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 vocals / high singing ability (1–10)
LIES GOES ONMay’n
Not only as a singer, but also as a voice actor and musical theater actress, May’n has been remarkably active.
The song featured here, “LIES GOES ON,” was released in August 2023 as her 21st single.
Even in this up-tempo track, you can fully enjoy her powerful and beautifully resonant high-tone voice.
Simply analyzing how she switches between various high registers throughout different sections of the song offers plenty to learn, making it a track I especially recommend that aspiring female singers give a listen to at least once.
hyururira-pappatuki.
Singer-songwriter tuki., who enjoys overwhelming support from young listeners.
She shot to nationwide fame with the smash hit Ban Sanka and has continued churning out big tunes ever since.
Her greatest appeal, above all, is pitch control.
As you can hear on Hyururira Pappa, she locks in pitch perfectly even on vocal lines that alternate between falsetto and chest voice.
While her techniques like runs, falls, hiccups, and shouts may not be top-tier, when it comes strictly to pitch control, she undoubtedly ranks among the very best.
The decisive battle is on Friday.Yoshida Miwa (DREAMS COME TRUE)
In recent years, there have been many Japanese singers whose performances can hold their own against top Black vocalists from the home of the genre, but I think one reason Miwa Yoshida’s vocals are so widely loved is that, while she has that kind of power, she never loses the uniquely Japanese delicacy and the pop sensibility that resonates with Japanese listeners.
While preserving that “Japaneseness,” this song takes on some pretty challenging rhythms—especially the 16-beat feel typical of R&B—and she delivers the difficult-to-fit Japanese lyrics flawlessly, creating a real groove.
Please listen with a focus on that sense of rhythm and groove.
Great singers. Japanese female vocalists with high singing ability (11–20)
A flower blooming amid the rubbleNanjō Yoshino
Yoshino Nanjo is active across a wide range of fields: voice actor, actress, singer, and vocalist in a music unit.
The song we’re introducing here, “A Flower Blooming in the Rubble,” was produced as the ending theme for the PC game Grisaia: Chronos Rebellion, and as expected from a professional who works with “the voice,” she delivers an irresistibly appealing and consistently steady vocal performance throughout the entire track.
That stable tone and precise pitch are truly noteworthy.
Like a star…MISIA
The greatest appeal of MISIA’s singing is, above all, her deeply resonant voice and the expressiveness inspired by Black music.
In this work as well, she masterfully switches between a powerful, belted high tone in her chest voice and a soft falsetto that seems to relax for a moment, delivering exquisitely nuanced vocals.
To sing like this, you first need a solid foundation in basic vocal technique—there’s no way around it.
If you have any questions about vocal production, feel free to send me a message!
beautiful womanchanmina
Chanmina is a female rapper who enjoys overwhelming support from women across many generations.
She says she’s influenced by K-pop and hip-hop, and although she’s a rapper, she also has advanced vocal technique.
Above all, her standout charm is her mix voice.
She excels at a shout-infused mix voice, which is rare among Japanese female artists.
In Japan, female artists who can use this kind of mix voice are extremely uncommon.
Her techniques like fake (embellished runs) and fall are solid as well, so be sure to check her out.
The Kouga Ninja Scrollskuroneko (onmyo-za)
The 10th single by the Japanese HM/HR band Onmyo-za, released in April 2005.
It was used as the opening theme for the UHF TV anime Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls.
Kuroneko, the vocalist of Onmyo-za, is widely recognized for her exceptional singing ability, and in this song she showcases remarkable expressive power—particularly in the high register—by skillfully switching between a gentle, soft falsetto and a powerful, chest-voice high tone.
I also find her use of vibrato in the sustained long note at the end of the chorus to be especially excellent.