Yukiko’s first album is arguably her strongest. An impressive number of composers featured here are independent, avant-garde musicians, which saves this from becoming one of the many generic idol albums. Mariya Takeuchi is still here of course. Her album opener Sayonara Natsuyasumi is astonishingly good, with its rolling drums and Wall of Sound production. This song could have easily been a single. Her other contribution to the album, Akogare, is also very good; it's a heartfelt, melancholic song that lets Yukiko’s singing take centre stage.

Perhaps most notable are the contributions from Tooru Okada and Ryoumei Shirai, of the rock band Moonriders. With their heavy synths and drums, these two are a big part of what makes Cinderella a musically interesting album. Drummer and vocalist of the Moonriders Tetsurou Kabushichi would go on to become extremely influential in developing Yukiko’s later sound, but he will not appear until Fairy.

Also on the album is Mioko Yamaguchi, well-known for her YMO-influenced Techno Kayo. I love Yamaguchi but I find her track Plastic Girl to be fairly weak. Something about her style just doesn’t click with Yukiko, but I’m glad off-kilter artists like her were included on the album.

Leaning into the princess angle risks making Yukiko feel too perfect and distant but asides from the inclusion of Little Princess, the Cinderella angle is barely present on this album. The lyrics stick to orthodox themes of teenage love, and this is arguably to the album’s benefit. She is both a normal girl, and your very own little princess.

There’s an infectious youthful energy to this album, and there are surprisingly few sleepers, with only Oka no Ue no High School feeling like standard idol-fare (but it’s a solid song, and Chinfa Kan’s good lyrics save it from being disposable.) I love Shiokaze no Love Letter and the little ‘Love you from Yukiko’ at the end. I love the emotion of Sonnet and the energy of Kare wa Hurricane. This album perfectly encapsulates the appeal of Yukiko’s early career, and so many of the songs on this are worth listening to. This is one of the all-time great idol debut albums.

Favourite Track (non-single): Sayonara Natsuyasumi

Least Favourite Track: Plastic Girl