Yōko Nagayama

Biography

Yōko Nagayama (長山 洋子, Nagayama Yōko; born January 13, 1968) is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress.

Early life

Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father. Although she originally went because she enjoyed the attention from her father's classmates, she soon began studying and performing min'yo together with her father. When she was ten, she started playing shamisen. Her father gave her a shamisen that she still uses today.
She is married to American entrepreneur Mark Smith, president of IT staffing firm Skillhouse Staffing Solutions.

J-pop era

Nagayama continued singing and performing through her junior high school years. Her plan was to become a professional enka singer after finishing junior high school. However, when she was sixteen, her handlers told her and her parents that she was too young to sing enka. Despite her father's wishes, she then decided to become a J-pop idol singer.
Her debut song was Haru wa SA-RA SA-RA (春はSA-RA SA-RA), released in 1984. It was not well received, nor were her releases over the next two years. However, in 1986, Nagayama had her first big hit with a cover version of British girl group Bananarama's dance-pop take on Shocking Blue's Venus. Her next song, "You're My Love," a cover of the Eurodisco hit by Patty Ryan, was also popular. Five of her songs (Venus, You're My Love, Kanashiki Koibitotachi, Heart ni Hi o Tsukete, and Hangyaku no Hero) were all Oricon top 10 hits.
During this time, Nagayama also performed in various dramas, such as the jidaigeki Sanbiki ga Kiru!, Minipato yori Ai o Komete, and Yūwaku.

Enka era

In 1993, she started a second career as an enka singer. She received three prizes for her first enka song Higurashi (蜩). Suterarete (捨てられて) also became famous.
Nagayama continues to play the shamisen in many of her songs. Notable songs with shamisen parts are Jonkara Onnabushi (じょんから女節) and Usoda to Itte (噓だといって), the latter having been posted on YouTube under the title "DEATH BY SHAMISEN".
She regularly presents enka programmes on Japanese TV. Nagayama has had at least one song appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta. In 1993, she made her first appearance on the NHK New Year's Eve spectacular Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Since 1995, she has performed at "Kōhaku" for 13 consecutive years, making a total of 14 appearances to date.
On April 6, 2009 she announced on her blog that she had married American entrepreneur Mark Smith. They have one daughter, born in 2010.
Yōko was featured at the 2025 Music Awards Japan where she sang a few songs including: Tsugaru Kaikyō Fuyugeshiki, originally performed by Ishikawa Sayuri, which she sang as part of a performance detailing the seasons of Japan, and her own song Jonkara Onnabushi, which she sang at the end of the show.

Jpop Singles

Haru wa SA・RA・SA・RA (春はSA・RA・SA・RA) April 1, 1984
Shabon (シャボン) August 1, 1984
Hisoyaka ni Tokimeite... (密やかにときめいて…) February 21, 1985
Shunkan 「Toki」wa Fantasy (瞬間「とき」はファンタジー) April 5, 1985
Golden Wind (ゴールドウィンド) August 5, 1985
Sugao no mama de (素顔のままで) December 5, 1985
Kumo ni Noritai (雲にのりたい) May 1, 1986
Venus (ヴィーナス) October 21, 1986
You Are My Love (ユア・マイ・ラヴ) March 5, 1987
Kanashiki Koibitotachi (悲しき恋人たち) June 3, 1987
Heart ni hi wo Tsukete (ハートに火をつけて) October 9, 1987
Hangyaku no Hero (反逆のヒーロー) January 12, 1988
Lonely Goodnight (ロンリーグッドナイト) May 25, 1988
KOIKO December 16, 1988
Hitomi no naka no Faraway (瞳の中のファーラウェイ) February 21, 1989
Katahaba no Mirai (肩幅の未来) July 5, 1989
If We Hold On Together August 21, 1990

