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.
- [Overwhelming Vocal Ability] A Compilation of Popular Female Singers
- Diva of Enka: A roundup of female singers leading the enka world
- [Feels Great to Listen To!] Popular Songs by Female Artists with Captivating High Notes
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- [Powerful] A roundup of Japanese pop singers with incredible vocal power
- 【2026】Difficult Enka Songs to Sing — Women Singers Edition
- Recommended female vocalists for anime songs
- A masterpiece with exhilarating high notes. An enchanting high-tone voice.
- Reiwa era mustn't be missed: an enka singer with excellent vocals.
- [For Teen Girls] Popular Karaoke Songs That Are Easy to Sing
- [Crystal Voice] An artist with a clear, translucent singing voice.
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Songs you’d want women to sing at karaoke! Karaoke picks recommended for Gen Z
Great singers. Japanese female vocalists with high singing ability (ages 41–50)
Runwaymilet
A track from milet’s second single.
In the so-called A-melody at the beginning, her singing feels quite relaxed and doesn’t immediately come across as showcasing high vocal prowess.
But that changes completely when the chorus hits with those high tones! Her chest-voice highs are produced somewhat by pushing, so they don’t exactly blast through, but what’s truly outstanding is how she navigates the difficult high-pitched lines by cleanly using falsetto, almost floating through them.
The contrast with the rather unpolished tone in the verse sections is striking, and the result is a performance truly worthy of praise.
It’s a great example for female vocalists on how to use falsetto effectively.
Female Japanese singers with great vocals (rank 51–60)
Noto PeninsulaIshikawa Sayuri
Sayuri Ishikawa is a Japanese enka singer born in 1958.
Inspired to become a singer after experiencing Chiyoko Shimakura’s music show when she was in first grade, she began taking voice lessons and made her major debut in 1973 with “Kakurenbo.” Although she didn’t have many hits for a while, “Tsugaru Strait—Winter Scene,” released in January 1977, became a smash hit, and she is now regarded as one of Japan’s leading female enka singers.
“Noto Peninsula,” which we’re introducing here, is her 16th single and the one produced right after her breakout hit “Tsugaru Strait—Winter Scene.” From the very start of the track, her voice bursts forth—crystal-clear and solidly centered—sure to surprise listeners.
Even in the high passages, her unstrained, expansive high tones are remarkable and well worth noting.
BAKUYoshioka Kiyoe (Ikimonogakari)
Kiyoe Yoshioka, the lead vocalist of the Japanese rock band Ikimonogakari, is a singer whose vocal ability is highly acclaimed.
In the single “BAKU,” released digitally in January 2021 and introduced here, she demonstrates that skill to the fullest.
When people think of Ikimonogakari, many might imagine cute, high-pitched songs, but what’s noteworthy about this track is her powerful delivery that makes full use of a solid mid-to-low range.
Anyone who has taken even a bit of voice training may have felt this: singing powerfully with a firm mid-to-low register is actually harder than belting high notes.
This song offers a glimpse into Yoshioka’s exceptional prowess as a vocalist.
Bad Bad (Prod. Chaki Zulu)Awich
When it comes to modern queen of female rappers, Awich is undoubtedly the first name that comes to mind.
Growing up in Okinawa, she was immersed in English and international culture from an early age.
Thanks to that background, she has outstanding groove, flow, and pronunciation.
While she’s best known for her rapping, she’s also an excellent vocalist, delivering a string of quality falls in “Bad Bad (Prod.
Chaki Zulu).” Her voice has a rich thickness that’s substantial even by Japanese music standards, so even listeners accustomed to Western music will be satisfied.
innocent starterMizuki Nana
Nana Mizuki, who is also highly popular as a voice actress, debuted in 2000.
“innocent starter” is a single released in 2004 and became her first song to enter the top 10 on the Oricon charts.
It was used as the opening theme for the TV anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.
My RevolutionWatanabe Misato
Misato Watanabe is a Japanese female singer and singer-songwriter.
The song I’m introducing today, “My Revolution,” is her fourth single, released on January 22, 1986.
Incidentally, it was composed by Tetsuya Komuro.
In recent years, many singers’ performances—whether in vocal technique, expression, or songwriting—have become quite complex, but this track is a thoroughly classic pop song.
Watanabe’s singing here, in terms of vocal production and expressive power, clearly conveys a straightforward, traditional sense of “being a good singer.” In that sense, her singing style might feel a bit dated to younger listeners today, but I believe this kind of classic, orthodox style transcends eras.
She’s a female pop singer I especially hope younger generations—those who didn’t experience that time in real time—will listen to.
STARSNakajima Mika
Mika Nakashima passed the SD SINGERS REVIEW and debuted in 2001.
Her first single, “STARS,” was used as the theme song for the TV drama “A Love Song Scarred” (in which Nakashima herself also appeared).