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 nameAkemi Shinoyama (篠山 明美)
Also known asCynthia
Born (1954-07-02) July 2, 1954
Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active
    • 1971–1978
    • 1991–1997
LabelsCBS 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
#TitleRelease Date/Chart Position
117-sai (Jūnana-sai) (17才, Seventeen Years Old)
Debut single and biggest hit		1971-06-01 (#2)
2Shiokaze no MELODY (潮風のメロディ, Melody of the Seabreeze)1971-10-01 (#7)
3Tomodachi (ともだち, Friends)1972-02-01 (#7)
4Junketsu (純潔, Chastity)1972-06-01 (#3)
5Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ, A Page Full of Sorrow)
1972-09-21 (#3)
6Soushun No Minato (早春の港, Harbour in the Early Spring)1973-01-23 (#11)
7Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代, Wounded Generation)1973-05-01 (#3)
8Irozuku Machi (色づく街, A Painted City)
1973-08-21 (#4)
9Hito Kakera No Junjou (ひとかけらの純情, A Little Naive)1973-12-05 (#8)
10Bara No Kageri (バラのかげり, Total Eclipse of the Rose)1974-03-21 (#15)
11Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情, Summer Feelings)1974-06-21 (#16)
12Yogiri No Machi (夜霧の街, The City of the Mist)1974-09-21 (#17)
13Hito Koishi Kute (人恋しくて, A Wonderful Person)1975-08-01 (#8)
14Hitonemuri (ひとねむり, Sleeping People)1975-11-21 (#27)
15Kiga Mukeba Denwa Shite (気がむけば電話して, Call Me When You Get That Feeling)
1976-03-01 (#29)
16Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精, The Sad Fairy)1976-09-1 (#20)
17Machikado No LOVE SONG (街角のラブソング, A Street Love Song)1977-07-21 (#36)
18Haru No Yokan ~I'VE BEEN MELLOW~ (気がむけば電話して, Premonition of the Spring)
1978-01-21 (#25)
19GOODBYE GIRL (グッバイガール)1978-10-21 (#-)

Studio albums
#TitleRelease Date/Chart Position
117sai (17才)
Debut album		1971-10-01 (#8)
2Junketsu/Tomodachi (純潔／ともだち)1972-06-21 (#2)
3Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ)1972-09-21 (#4)
4Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代)1973-05-21 (#9)
5Hatachi Mae (20才まえ)1973-09-21 (#5)
6Hito Kakera no Junjou (ひとかけらの純情)'1974-02-21 (#6)
7Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情)
1974-07-21 (#7)
8Nin Koishi Kute (人恋しくて)1975-12-05 (#19)
9Sugao No Mama De (素顔のままで)
1976-04-21 (#20)
10Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精)1976-09-21 (#19)
11HELLO! CYNTHIA (-)1977-08-21 (#29)
12SIMPLICITY (-)1978-10-01 (#37)

EPs
#TitleRelease Date
1CYNTHIA no Christmas (シンシアのクリスマス)
1975-11-21

Live albums
#TitleRelease Date/Chart Position
1CYNTHIA IN CONCERT (-)
First live album		1974-09-01 (#5)
2SAORI ON STAGE (潮風のメロディ)1977-12-05 (#74)
3Sayonara CYNTHIA (さよならシンシア)
Goodbye concert		1978-12-05 (#-)

Compilations
#TitleRelease Date/Chart Position
1Minami Saori Pops Wo Utau (南沙織 ポップスを歌う)
First best of album		1975-02-21 (#40)
2Minami Saori No Subete (南沙織のすべて)1983-11-05 (#-)
3Minami Saori BEST SELECTION (ベスト・コレクション 南沙織)1986-05-21 (#-)
4Minami Saori BEST RECALL ~28 SINGLES SAORI +1~ (-)1992-02-21 (#-)
5Cynthia BEST ~ ETERNITY (-)
1996-06-21 (#-)
6DREAM PRICE 1000 Minami Saori Iro Zuku Machi (DREAM PRICE 1000 南沙織 色づく街)'2001-10-11 (#-)
7GOLDEN BEST Minami Saori Tsutsumi Kyouhei wo Utau (GOLDEN☆BEST 南沙織 筒美京平を歌う)
2002-06-19 (#-)
8Minami Saori THE BEST ~Cynthia-ly (南沙織 THE BEST 〜 Cynthia-ly)2003-11-19 (#-)
9Minami Saori BEST OF BEST (南沙織 BEST OF BEST)2006-09-21 (#-)
gollark: I actually own a bedrock sphere. It's very important. The PotatOS DSK is stored there.
gollark: There are lots of bedrock spheres. It's normal. They're fine. Do not question the bedrock spheres. The bedrock spheres are not abnormal in any way.
gollark: No. That would give you a different wallet.
gollark: Maybe I should bridge it arbitrarily to my IRC network.
gollark: You can, but you die horribly and cannot move.

References
  1. 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。
  2. Kase, Kimio (2005). Transformational CEOs: Leadership and Management Success in Japan. Edward Elgar. p. 163. ISBN 1 84542 046 2.
  3. 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。
  4. ^ 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。
  5. Craig, Timothy J. (2000). Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. M.E. Sharpe. p. 317. ISBN 0-7656-0561-9.
  6. Aoyagi, Hiroshi. Island Of Eight Million Smiles. p. 6 & 130.
  7. "Hara, 82, to hang up saxophone". The Japan Times. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  8. "Rumiko Koyanagi profile at Kouenirai" (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  9. "Official NHK site detailing the Kohaku Uta Gassen" (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  10. Billboard Magazine, December 1971. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  11. Billboard Magazine, April 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  12. Billboard Magazine, July 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  13. Billboard Magazine, November 1972. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  14. Billboard Magazine, July 1973. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  15. ^ 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。
  16. Billboard Magazine, February 1974. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
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