Recommended ballad songs for women

sepiaNanba Shiho

sepia

This is a ballad by Shiho Nanba, whose charm lies in a voice that blends clarity with a sense of weightlessness.

Its emotionally rich melody, perfect for chilly seasons, gently seeps into the heart.

The song portrays a delicate love swaying between ideal and reality.

It evokes a nostalgic, slightly bittersweet feeling, like looking at a faded photograph.

Because Nanba herself wrote the lyrics for the first time, the sincerity of her feelings may come through all the more directly.

The track is included on the mini-album “Dramatic e.p.,” released in December 2016.

Why not savor it on a long autumn night, lost in your thoughts alone?

hanatabamilet

milet “hanataba” Music Video (Theme song for TBS Sunday Drama “Antihero”)

This is a poignant, ballad-style song that captures the feeling of carefully nurturing a small glimmer of hope.

It delicately portrays deep emotions and inner conflict toward a loved one, as well as the warm light felt within that relationship.

milet’s expressive artistry and translucent vocals gently resonate with listeners.

Chosen as the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama “Anti-Hero,” this track showcases the unique expressive power that only milet—who has produced numerous acclaimed works including the album “eyes”—can deliver.

Its melody beautifully conveys subtle emotional shifts, making it a perfect fit for singers with a powerful voice.

Perform it at karaoke, and you’re sure to turn heads!

YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)Kato Miria

Miliyah Kato “YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)”

Speaking of collaborations between powerhouse female singers, we can’t forget this song by Miliyah Kato and Izumi Nakasone of HY.

Based on real unrequited-love stories sent in by radio listeners, the two artists co-created this gem of a ballad.

Released in September 2014 as their 30th single, it was also included on the milestone 10th-anniversary album “MUSE.” The frustration of not being able to put your feelings into words, and the emotional wavering as you move toward confessing your love, come through poignantly in the harmony between Kato’s delicate vocals and Nakasone’s warm voice.

Chosen as the theme song for a radio drama, this track just might gently give you the push you need if you’re struggling with a one-sided love.

love and joyKatō Miriya × Shiina Ringo

Miliyah Kato × Ringo Sheena “Airaku (Love and Pleasure)”

A track that sparked major buzz by bringing together two charismatic leaders of the J-POP scene, Miliyah Kato and Ringo Sheena.

Released in October 2024 to commemorate Miliyah Kato’s 20th anniversary, the song was created with the participation of the artist she deeply admires, Ringo Sheena.

Over a sharp, edgy sound where hip-hop and R&B fuse, Kato weaves a universal theme—what is true love?—that strikes straight to the heart.

Also included on the analog EP “Epiphany EP,” this work is sure to resonate with anyone who wishes to stay true to their own vision of love and way of life.

crescent moonayaka

Ayaka – Crescent Moon

It’s a love ballad about a long-distance relationship.

I don’t know when we’ll be able to meet again, but I look up at the slender crescent moon in the night sky, which seems as if it might fade away, and think of the one I love.

Perhaps Ayaka herself, having moved to Tokyo, was also recalling someone dear to her who was far away.

Listening with those thoughts in mind makes it sink deep into the heart.

Stomp your bootsSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Stamping Boots”

Have you ever felt a sudden yearning for someone in the clear winter air? This ballad by SHISHAMO is a song that gently stays by your side through those helpless winter feelings of love.

You want to see the one you like but can’t be honest about it—those frustrating emotions are rendered dramatically by the beautiful tones of the strings.

Released in December 2021 as the title track of a winter-themed concept project and later included on the album SHISHAMO 7, the piece reflects the deepening of their artistic expression.

If you listen on a night when your chilled hands make you hesitate to reach out, Asako Miyazaki’s emotionally rich vocals will surely give courage to your frozen heart.

It might just give you that gentle push you need to take one more step.

Don’t Stop LoveKōda Kumi

Kumi Koda / “Don’t Stop Love” (from the new album “WINTER of LOVE”)

Released in 2011 as Koda Kumi’s 51st single.

Chosen as the music.jp TV commercial song and the theme song for the Shochiku-distributed film “Second Virgin,” it is a ballad that powerfully conveys the preciousness of loving and the joy of being loved.

This song was performed at the 62nd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.