Misaki IWASA
Japan Expo is featuring a new music style this year: enka! For the first time, come listen to Japanese traditional pop artists, among whom a former AKB48 member: Misaki IWASA. Along with the band Hayabusa, she’ll be sharing enka J-pop ballads with you!
Biography
Misaki IWASA made her debut in 2010 as an idol in the group Watarirouka Hashiritai 7, a subgroup of the famous idol band AKB48, which she soon joined. In 2012, she launched her solo career in parallel as an enka singer with Tokuma Japan Communications (Label), releasing her first single, Mujin Eki. It was the first time an AKB48 member became an enka singer. It ranked 5th in Oricon weekly total single chart in first appearance and made her win the prize of the brightest hope for this single at Japan Yusen Award.
She kept on releasing singles that reached the top ranks of the Oricon: enka titles rarely got so much success, especially for such a young singer. In 2013, she released an album, Request Covers, in which she sang songs chosen by her fans fans. It ranked 9th in the Oricon total weekly album chart in first appearance.
Outside the singing, Misaki IWASA’s hobbies are people-watching, anime, game, music, and to eat! (especially she loves to play with shrimps 24 hours a day, watch them and eat every kind of shrimps! She is authorized by the Japan Shrimp Association as shrimp lover).
Discography
- Feb. 2011: Valentine Kiss by Watarirouka Hashiri Tai (single)
- Aug. 2011: Hetappi Wink by Watarirouka Hashiri Tai (single)
- Nov. 2011: Kibou Sanmyaku (“Mountains named hope”) by Watarirouka Hashiri Tai (single)
- Feb. 1, 2012: Mujin Eki (“A desolate station”) (single)
- May 30, 2012: Boys tell them lies! performed by Watarirouka Hashiri Tai (single)
- Jan. 9, 2013: Mosimo Watashi ga sora ni sundeitara (“Eve if I would live in the sky”) (single)
- Nov. 6, 2013: Request Covers (album)
- Jan. 8, 2014: Tomonoura Bojou (single)
- Apr. 29, 2015: Hatsu Zake (single)
- Jan. 6, 2016: Gomenne Tokyo (“Tokyo I’m sorry”) (single)
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