Bands, artists, and singers from Niigata Prefecture
When you hear “musicians from Niigata Prefecture,” which artists come to mind?
If you like rock bands, you might think of your favorites, and there are also many idols and enka singers from Niigata.
In this article, we’ll introduce many singers and bands from Niigata Prefecture!
You might even discover, “Wait, they’re from Niigata?!”
We’ll cover a wide range of artists across generations and genres, so if any of them catch your interest, be sure to take your time and listen to their music!
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- A song by a rock band bursting with exhilarating energy and a sense of speed that you want to listen to in the summer.
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- Niigata’s folk songs, children’s songs, and nursery rhymes: the heart of our hometown passed down in song
- Breakup songs sung by male artists that I’d recommend to Gen Z
Bands, artists, and singers from Niigata Prefecture (61–70)
cherry blossomTakano Chie
Chie Takano is a singer from Tokamachi City in Niigata Prefecture.
Her warm, lustrous, and distinctly feminine voice is striking.
The song “Sakura” in the video is a poignant piece that evokes memories of a precious person you can no longer meet.
It fits her voice perfectly and truly moves the heart.
Love Is Calling YouTOKU
Influenced by his father, TOKU first became interested in music and originally played the cornet in his school wind band, but while continuing to play his instrument, he later became famous as a jazz vocalist.
Like Chet Baker—able to sing and also play solos—he leverages the advantages unique to a player who transitioned from instrumentalist to vocalist to develop a world entirely his own.
Today, he is active in genres not confined to jazz and is energetically working on original songs and more.
Petals Blowing BANG BANG BANGwangyaru
Wonderful was a late-night variety show that aired starting in 1997.
The song in the video was released by Wanggal, a group formed by the idols who appeared on the show.
One of the members, Maki Aizawa from Niigata Prefecture, took part.
It’s a high-energy dance number.
PEATHoshino Yuya
Yuya Hoshino is a singer-songwriter from Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture.
“PEAT” is included on the album “Do You Remember?” released in 2017.
It’s a song that feels fresh, almost like you can smell the sea.
Leaving snowy Echigo behindMurakami Sachiko
Sachiko Murakami is a Japanese enka singer, born on October 21, 1958.
She hails from Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture (formerly Arakawa Town, Iwafune District), and her stage name was chosen in reference to her hometown.
She made her singing debut in 1979 with “Yuki no Echigo o Ato ni Shite” on Crown Records.
Her 1984 release “Sakaba Suzume” became a major hit and brought her widespread recognition.
In 1985, she moved from Crown Talent Agency to HoriPro, becoming the first artist from Niigata Prefecture to join HoriPro.
Her music drew renewed attention on the 30th anniversary of her passing and continues to move many people through social media.
I want to become stronger.Funami Keiko
This is a song by Keiko Funami, who transitioned from being a nurse to a model and singer.
It was released in 1992 as her second single.
The lyrics poignantly express feelings toward a former lover.
She is a well-known figure from Shimodamura, Minamikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture, which is now part of Sanjo City.
promiseNakazawa Takuya
Takaya Nakazawa, the new star of the enka and kayōkyoku world, was born in 1995 and hails from Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture.
Before graduating high school, he won the local NHK Nodo Jiman singing contest and was scouted by Nippon Crown.
He went on to win the runner-up prize in the company’s newcomer audition and made his debut in January 2017 with “Aoi Diamond,” earning numerous awards.
With a strong female fan base, his gentle high notes and the dreamy, lingering resonance of his beautiful voice are truly captivating.
On his YouTube channel, he uploads a variety of cover songs as well as videos related to motorsports, a hobby he has had since childhood.
While his ballads are particularly appealing, as mentioned above, he is a singer whose voice deserves attention across genres.
In conclusion
We’ve introduced a wide array of artists from Niigata Prefecture all at once.
From rock bands and idols to major singers, there are people from Niigata thriving across many genres.
Among them were bands that are hugely popular in the rock scene.
If you find a musician you like, be sure to go check out their live shows.