Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Mieko Hirota
Person · female · Japan · Setagaya · born 1947 · died 2020 · recording since 1961
Japanese singer (1947-2020)
Listen on SpotifyYouTube Music
Also known as Mieko Hirota · ひろた みえこ · 弘田 三枝子 · 弘田三枝子 · 高木 三枝子 · 高木三枝子
Timeline
9 events▣ Album 6◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1940s
1960s
· Debut release
Debut release: 子供ぢゃないの
First documented Single in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1970s
2000s
2020s
Biography
English biography217 words · 1 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1369005108
Biography
Mieko Hirota (弘田 三枝子, Hirota Mieko; née Takenaga, 竹永; February 5, 1947 – July 21, 2020) was a Japanese singer. Her nickname was Mico (ミコ; also spelled Miko).
Hirota was born in Ikejiri, Setagaya, Tokyo. She grew up listening to pop and jazz in places like Tachikawa, which was frequented by occupation troops. She made her debut in 1961 at age 14. In 1965, she became the first Japanese singer to sing the song "Sunny" on an album and the first to appear at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Hirota appeared on the NHK New Year's Eve Kōhaku Uta Gassen eight times. Her first performance was in 1962, when she sang the Connie Francis tune "Vacation". NHK tapped her for the next four years in succession, and again in 1969, 1970, and 1971. She sang the theme song, "Leo no Uta", for the animated television series Kimba the White Lion.
Hirota's commercial career included endorsements for Nescafé, Nippon Oil, Daikin Industries, Fujiya, Renown, and Sapporo Beer.
Hirota collapsed at her home in Chiba Prefecture on July 20, 2020, and was taken to a nearby hospital. She died from heart failure on July 21, 2020, at the age of 73. She posthumously became one of eight recipients of the Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Japan Record Awards.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 59 | 97.3th |
| Genres | 6 | 91th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (20 release groups · 6 studio albums)
Albums · 6
1963 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 35:08
1悲しきハート2:402想い出の冬休み2:363渚のデイト2:534カモンダンス1:485リトル・ミス・ロンリー2:596すてきな16才2:377子供じゃないの2:358悲しき片想い2:429バケーション2:2510月影のレナート2:0811明日をみつめて1:4712寝不足なの2:2513星影で愛して2:2414MACK THE KNIFE3:091974 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1The Nearness Of YouA2RubyA3ManhattanA4But Not For MeA5Fools Rush InB1The Second Time AroundB2LauraB3My Melancholy Baby On A Slow Boat To ChinaB4BewitchedB5Call Me Irresponsible1975 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks
A1Then Came YouA2When Will I See You AgainA3I Shot The SheriffA4Having My BabyA5You Are EverythingA6The Way We AreB1Feel Like Making LoveB2ImaginationB3I Won't Last A Day Without YouB4You Haven't Done Nothin'B5You Make Me Feel Brand New1976 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 33:59
A1My Funny Valentine4:03A2Easy Evil4:18A3What's Going On3:51A4Sweet Love4:21B1There Will Never Be Another You3:43B2You're As Right As Rain3:40B3Day Dreaming6:03B4My Love4:001977 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1Love For SaleA2They Say It's WonderfulA3If You Touch Me BabyA4Loving You Was Like A PartyA5I'm Blind To All But YouB1Tell MeB2Day By DayB3Soul LadyB4Love Won't Let Me WaitB5In My FeelingMcIntosh Reference Vocal Sound Jazzing - Mico
2008 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 57:39
1What A Difference a Day Makes3:412Moonlight in Vermont4:183Caravan3:394Meditation4:265It's All Right With Me4:256Dream3:367Moonlight Serenade (Studio Live Session)6:208Summertime4:039It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)2:5710The Very Thought of You4:1111Angel Eyes4:2412Solitude4:5413Agus de Beber3:2614My Cherie Amour3:19
Single · 11
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 子供ぢゃないのSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks1子供ぢゃないの 2悲しき片想い | November 1961 | ||
| 1963 | マック ザ ナイフ (Mack The Knife)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 5:43A想い出の冬休み (I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter)2:36 Bマック ザ ナイフ (Mack The Knife)3:07 | 1963 | ||
