Sayuri Ishikawa
Sayuri Ishikawa (石川さゆり, Ishikawa Sayuri, born January 30, 1958) is a Japanese enka singer who made her professional debut in 1973. With a career nearing five decades, she is one of the most-recognized and successful enka singers in history.
Sayuri Ishikawa 石川さゆり | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kinuyo Ishikawa (石川絹代) |
| Born | January 30, 1958 |
| Origin | Kumamoto, Japan |
| Genres | Enka |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Nippon Columbia (1973–1993) Pony Canyon (1993–1999) Teichiku Records (2000 – present) |
| Spouse(s) |
Kenji Baba (m. 1981–1989) |
| Website | Official site |
Ishikawa is a popular contestant on the annual NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen broadcast. Up till 2017, she has been invited to perform 40 times since 1977, the year she released her biggest hit, "Tsugaru Kaikyo-Fuyugeshiki". To date, she holds the record for the most appearances in the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen for a female artist. She has released over 100 albums (including compilation albums) and more than 120 singles, of which a few were not enka, but rock and jazz music instead. Another of her biggest hits, "Amagi-goe", which was released in 1986, won her many awards, and many believe that it was this song that made her an icon as an A-list enka singer.
Ishikawa appears in the Wim Wenders film "Perfect Days", which won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.