Hibari Misora
Hibari Misora (美空 ひばり, Misora Hibari, born Kazue Katō (加藤 和枝, Katō Kazue) May 29, 1937 – June 24, 1989) was a Japanese singer, actress and cultural icon. She received a Medal of Honor for her contributions to music and for improving the welfare of the public, and was the first woman to receive the People's Honour Award, which was conferred posthumously for giving the public hope and encouragement after World War II.
Hibari Misora | |
|---|---|
Hibari Misora in 1954 | |
| Born | 加藤 和枝 (Katō Kazue) May 29, 1937 Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Died | June 24, 1989 (aged 52) Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Other names | Queen of Showa, Queen of the popular song, Queen of Enka |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Actress |
| Honours | Peoples Honor Award on July 2, 1989 after her death |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1945–1989 |
| Website | misorahibari |
Misora recorded a total of 1,200 songs and sold 68 million records. After she died, consumer demand for her recordings grew significantly, and, by 2001, she had sold more than 80 million records. By 2019, record sales surpassed 100 million. Her swan-song "Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni" (川の流れのように) is often performed by numerous artists and orchestras as a tribute to her, including notable renditions by The Three Tenors (Spanish/Italian), Teresa Teng (Taiwanese) and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan (Mexican).
Each year there is a special on Japanese television and radio featuring her songs. A memorial concert for Misora was held at the Tokyo Dome on November 11, 2012. It featured numerous musicians such as Ai, Koda Kumi, Ken Hirai, Kiyoshi Hikawa, Exile, AKB48 and Nobuyasu Okabayashi amongst others, paying tribute by singing her most famous songs.