Leon Niihama

Leon Niihama (新浜レオン), birth name Yuki Takajō), born May 11, 1996, in Chiba, Japan, is a Japanese enka and kayōkyoku singer, who debut on the first day of Reiwa, on 1 May 2019 and is currently signed under Kaikyo Record label, subsidiaries of B Zone. His alma mater is Daito Bunka University.

Early life
Niihama devoted himself to baseball since elementary school, even becoming a catcher and captain when he was in high school. When he failed to reach his dream to appear in Koshien, he decided to follow his father's path, Yasuo Takajo (髙城靖雄), to become an enka singer. Even before that, he has already been interested in the enka music due to the father's influence, citing as the major influence Hideki Saijo and Itsuki Hiroshi. When he was in his third year at Daito Bunka University, he won the Grand Prix at the "Mr. Daito Contest 2017".

Career
On May 1, 2019, on the first day of Reiwa, he made his major debut with the single "Hanasanai Hanasanai" as the first artist of B Zone Group new enka label Kaikyo Record. Four days after the debut, he become the main host of his own television show "Hajimemashite, Boku, Niihama Leon Desu!" broadcast on Chiba Television, which lasted until 2021. Later, at the same year, he won "61st Japan Record Awards" in the "New Artist Awards" category.

In 2020, he won "34th Japan Gold Disc Awards" in the "Best Enka/Kayokyoku New Artist" category. In 2022, his single Tukamaete Konya served as an opening theme to the anime television series Case Closed: The Culprit Hanzawa. In 2021, he designed his own original Sanrio character Leosuke (れおすけ).

In 2023, he made acting debut in the television drama Gekoku Juukyuuji. Later, at the same year, he released his first video-album Leon Niihama 5 Shuunen Kinen Concert, it will include footage from the live concert held in 11 May.

Discography
As of the 2023, the band has released 5 singles and 1 video-albums.