Yōko Nagayama (長山 洋子, Nagayama Yōko, born January 13, 1968) is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress.
Early life
Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father. Although she originally went because she enjoyed the attention from her father's classmates, she soon began studying and performing min'yo together with her father. When she was ten, she started playing shamisen. Her father gave her a shamisen that she still uses today.[2]
Nagayama continued singing and performing through her junior high school years. Her plan was to become a professional enka singer after finishing junior high school. However, when she was sixteen, her handlers told her and her parents that she was too young to sing enka. Despite her father's wishes, she then decided to become a J-popidol singer.[2]
Her debut song was Haru wa SA-RA SA-RA (春はSA-RA SA-RA), released in 1984. It was not well received, nor were her releases over the next two years. However, in 1986, Nagayama had her first big hit with a cover version of British girl group Bananarama's dance-pop take on Shocking Blue's Venus. Her next song, "You're My Love," a cover of the Eurodiscohit, was also popular. Five of her songs (Venus, You're My Love, Kanashiki Koibitotachi, Heart ni Hi o Tsukete, and Hangyaku no Hero) were all Oricon top 10 hits.
During this time, Nagayama also performed in various dramas, such as the jidaigekiSanbiki ga Kiru!, Minipato yori Ai o Komete, and Yūwaku.
Enka era
In 1993, she started a second career as an enka singer. She received three prizes for her first enka song Higurashi (蜩). Suterarete (捨てられて) also became famous.[2]
Nagayama continues to play the shamisen in many of her songs. Notable songs with shamisen parts are Jonkara Onnabushi (じょんから女節) and Usoda to Itte (噓だといって), the latter having been posted on YouTube under the title "DEATH BY SHAMISEN".[4]
She regularly presents enka programmes on Japanese TV. Nagayama has had at least one song appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta. In 1993, she made her first appearance on the NHK New Year's Eve spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Since 1995, she has performed at "Kōhaku" for 13 consecutive years, making a total of 14 appearances to date.
On April 6, 2009 she announced on her blog that she has married American entrepreneur Mark Smith.[5] They have one daughter, born in 2010.
Discography
Enka Singles
蜩 (Higurashi) c/w 心だけでも．．．(Kokoro Dake Demo...) January 21, 1993
海に降る雪 (Umi ni Furu Yuki) c/w 道しるべ (Michishirube) February 6, 1993
なみだ酒 (Namidazake) c/w 艶花 (Tsuyabana) September 22, 1993
蒼月 (Tsuki) c/w あんただけ (Anta Dake) September 3, 1994
めおと酒 (Meotozake) c/w 綾の女 (Aya no Onna) May 10, 1994
私が生まれて育ったところ (Watashi ga Umarete Sodatta Tokoro) c/w 硝子坂 (Garasu Saka) January 21, 1995
捨てられて (Suterarete) c/w ふたたびの恋 (Futatabi no Koi) March 24, 1995
倖せにしてね (Shiawase ni Shite ne) c/w いけない女 (Ikenai Onna) February 21, 1996
ヨコハマ・シルエット (Yokohama Silhouette) c/w 嘘だといって (Uso Da to Itte) June 21, 1996
たてがみ (Tategami) c/w ふられ酒 (Furarezake) July 11, 1996
