Minako Yoshida is a Japanese singer-songwriter and lyricist whose gospel-inflected voice and dense funk arrangements made her the great soul singer of the city pop era — and who wrote lyrics for roughly half of Tatsuro Yamashita’s catalogue.[1]
Early career
Born in Ōmiya, Saitama, in 1953, Yoshida met Happy End members Haruomi Hosono and Takashi Matsumoto while still in high school and debuted in 1973 with the album Tobira no Fuyu.[1]
Work with Tatsuro Yamashita
She was Yamashita’s lyricist on Circus Town (1976), Spacy (1977) and For You (1982), and is credited with writing about half of his discography; she described having “complete creative freedom” in the role.[1]
Alfa years
Flapper (1976), whose “Yume de Aetara” became a Japanese standard, was followed on Alfa by Monochrome (1980), Monsters in Town (1981) and Light’n Up (1982).[1] Her Suntory commercial song “Thanks to You” won a Silver Lion at Cannes in 1985.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Tobira no Fuyu | Showboat |
| 1975 | Minako | RCA Victor |
| 1976 | Flapper | RCA Victor |
| 1977 | Twilight Zone | RCA Victor |
| 1978 | Ai wa Omou Mama | Alfa |
| 1980 | Monochrome | Alfa |
| 1981 | Monsters in Town | Alfa |
| 1982 | Light’n Up | Alfa |
| 1983 | In Motion | Alfa |
| 1986 | Bells | — |
| 1990 | Dark Crystal | — |
| 1995 | Extreme Beauty | MCA Victor |
| 1995 | Gazer | MCA Victor |
| 1996 | Key | MCA Victor |
| 1997 | Spell | MCA Victor |
| 2002 | Stable | Avex IO |
| 2003 | Revelation | Avex IO |
| 2004 | Reconstruction | Avex IO |
| 2006 | Spangles | Avex IO |
Notable songs
- “Town” ↗1981
References
- “Minako Yoshida”. Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
In the catalogue · 10
夢で逢えたら
1976 · SJLD-3004
Flapper = フラッパー
1976 · RVH-8009
Minako II - Live At Sun Plaza Hall October 3, 1975
1976 · RVH-8006
Flapper
1976 · RVH-8009
恋は流星 = Shooting Star Of Love
1977 · RVS-514
Twilight Zone
1977 · RVL-8005
愛は思うまま (Let's Do It)
1978 · ALR-6011
Monsters In Town
1981 · ALR-28031
In Motion
1983 · ALR-28048
Light'n Up
2018 · MHJL 18
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