Enka Singles

Higurashi (蜩) January 21, 1993
Umi ni furu yuki (海に降る雪) June 2, 1993
Namida Sake (なみだ酒) September 22, 1993
Sougetsu (蒼月) March 9, 1994
Meoto Sake (めおと酒) October 5, 1994
Watashi ga Uarete Sodatta Tokoro (私が生まれて育ったところ) January 21, 1995
Suterarete (捨てられて) March 24, 1995
Kose ni shite ne (倖せにしてね) February 21, 1996
Yokohama Silhouette (ヨコハマ・シルエット) June 21, 1996
Tategami (たてがみ) November 7, 1996
Tategami [Stage Version] (たてがみ「劇場版」) January 22, 1997
O Edo no Iroonna (お江戸の色女) April 23, 1997
Anoko ro no Namida ha (あの頃のなみだは) April 23, 1997
Moonlight Jealousy (ムーンライトジェラシー) November 6, 1997
Nani wa Yume Jouwa (浪花夢情話) November 6, 1997
Koi no Platform (恋のプラットホーム) January 13, 1998
Tōsan no Uta (父さんの詩) March 21, 1998
Okeya no Hot Sun (桶屋の八つぁん) May 2, 1998
Hanazono Shigure (花園しぐれ) November 13, 1998
Kasa (傘) March 4, 1999
Sadame Yuki (さだめ雪) August 4, 1999
Musuba retai no (むすばれたいの) January 1, 2000
Koi Sakaba (恋酒場) April 1, 2000
Akai Yuki (紅い雪) November 1, 2000
Touno Monogatari (遠野物語) May 17, 2001
Meguri Ai (めぐり逢い) March 21, 2002
Adesu gata onna hana Fubuki (艶姿女花吹雪) July 24, 2002
Ai Arigato (愛ありがとう) November 23, 2002
Rankyo (嵐峡) January 22, 2003
Jonkara Onnabushi (じょんから女節) June 25, 2003
Arinko to Himawari (ありんことひまわり) June 25, 2003
Onna tankou bushi (おんな炭坑節) May 26, 2004
Usoda to itte (嘘だといって) January 26, 2005
Yoko no… Umi (洋子の…海) June 16, 2005
Nagorino Tsuki (洋子の…名残月) October 19, 2005
Kizuna (絆) April 26, 2006
Matsue Funauta (松江舟唄) June 21, 2006
Yoko no… Shinjuku Oiwake (洋子の…新宿追分) February 21, 2007
Etsuraku no Sono (悦楽の園) August 22, 2007
Boukyou hitori naki (望郷ひとり泣き) August 27, 2008
Toi Machi (遠い街) January 21, 2009
Seto no Banka (瀬戸の晩夏) June 10, 2009
Okesa koi uta (おけさ恋唄) January 20, 2010
Hakata Yamakasa Onnabushi (博多山笠女節) February 23 2011
Kiso no Asunaro (木曽の翌檜) April 11, 2012
Hottoshite Kudasai (ほっとしてください) October 31, 2012
Moichido… Komori Uta (もう一度…子守唄) August 21, 2013
Koi no Tsugaru Jusanko (恋の津軽十三湖) May 28, 2014
Konpira Ichidan (金毘羅一段) April 8, 2015
Fureaibashi (ふれ逢い橋) May 18, 2016
Onna, Hitoritabi (おんな、ひとり旅) November 23, 2016
Wakarejouzu (別れ上手) July 19, 2017
Joppari Yosare / Koi - Shamisen (じょっぱり よされ / 恋・三味線) June 27, 2018
Yozakura Blues (夜桜ブルース) September 26, 2019
Anokoro mo Ima mo - Hana no 24 nengumi - (あの頃も 今も～花の24年組～) October 21, 2020
Shitamachi Ginza (下町銀座) September 22, 2021
Imasarane (今さらねぇ) September 2, 2022
Oishii Osake Nomeryaii (美味しいお酒 飲めりゃいい) June 21, 2023
Shirakami-Sanchi (白神山地) June 19, 2024
Shōwa no Onna (昭和の女) June 25, 2025
Ugo no Koiuta (羽後の恋唄) June 24, 2026

Albums

Tokimeki...I Love You (ときめき…アイ・ラブ・ユー) March 21, 1985
Venus (ヴィーナス) February 1, 1987
Ondine (オンディーヌ) August 5, 1987
The New Yoko Times (ニューヨーコ・タイムス) December 1, 1987
Tokyo Menu (トーキョー・メニュー) March 9, 1988
F-1 September 21, 1988
CD FILE Yoko Nagayama VOL.1 (CD FILE 長山洋子 VOL.1) March 21, 1989
CD FILE Yoko Nagayama VOL.2 (CD FILE 長山洋子 VOL.2) March 21, 1989
Hitomi no naka no Faraway (瞳の中のファーラウェイ) June 7, 1989
CD FILE Yoko Nagayama VOL.3 (CD FILE 長山洋子 VOL.3) June 25, 1990
25th ANNIVERSARY YOKO NAGAYAMA IDOL COMPLETE BOX〜LEGEND of VENUS〜 December 2, 2009
Yoko Nagayama 40th anniversary Pops Best (長山洋子　40周年記念　ポップスベスト) February 21, 2024
Yoko Nagayama 40th anniversary Enka Best (長山洋子　40周年記念　演歌ベスト) February 21, 2024

Covers

Yoko Nagayama has covered the following songs;

Johnny Hates Jazz's song "I Don't Want to Be a Hero".
Diana Ross's song: "If We Hold On Together×If We Hold On Together21 August 1990 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1If We Hold On Together2終わらないセレナーデ3If We Hold On Together（オリジナル・カラオケ）4終わらないセレナーデ（オリジナル・カラオケ）" from the 1988 animated film, The Land Before Time.
Madonna's song: "Papa Don't Preach".
Shocking Blue's song: "Venus×VENUS1 February 1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1VENUS [English Version]3:332TWO OF HEARTS4:013MR. MONDAY3:564I LIKE YOU4:275SUNNY4:106PAPA DON’T PREACH3:597GIVE ME UP3:538TAKE MY BREATH AWAY4:159VENUS [Extended Version]6:13".
Berlin's song: "Take My Breath Away"