A Japanese female singer with excellent singing ability; an outstanding vocalist.
Even when we say someone is “a good singer,” that can mean many different things.
They might have astonishingly steady pitch, a superhuman vocal range, exquisite sense of rhythm, or a truly overwhelming voice.
This time, I’ve picked out female singers who are widely regarded as “great” from various angles like these, as well as female singers who, from my years of experience as a vocal producer and voice coach, make me think, “She’s outstanding!”
Of course, a singer’s appeal doesn’t necessarily lie only in technical skill.
But every now and then, isn’t it nice to listen with a focus on “skill”?
I hope this will be helpful for those who aspire to become singers as well.
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Female Japanese singers with great singing ability (71–80)
Life’s journeyMisora Hibari
Hibari Misora’s “Jinsei Ichiro” is a masterpiece whose powerful, deeply emotional vocals and message of boldly overcoming life’s rough seas resonate in the heart.
Her rich expressiveness and overwhelming vocal prowess in the song move listeners profoundly.
The precise intonation and emotion-filled voice continue to encourage many people even today.
Each listen reveals new charms; one of the song’s greatest strengths is that it conveys not only her superb singing technique but also the spirit of the performer herself.
Discerning music fans will surely find themselves returning again and again to Misora’s sincere performance.
GodAina ji Endo
Aina The End is a Japanese singer, dancer, female idol, and singer-songwriter, who is also active as a member of the six-person girl group BiSH.
Writing this piece, I listened to Aina The End’s vocals for the first time (my apologies for my ignorance), and I found her slightly husky, somewhat muffled tone incredibly captivating.
I also felt that the way she conveys each song accurately without ever forcing her voice is worthy of praise.
Many of the students who come to my lessons admire this kind of vocal style, but when you actually try it, it’s a very difficult style to pull off.
Goodbye for today.Moriyama Ryoko
Ryoko Moriyama is a singer born into a musical family, with a father who was a jazz trumpeter and a mother who was a jazz singer.
Her single “Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara,” released in 1966, is well known as a song often sung around campfires, such as in the Boy Scouts.
Great singers. Japanese female vocalists with high singing ability (81–90)
Sayonara, baby.Kato Miria
It’s Miliyah Kato’s 13th single overall, released in September 2008.
It’s also known as her first single in her twenties, as she says she began writing lyrics at the age of ten.
While she started singing inspired by artists like Namie Amuro, Lauryn Hill, and Hikaru Utada, her solid vocal delivery here comes across as more straightforward, with less of an overt black music influence than Lauryn Hill or Utada, making it very accessible as a female-vocal J-pop track.
That said, the brief high-tone switches that appear from time to time in the song—between falsetto and middle voice—and the way she uses them are spot-on, contributing a “Western pop” flavor to the track.
RUNWAYSutefanī
A song by Stephanie, a Japanese female singer of mixed heritage with an Armenian-American father and a Japanese mother, released in September 2018.
While many skilled female vocalists tend to showcase their high notes, her appeal—clearly evident in this track—is that she fully captivates even without relying on high tones.
Her voice has a compelling, profound quality that draws listeners in, and her vocal expression, which makes the most of that voice, is truly captivating!
Gift ~You Are the Madonna~Toki Asako
The second single by female jazz singer Asako Toki, released in January 2011.
As the daughter of jazz saxophonist Hidefumi Toki, she likely grew up immersed in her father’s music, and it shows in her highly refined, truly professional-level vocal delivery.
Beyond her own releases, she has reportedly performed numerous commercial jingles as well—she’s every bit a pro singer.
What’s wonderful is that, even while fully displaying that professional polish, her singing never turns into a pushy showcase of her skills.
Precisely because of that approach, even slightly cute lyrics like those in this song come across to listeners with a sense of realism.
Blown by the yellow sandKudō Shizuka
Shizuka Kudo is a former member of Onyanko Club and made her solo debut in 1987.
“Kōsa ni Fukarete” was a single released in 1989 with lyrics written by Miyuki Nakajima.
It was used as a commercial song for Taiyo Yuden’s cassette tapes.