Saori Minami
Saori Minami (南 沙織, Minami Saori) (Real Name: Akemi Shinoyama (篠山 明美), née, Akemi Uchima (内間 明美); Christian Name: Cynthia) was born in Okinawa on July 2, 1954 to Japanese parents. In the 1970s she was active as an idol.
Saori Minami 南 沙織 | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Akemi Shinoyama (篠山 明美) |
| Also known as | Cynthia |
| Born | July 2, 1954 Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active |
|
| Labels | CBS Sony |
Biography
Saori Minami debuted with the single "17-sai" ("17 Years Old") in the summer of 1971. The song reached the No. 2 position on the Oricon chart list, was the 11th best selling single of 1971 in Japan and catapulted her into stardom.[1][2] The song came about after composer Kyōhei Tsutsumi asked Minami what her favourite song was, Minami replied with "Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson and so Tsutsumi based "17-sai" on that song.[3]
Together with fellow Japanese female entertainers Rumiko Koyanagi and Mari Amachi, Minami laid the foundations of the modern Japanese idol.[4] Minami, Koyanagi and Amachi were dubbed the "San-Nin Musume" (Three young girls).[5][6] Before them, Hibari Misora, Chiemi Eri and Izumi Yukimura were promoted in the same fashion.[7] In 1973, Amachi, Koyanagi and Minami were followed by Momoe Yamaguchi, Junko Sakurada and Masako Mori, who were known as "Hana No Chu 3 Trio" (The Trio of Third-Year Junior High School Students).[5]
Following the success of "17-sai", Minami was nominated for Best Newcomer of the Year at the 13th Japan Record Awards, but lost the title to Rumiko Koyanagi.[8] She was invited to perform "17-sai" on the 22nd edition of Kōhaku Uta Gassen and eventually made 8 appearances on the show.[9]
The two singles that followed "17-sai", "Shiokaze no Melody" (Melody of the Seabreeze) and "Tomodachi" (Friends), both reached the Oricon top 10.[10][11] In the summer of 1972, "Junketsu" (Chastity) reached the #3 position on the Oricon charts and became one of her most successful singles.[12] Its follow up, "Aishuu no Page" (A Page Full of Sorrow), reached the same position and featured an intro spoken in English.[13] In the spring of 1973 "Kizutsuku Sedai" (Wounded Generation) was released, a single with Rock 'N' Roll influences which cracked the top 5.[14] In the summer of that same year "Iro Zuku Machi" (Painted City) became one of her biggest successes and, according to Minami herself, "one of my most representative songs".[15] She continued to release popular singles throughout the 1970s (most notably "Hito Kakera No Junjou" (A Little Naive) and "Hito Koishi Kute" (A Wonderful Person).[16]
Minami retired from show business in 1978.
Personal life
Minami is married to photographer Kishin Shinoyama, and has a son, Akinobu Shinoyama.
Partial discography
Singles
| # | Title | Release Date/Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17-sai (Jūnana-sai) (17才, Seventeen Years Old) Debut single and biggest hit | 1971-06-01 (#2) |
| 2 | Shiokaze no MELODY (潮風のメロディ, Melody of the Seabreeze) | 1971-10-01 (#7) |
| 3 | Tomodachi (ともだち, Friends) | 1972-02-01 (#7) |
| 4 | Junketsu (純潔, Chastity) | 1972-06-01 (#3) |
| 5 | Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ, A Page Full of Sorrow) | 1972-09-21 (#3) |
| 6 | Soushun No Minato (早春の港, Harbour in the Early Spring) | 1973-01-23 (#11) |
| 7 | Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代, Wounded Generation) | 1973-05-01 (#3) |
| 8 | Irozuku Machi (色づく街, A Painted City) | 1973-08-21 (#4) |
| 9 | Hito Kakera No Junjou (ひとかけらの純情, A Little Naive) | 1973-12-05 (#8) |
| 10 | Bara No Kageri (バラのかげり, Total Eclipse of the Rose) | 1974-03-21 (#15) |
| 11 | Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情, Summer Feelings) | 1974-06-21 (#16) |
| 12 | Yogiri No Machi (夜霧の街, The City of the Mist) | 1974-09-21 (#17) |
| 13 | Hito Koishi Kute (人恋しくて, A Wonderful Person) | 1975-08-01 (#8) |
| 14 | Hitonemuri (ひとねむり, Sleeping People) | 1975-11-21 (#27) |
