Satoko Ishimine

Satoko Ishimine (石嶺 聡子, Ishimine Satoko, born October 3, 1975) is a Japanese female singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in 1992 when she won the grand prix of the 16th annual Nagasaki Singing Festival at the age of 16, which resulted in her receiving a recording contract with Toshiba EMI.

Satoko Ishimine
石嶺 聡子
Satoko Ishimine at Hatsuishi Sunshine Summer Fun Festa, August 2012
Background information
Born (1975-10-03) October 3, 1975
Naha, Okinawa, Japan
GenresPop, folk, soul
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1994–present
Labels
Websitesatokoishimine.com

After she graduated from high school, Ishimine traveled to Los Angeles, California, to receive voice training and dancing lessons. In November 1994, she released her first single Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei (Saturday, Pen and Wristwatch).

In March 1995, Ishimine won first prize at the 5th NHK's Newcomer Singing Contest. In May, she released a cover version of the renowned song Hana, originally recorded by Shoukichi Kina, for the film Himeyuri no Tō (The Tower of Himeyuri). This, her third single, sold over 500,000 copies. She was selected to participate in the 46th annual NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen with the song at the end of the year.

Life and career

Early life

Satoko Ishimine was born the third girl of three sisters in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Her family loved listening to such legendary foreign musicians as The Carpenters and The Beatles. She started dreaming of becoming a professional singer when she was ten-year-old.[1]

Success and struggle

Through the initiating years of her career, Ishimine established her popularity for the public as an Okinawan singer, especially due to the hit of her third single Hana. Nevertheless, she did not want to be regarded as such a matured vocalist with modest and magnificent songs as people liked her to perform those days.[2] After five years since the debut, she started writing lyrics as she strongly desired to express herself with her own words. Around 2000, she began to play acoustic guitars to build her own style of an independent musical performer within herself.

Independence for change

In January 2001, Ishimine released her last original album for Toshiba EMI Closet, in which she was committed to writing the lyrics of more than a half of the entire songs. In 2003, she ended the contract with EMI and transferred her label to PRHYTHM. The first album for the new label Bloomy Balloon was one of the most motivated records in her career that she produced all the lyrics and most of the melodies for all the tracks. She cooperated in the whole creation of the album with the male guitarist and composer Hikaru Ishizaki, who resulted in getting married with Ishimine in March 2006.

Exploring another vista

After the ten years since she encountered her first spouse and the seven years of their marriage, Ishimine announced that she divorced Ishizaki in May 2013. Eventually for the first time in ten years, she released three songs on iTunes in the end of June.[3] With the help of a musical director Ayami Matsuo,[4] Ishimine produced the first cover album in her career that contains no original songs, which was released for the label Tokuma Japan in September 2014.

Discography

Singles
Year Single Album Label
1994 Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei INNOCENT, Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best Toshiba EMI
1995 Watashi Ga Iru INNOCENT, Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
Hana INNOCENT, Best Collection, Ballad Song Stories, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
1996 Namida Wa Iranai passion, Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
Kumori Nochi Hare passion, Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
Liberty Girl GENERATION, Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
1997 Hajimete Wo Sagasanakucha Best Collection, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
You don't know Imagination, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
1998 Omoikiri Naitemo Iiyo Ballad Song Stories, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
Bye-bye Ballad Song Stories, NEW BEST 1500, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
2000 Mafuyunohanabi Closet, Ballad Song Stories, CD&DVD THE BEST, Golden Best
2001 Tenki-ame Ballad Song Stories, CD&DVD THE BEST
2003 Utatane Bloomy Balloon PRHYTHM
2013 Konosekaio Download on iTunes
ten-year-old
Okurimono

