of treasured photos

The legendary music unit ZARD, known for hits like “Makenaide” and “Yureru Omoi,” achieved a record-breaking nine consecutive million-selling albums—unprecedented in the Japanese music scene. Even now, 18 years after the passing of vocalist Izumi Sakai (at age 40) in May 2007, ZARD continues to be loved by fans across all genders and generations.

As the first installment of the anniversary project leading up to ZARD’s 35th debut anniversary next year, the best album ZARD Best Request 35th Anniversary was released in February, marking the first best-of release in nine years. Involved in its production and having supported Sakai during her lifetime, music director Hiroshi Terao, recording engineer Katsuhiro Shimada, and art director Kenichi Suzuki share behind-the-scenes stories and reveal Sakai’s true personality—stories only now coming to light.

【Click here for the first part of the “ZARD 35th Anniversary YEAR Special Project”】

She was a considerate person

―― ZARD was also known for having very little media exposure. Because of that, people often pictured Sakai-san as quiet and shy, but what kind of woman was she actually?

Terao: Indeed, she was a quiet woman when meeting someone for the first time, but with people she trusted, she was quite talkative and very considerate.

Suzuki: She would talk to new staff to ease their nerves, and when staff were leaving, she would prepare gifts for them.

Shimada: I’m a quiet type, so Sakai-san often spoke to me. It was mostly casual chat like, “I went to see Kabuki today.”

Terao: Looking back, maybe Shimada-san and Sakai-san just had good chemistry. When a stranger staff member came into the room during their chat, Sakai-san would quietly stop talking. Then, when the staff left, she’d pick right back up with, “So, as I was saying”

Suzuki: I can imagine that. Contrary to the image from photos, she was actually quite cheerful and had good leadership skills. In ’95, when we went to London for a shoot and had some free time, we all went to karaoke. Sakai-san gave requests like, “You sing Kenji Sawada’s songs,” and “You sing B’z.” Photos taken in London were used for the ’96 release of the 17th single “My Friend” and others.

―― Are there any other episodes where you felt Sakai-san’s consideration?

Suzuki: During the shoot for the 41st single “Kanashii Hodo Anata ga Suki / Karatto Ikou!” in 2006, we were filming in Minato Ward. We happened to find a nice bakery and started shooting guerrilla-style right in front of the shop. Looking back, it was poorly planned. The bakery owner came out and argued with the staff, saying, “You didn’t get permission for this!”

Sakai-san was resting on the tour bus, but sensing the tense mood, she stood up and said, “Shall I go talk to them?” I remember hurriedly stopping her because I thought there was no way we could let her handle that.

Terao: Speaking of guerrilla style, the collaboration song “Endless Dream” (1993 release, ZYYG, REV, ZARD & WANDS featuring Shigeo Nagashima) was a last-minute deal too. Sakai-san and Nagato-san went to Nagashima-san’s favorite sushi restaurant and tried to negotiate his participation during the meal. The plan worked perfectly, and Nagashima-san said, “Let’s record right now,” so we went straight to the studio. Staff had everything ready, and as soon as Nagashima-san and the others arrived, recording began. That’s how “Endless Dream” came to be.

―― The album released this February includes 35 songs selected by fan votes. Did you find any new discoveries in this process?

Terao: The song that ranked number one in the fan vote was the 18th single released in ’96, “Kokoro wo Hiraite” (Open Your Heart). It wasn’t “Makenaide” (6th single, ’93), “Yureru Omoi” (8th single, same year), or “My Friend” (17th single, ’96), which shows that fans truly voted for the songs they personally loved.

Shimada: Usually, I don’t worry too much, but this time, even before mastering (adjusting sound quality and volume), I was experimenting with what kind of sound to aim for. We went for a simple sound without quirks that you wouldn’t get tired of no matter how many times you listen. We were very particular about bringing out ZARD’s charm.

Suzuki: I reviewed the old negative film once again, and I was surprised that Sakai-san’s outfits were simple and timeless, so they don’t feel outdated even now. Seeing her various expressions, I discovered new charms in her. Many ZARD album covers feature photos with her looking down, but for this album, they chose photos where she’s looking up with a bright expression.

The final recording

— How would you describe Izumi Sakai as an artist?

Terao: It’s something that can’t really be conveyed through CDs, but during recording sessions, Sakai-san sang with an incredibly powerful voice. She would be completely exhausted after just one song because she put her whole life and soul into singing. I think she lived a life fully dedicated to ZARD and to music.

Shimada: My impression is that Sakai-san was working all the time, around the clock. She often requested corrections and re-recordings. For example, the 25th single “Unmei no Roulette Mawashite” released in 1998 took eight months to complete. She could have taken breaks but never just left it to others—she was a person who never compromised.

What left the strongest impression was, of course, her final recording. The 43rd single “Glorious Mind,” released in December 2007. The recording took place in April 2006, but Sakai-san was in poor health, and for the first time, her mother accompanied her to the studio. Seeing that, honestly, I didn’t think she was in a condition to sing. In fact, she only managed to sing twice, but she put everything into that recording. I will never forget the intense determination I saw in her that day.

Suzuki: Visually, she was also very particular about subtle colors on the jacket and the design of the lyric booklet. When she was chatting casually with the staff and when she was working, she seemed like a completely different person. But looking back now, I truly feel she had a strong resolve to always remain “Izumi Sakai of ZARD.”

https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/article/423573

[“ZARD” 35th Anniversary Year Special Project — Part 1 is here]

The determination to remain “ZARD’s Izumi Sakai”

From “FRIDAY” combined issues May 9, 16, and 23, 2025