Nobuo Uematsu, born on March 21, 1959, in Kōchi, Japan, is a renowned Japanese composer and keyboardist, celebrated for his significant contributions to the Final Fantasy video game series by Square Enix. A self-taught musician, Uematsu began playing the piano at the age of twelve, influenced by English singer-songwriter Elton John. After graduating from Kanagawa University with a degree in English, he played keyboards in amateur bands and composed music for television commercials.

In 1986, Uematsu joined Square, where he met Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy. This collaboration led to Uematsu composing music for over 30 titles, including the iconic Final Fantasy series. His work in video game music gained widespread acclaim, with his compositions being performed in various Final Fantasy concerts globally.

In 2004, Uematsu left Square to establish his own production company and music label, Dog Ear Records, continuing to compose as a freelancer for various games, including those by Square Enix and Sakaguchi's Mistwalker studio. He was a keyboardist for The Black Mages, a band known for hard rock versions of his Final Fantasy compositions, and later formed Earthbound Papas in 2011. Uematsu has been recognized in Britain's Classic FM Hall of Fame, earning the moniker "the Beethoven of game music."