The person behind »Double« is female R&B singer Takako Hirasawa. »Double« used to be a duo consisting of Takako and her older sister Sachiko. In May 1999 Sachiko died at the age of 25 of a blood disease. After the death of her sister Takako for several months got out of the music business, ostensibly she didn't listen to any music at all. In 2000 she got back into music, went to New York where she recorded two singles, »U« and »Angel«, and her first solo album (released at the end of November 2000). In memory of her sister Takako kept the name »Double«
The Hirasawa sisters hail from the Niigata prefecture. As far as their interest in R&B was concerned Takako and Sachiko were influenced by their older sister who used to study in the US and brought back a lot of R&B CDs when she returned to Japan, although Takako once said that she didn't really fell in love with R&B until she watched videos by artists like Mary J. Blige, TLC or En Vogue. When Takako and Sachiko formed the duo »Double« they first performed cover versions of R&B songs in local clubs in Niigata.
Through an audition Takako and Sachiko in 1997 got their first contract with the Tokyo based label »For Life Records«. From October 1997 through February 1998 they regularly performed in a club at a US Air Force Base (Yokota Air Base). In February 1998 their debut single »For me« was released. Following three more single releases in June 1999 their first album »Crystal« which reached number two in the japanese album charts was released.

More about Double at:

Double Official Website (Japanese and English)