Candee (4)

Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The singer Naoki Takao (高尾直樹) is her brother. As a solo singer, she used the name Candee. Her other names are Candy, Takao "Candy" Nozomi, and Hayashida "Candy" Nozomi. Debuted as a solo singer in 1988 with the album "Candee" on Taurus Records. Since then, she has been active as a backing vocalist, and has sung in the backing chorus for famous musicians such as Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎) and a rock band Sing Like Talking. She also sang in commercials for Coca-Cola and other companies. She married chorus member Kenji Hayashida (林田健司), but passed away suddenly in 1998 due to acute hepatitis, and Tatsuro Yamashita, who had been using Takao for his live performances and recordings since 1991, said that he was so depressed that he seriously thought of quitting live performances.