Akina Nakamori

About Akina Nakamori

Akina Nakamori was the dark, smouldering counterpoint to Matsuda Seiko in the 1980s idol wars, and a singer many Japanese critics rate as the more artistically significant of the two. Shoujo A in 1982 made her a household name, and Desire (1986) and Tattoo (1988) consolidated her reputation as the female face of grown-up kayōkyoku. After a long hiatus following the 1989 suicide attempt that drew the entire country's attention, she returned to recording in the 2020s with new remasters and the 2024 single Liar.