| 15 | Kiga Mukeba Denwa Shite (気がむけば電話して, Call Me When You Get That Feeling) | 1976-03-01 (#29) |
| 16 | Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精, The Sad Fairy) | 1976-09-1 (#20) |
| 17 | Machikado No LOVE SONG (街角のラブソング, A Street Love Song) | 1977-07-21 (#36) |
| 18 | Haru No Yokan ~I'VE BEEN MELLOW~ (気がむけば電話して, Premonition of the Spring) | 1978-01-21 (#25) |
| 19 | GOODBYE GIRL (グッバイガール) | 1978-10-21 (#-) |
Studio albums
| # | Title | Release Date/Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17sai (17才) Debut album | 1971-10-01 (#8) |
| 2 | Junketsu/Tomodachi (純潔／ともだち) | 1972-06-21 (#2) |
| 3 | Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ) | 1972-09-21 (#4) |
| 4 | Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代) | 1973-05-21 (#9) |
| 5 | Hatachi Mae (20才まえ) | 1973-09-21 (#5) |
| 6 | Hito Kakera no Junjou (ひとかけらの純情)' | 1974-02-21 (#6) |
| 7 | Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情) | 1974-07-21 (#7) |
| 8 | Nin Koishi Kute (人恋しくて) | 1975-12-05 (#19) |
| 9 | Sugao No Mama De (素顔のままで) | 1976-04-21 (#20) |
| 10 | Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精) | 1976-09-21 (#19) |
| 11 | HELLO! CYNTHIA (-) | 1977-08-21 (#29) |
| 12 | SIMPLICITY (-) | 1978-10-01 (#37) |
EPs
| # | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CYNTHIA no Christmas (シンシアのクリスマス) | 1975-11-21 |
Live albums
| # | Title | Release Date/Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CYNTHIA IN CONCERT (-) First live album | 1974-09-01 (#5) |
| 2 | SAORI ON STAGE (潮風のメロディ) | 1977-12-05 (#74) |
| 3 | Sayonara CYNTHIA (さよならシンシア) Goodbye concert | 1978-12-05 (#-) |
Compilations
| # | Title | Release Date/Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minami Saori Pops Wo Utau (南沙織 ポップスを歌う) First best of album | 1975-02-21 (#40) |
| 2 | Minami Saori No Subete (南沙織のすべて) | 1983-11-05 (#-) |
| 3 | Minami Saori BEST SELECTION (ベスト・コレクション 南沙織) | 1986-05-21 (#-) |
| 4 | Minami Saori BEST RECALL ~28 SINGLES SAORI +1~ (-) | 1992-02-21 (#-) |
| 5 | Cynthia BEST ~ ETERNITY (-) | 1996-06-21 (#-) |
| 6 | DREAM PRICE 1000 Minami Saori Iro Zuku Machi (DREAM PRICE 1000 南沙織 色づく街)' | 2001-10-11 (#-) |
| 7 | GOLDEN BEST Minami Saori Tsutsumi Kyouhei wo Utau (GOLDEN☆BEST 南沙織 筒美京平を歌う) | 2002-06-19 (#-) |
| 8 | Minami Saori THE BEST ~Cynthia-ly (南沙織 THE BEST 〜 Cynthia-ly) | 2003-11-19 (#-) |
| 9 | Minami Saori BEST OF BEST (南沙織 BEST OF BEST) | 2006-09-21 (#-) |
References
- 長田美穂「スターに愛されたガサコの編集者人生」『新潮45』2008年2月号、新潮社。
- Kase, Kimio (2005). Transformational CEOs: Leadership and Management Success in Japan. Edward Elgar. p. 163. ISBN 1-84542-046-2.
- デビュー30周年記念メモリアル特別企画CD-BOX『 CYNTHIA ANTHOLOGY 』（2000.6.7、ソニーレコード）封入解説書参照。
- ^ ベスト・アルバム 『 GOLDEN J-POP/THE BEST 南沙織 』（1998.11.21、ソニーレコード） ライナーノーツより。
- Craig, Timothy J. (2000). Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. M.E. Sharpe. p. 317. ISBN 0-7656-0561-9.
- Aoyagi, Hiroshi. Island Of Eight Million Smiles. p. 6 & 130.
- "Hara, 82, to hang up saxophone". The Japan Times. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
- "Rumiko Koyanagi profile at Kouenirai" (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- "Official NHK site detailing the Kohaku Uta Gassen" (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- Billboard Magazine, December 1971. 18 December 1971. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- Billboard Magazine, April 1972. 8 April 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- Billboard Magazine, July 1972. 8 July 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- Billboard Magazine, November 1972. 18 November 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- Billboard Magazine, July 1973. 7 July 1973. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ^ 歌手デビュー35周年記念商品CD-BOX『 Cynthia Premium 』（2000.6.14、ソニーレコード）封入のDVDパッケージより。
- Billboard Magazine, February 1974. 9 February 1974. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
External links
- Official website (Sony Music Entertainment Japan)
- Minami Saori's Fan Site
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