.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (September 2014) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Japanese article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 3,736 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Japanese Wikipedia article at [[:ja:由紀さおり]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template ((Translated|ja|由紀さおり)) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.
This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.Find sources: "Saori Yuki" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Saori Yuki
Yuki in 2019
Yuki in 2019
Background information
Birth nameAkiko Yasuda
Born (1948-11-13) November 13, 1948 (age 75)
Kiryū, Gunma, Japan
GenresPop, jazz, chanson
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • actress
  • talent manager
Years active1965–present

Saori Yuki (由紀さおり, Yuki Saori, born November 13, 1948) is a Japanese singer and actress. She was born as Akiko Yasuda (Yasuda Akiko (安田 章子) in Kiryū, Gunma, Japan and raised in Yokohama. She started her singing career with her older sister Sachiko (b. 1941)[1] as a child singer. In 1965 she debuted with the single "Hitchhike Musume (Hitchhiking girl)" on King Records (Japan) as Akiko Yasuda.

History

In 1969, Saori Yuki had a hit with "Yoake no Scat (Scat at dawn)", which sold 2 million units in two months, stayed at the top spot for 10 weeks and in the top ten for four months.[2][3] The song's success led her to appear at the NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the annual year-end music show (after that, she continued to appear consecutively up until 1978). In 1970, the single "Tegami (The Letter)" peaked at No. 1[4][5] and was the second best-selling single in Japan of 1970.[6] For "Tegami", she won the vocal award at the 12th Japan Record Awards.[7] She received the Best Vocalist Award at the 15th Japan Record Awards for her hit "Koibumi (Love Letter)".

She quickly became a popular TV personality, appeared on a number of variety shows, and acted in several movies. She received the Award of Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Japan Academy Prize in 1983 for her role of Chikako Numata, a mother of two difficult sons in The Family Game.[8]

In 1985, she started appearing on stage with her sister, Sachiko. They toured around Japan with their specialty of Japanese children's songs[9] and received the Best Planning Award in 28th Japan Record Awards for their hit album Ano-toki, Kono-uta (あの時・この歌 ("Those Times, These Songs"). Their repertoire was not limited to children's songs, but also included pop, classical, and anime songs.

In 2009, she released her first original album since 1984, commemorating the 40th anniversary of her singing career as Saori Yuki. A collaboration album with Pink Martini titled 1969 was released in November 2011[10] in more than 20 countries, and quickly gained popularity[11] in various places including the United States, Canada, Singapore and Greece. She also appeared as guest soloist on Pink Martini's festive album, Joy to the World, singing the Japanese language version of "White Christmas".

In 2012, Saori Yuki won the US Billboard Publisher's Award.[12]

Filmography

Discography

As Akiko Yasuda:

As Saori Yuki:

Duet with Pink Martini :

Honours

References

  1. ^ "安田祥子". Tower Records Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Joseph Murrells (1977). The Book of Golden Discs. Barrie & Jenkins. p. 270. ISBN 9780214204807. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  3. ^ "由紀さおり「夜明けのスキャット」40年の時を経て復刻". June 19, 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  4. ^ Billboard Magazine, 1999. Nielsen Business Media Inc. February 13, 1999. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  5. ^ Billboard Magazine, 1999. Nielsen Business Media Inc. 1999. p. 71. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  6. ^ Billboard Magazine, 1970. Nielsen Business Media Inc. December 19, 1970. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  7. ^ Billboard Magazine, 1971. Nielsen Business Media. January 23, 1971. p. 59. Retrieved January 1, 2016. Saori Yuki Billboard.
  8. ^ Alastair Phillips, Julian Stringer (2007). Japanese Cinema. p. 240. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  9. ^ Robert Deam Tobin (2007). A Song For Europe. Routledge. ISBN 9781351577984. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  10. ^ "Pink Martini & Saori Yuki – 1969 [7237721600556] – $15.00 : Pinki Martini Store". Pinkmartini.com. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  11. ^ J-CASTニュース 2011/11/ 7 「夜明けのスキャット」の由紀さおりアルバム 米、カナダで次々1位と世界的ヒットの快挙
  12. ^ Billboard Magazine, 2012. Nielsen Business Media Inc. January 7, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2019.