| 1964 | はじめての恋人Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 4:41Aはじめての恋人 (What Do You Do)2:29 B砂に消えた涙 (Un Buco Nella Sabbia)2:12 | December 1964 | ||
| 1965 | 恋のクンビア (Cumbia Of Love)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksA恋のクンビア (Cumbia Of Love) B愛の言葉を (Say A Prayer For Love) | 20 August 1965 | ||
| 1967 | 枯葉のうわさSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 5:30A枯葉のうわさ (Broken Heart Will Come Soon)2:40 B悲しみの足音 (Blue Bossa Nova}2:50 | 1 November 1967 | ||
| 1969 | 人形の家Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksA人形の家 Bあなたがいなくても | 1969 | ||
| 1969 | 私が死んだらSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksA私が死んだら B鏡の中の天使 | 1969 | ||
| 1970 | 燃える手Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksA燃える手 B鍵を捨てたの | 1970 | ||
| 1970 | ロダンの肖像Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksAロダンの肖像 (The Portrait of Love) B恋愛専科 (Teach Me How to Kiss) | August 1970 | ||
| 1970 | できごと / ささやきSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksAできごと (A Love Affair) Bささやき (Whispering) | December 1970 | ||
| 1975 | 胸さわぎSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 6:27A胸さわぎ3:25 Bあなたの口紅3:02 | 1975 |
Album · 3
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | ミコーなおみーマリSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 37:54A1ロダンの肖像3:06 A2X + Y = Love3:21 A3経験2:51 A4四つのお願い3:28 A5ダニエル・モナムール2:36 A6恋愛専科2:55 B1私生活2:39 B2燃える手2:59 B3朝がくるまえに3:47 B4かもめの城3:19 B5雨に濡れた慕情3:39 B6人形の家3:14 | Compilation | October 1970 | |
| 2013 | 弘田三枝子・せれくしょん 〜ポピュラー・ヒッツSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 35 tracks · 1:57:05Disc 1 1ワン・ボーイ (ONE BOY)3:15 2ボビーに首ったけ (BOBBY'S GIRL)3:10 3悲しき街角 (RUNAWAY)2:43 4肩にほほをうずめて (PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER)3:09 5悲しき雨音 (RHYTHM OF THE RAIN)2:55 6霧のロンドン・ブリッジ (ON LONDON BRIDGE)2:59 7恋の日記 (THE DIARY)3:11 8内気なジョニー (JOHNNY GET ANGRY)2:41 9悲しき足音 (FOOTSTEPS)3:31 10ジョニー・エンジェル (JOHNNY ANGEL)2:33 11ビー・マイ・ベイビー (BE MY BABY)3:01 12想い出の中に (AMONG MY SOUVENIRS)3:08 13愛のめぐり逢い (THEN CAME YOU)3:24 14天使のささやき (WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN)2:48 15アイ・ショット・ザ・シェリフ (I Shot The Sheriff)4:39 16二人のきずな (YOU RE HAVING MY BABY)2:59 17ユー・アー・エブリシング (YOU ARE EVERYTHING)2:10 18追憶 (英語) (THE WAY WE WERE)3:14 Disc 21愛のためいき (FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE)3:35 2イマジネイション (I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION)3:21 3愛は夢の中に (I WON T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU)3:51 4悪夢 (YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHIN)3:28 5誓い (YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW)5:31 6帰り来ぬ青春 (YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG)3:44 7別れの時まで (UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO)3:01 8マイ・ボーイ (MY BOY)3:43 9マスカレード (THIS MASQUERADE)4:54 10愛のテレフォン (ET CE SOIR TU TELEPHONES)2:24 11追憶 (日本語) (THE WAY WE WERE)3:15 12レット・イット・ビー・ミー (LET IT BE ME)3:26 13落葉のコンチェルト (FOR THE PEACE OF ALL MANKIND)3:58 14哀しみのソレアード (SOLEADO)4:30 15信じさせて (IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE)2:57 16アイ・ビリーブ (I BELIEVE)2:37 17ラブ (LOVE)3:20 | Compilation | 18 December 2013 | |
| 2022 | 弘田三枝子・メモリアルSearch SpotifySearch YouTube Music | Compilation | 9 March 2022 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Mieko Hirota head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 59 | 97.3th |
| Genres | 6 | 91th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mieko-Hirota-1.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/99938a7f-d635-4c5e-8e42-f3f2b8b2539ediscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/99938a7f-d635-4c5e-8e42-f3f2b8b2539ecore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3543602genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3543602seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieko_Hirotabiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieko_Hirota
Why this artist is in the database
- List of Japanese singers
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Unknown photographer · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q3543602 · MusicBrainz: 99938a7f-d635-4c5e-8e42-f3f2b8b2539e
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