Taeko Onuki

An icon of Japan's city pop genre, Taeko Onuki launched her career during the early 1970s as a member of Sugar Babe, then began releasing solo material during the decade's second half. She was born on November 28, 1953, in the Suginami ward of Tokyo, Japan. Teaming up with Tatsuro Yamashita and Kunio Muramatsu, she formed Sugar Babe in 1973 and remained with the group for three years. 1976's Grey Skies marked the beginning of her solo career, while the following year's Sunshower found her exploring a unique mix of pop melodies and jazz textures. Her sound shifted during the 1980s to incorporate more electronic influences, as heard on 1980's Romantique, 1981's Aventure, and 1982's Cliché. Those three records marked her final releases for the RCA label, and Taeko Onuki worked with multiple labels during the decades that followed, steadily releasing a stream of music that showed her skills as a multi-instrumentalist and smooth vocalist. In 1998, she received a Japan Academy Award for "Best Music Award" for her contributions to the soundtrack of the popular film Tokyo biyori. The movie reignited public interest in her music, and Taeko Onuki remained active during her 50s and 60s, releasing records like 2010's UTAU, 2015's Tint, and 2022's Mignonne.