Friends recall music manager as 'absolutely inspiring'

Byby Melanie Woodrow KGO logo
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Friends recall music manager as 'absolutely inspiring'
The stories of the victims of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire extend beyond their work.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- We're learning more about one of the victims of the devastating fire at the Ghost Ship warehouse in Oakland that claimed the lives of at least 36 people.

Kiyomi Tanouye was a music manager for Shazam, and according to her friend she was much more. Tanouye passionately shared her life philosophy in a documentary filmed in 2012. "The concept of elsewhere, like that's it. That's where I want to be. That's where there's possibility and imagination," she said. "Sorry, well, long story short. I got elsewhere tattooed on myself as a kind of little memento. I don't know why I'm crying."

Spence McCall interviewed her for the documentary. "She was so big and bright and colorful in this community. I mean, it's impossible not to be just totally heartbroken," he said.

Tanouye was also a music manager at Shazam. On its facebook page, Shazam paid tribute to her:

Spence says Tanouye was fascinated by coincidences. He says they were magic to her. "It's just beautiful to see someone whose open, and willing and not afraid to believe in something," he said.

"That feeling you get when you find a clue, or something you make the connection of what you're supposed to do next, like split second of connection, that's when you're elsewhere," Tanouye said. "That's what's awesome."

"There's this idea I'd like to hang onto that she might not be gone," McCall continued. "She'd love it for us to think that as well, you know she went missing, she went elsewhere. She went furthermore."

That's where she continues to shine.

RELATED: Some victims of Oakland warehouse fire identified

1 of 36
The full list of victims of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif. are listed here, and will be updated as more victim names are released.
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