Original albums
Year Album Track Label
1995 INNOCENT Kaze Wo Kanjitai / Watashi Ga Iru / LOVE & DREAM / Sayonara wa Asu no Hajimari / Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei / Yume no Tsuzuki wa Love Song / Mouhitori no Watashi / Namida Nanka Nagasanai / Arigatou / Kesshin / Say you love me / Hana (Album Version) Toshiba EMI
situation Koibito / Choukyori Denwa no Asa / Aozora / Egao Todokimasuka / Zeitaku na Calendar / Aozora no X'mas Time
1996 passion FLY TO YOU / Kumori Nochi Hare / Fight / Anohi Wo Odoritai / Natsu no Taiyou / MY LOVE / Namida Wa Iranai / 20th Door / Hoshiiyo / Meguriai / Asian Dream
GENERATION Liberty Girl / Shine / Koufuku Domino / Those were the days / Goodbye / Summernight Magic / Koi Ja Nasakenai / Tomodachi? / Sotto...Jitto...Kitto...Zutto / Aki no Yukue
1997 Imagination Watashi Rashiku / Ayamachi / Kamisama ni Kanshashite / Imashikanai "Arigatou" / My Home Island / CONFESSION CONFUSION / Little Romance / Maboroshi Nankajanai / You don't know / IMAGINATION
2001 Closet Aoi Shizuku / Rosemary & Time / Mafuyunohanabi / Suisou / Mado no Tsuki / voice / Kakera / Garakuta / Aitakute Aenakute Yumewomite (Album Version) / story
2003 Bloomy Balloon Hikousen / Yasashii Hitoe / Meiro / Utatane / Veranda / Tokyo Nikki / Taion / Hane / Todokanai Ao / Fu-sen no Sora PRHYTHM

Cover albums
Year Album Track Label
2014 LAMP ~nostalgia for tomorrow~ Les Champs-Élysées / There Is Nothing More To Say / Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head / Hard Times Come Again No More / Take Me Home, Country Roads / Don't Worry, Be Happy / The End of the World / TOMORROW / HANA (Bonus Track) Tokuma Japan Communications

Compilation albums
Year Album Track Label
1997 Best Collection Watashi Ga Iru / Aozora / Kaze Wo Kanjitai / Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei / Namida Wa Iranai / Meguriai / Hana (Single Version) / Kumori Nochi Hare / Shine / Matenrow no Hero / Hajimete Wo Sagasanakucha (New Version) / THE LONGEST TIME Toshiba EMI
2002 Ballad Song Stories Hana / Asian Dream / My Home Island / Omoikiri Naitemo Iiyo / Kamisama ni Kanshashite / Imashikanai "Arigatou" / Bye-bye / Suisou / Mado no Tsuki / Kokoro no Oto / Tenki-ame / Mafuyunohanabi / Anatanosobani / 100 Nen no Omoi
2005 NEW BEST 1500 Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei / Watashi Ga Iru (New Version) / Hana (Single Version) / Namida Wa Iranai / Kumori Nochi Hare / Liberty Girl / Hajimete Wo Sagasanakucha (New Version) / You don't know / Omoikiri Naitemo Iiyo (New Version) / Bye-bye
CD&DVD THE BEST Hana (Single Version) / Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei / Watashi Ga Iru (New Version) / Namida Wa Iranai / Kumori Nochi Hare / Kaze Wo Kanjitai / Meguriai / Hajimete Wo Sagasanakucha / THE LONGEST TIME / Aozora / Liberty Girl / You don't Know / Omoikiri Naitemo Iiyo / Bye-bye / Mafuyunohanabi / Tenki-ame
2011 Golden Best Hana (Single Version) / Doyōbi to Pen to Udedokei / Kaze Wo Kanjitai / Watashi Ga Iru (New Version) / Namida Wa Iranai / Kumori Nochi Hare / Liberty Girl / Shine / Hajimete Wo Sagasanakucha / Matenrow no Hero / You don't Know / Omoikiri Naitemo Iiyo (New Version) / Bye-bye / Mafuyunohanabi / Aitakute Aenakute Yumewomite / Hidamari EMI Music Japan
gollark: Apiohippohazards, which ride horses.
gollark: Apiotimaohazards, which act according to rules of honour.
gollark: Apiodorohazards, which give gifts.
gollark: And apiophilohazards, which are friendly.
gollark: Oh, maybe apiomachohazards, which fight you.

References
  1. 「その頃のわたしは、歌手になりたいということを恥ずかしくて言えずにいたのですが」. Official blog. May 2, 2007.
  2. 「石嶺聡子、開花…葛藤乗り越え自分色咲いた」. ZAKZAK. January 23, 2004.
  3. 「10年ぶりとなる新譜3曲がiTunes Storeにて配信スタートしました。」. Official blog. June 29, 2013.
  4. 「ディレクターの松尾さんも誘って。」. Official blog. February 3, 2015.
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