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Ua (singer) - Wikipedia
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Ua (singer)

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Kaori Hasegawa (長谷川はせがわ 歌織かおり, Hasegawa Kaori) (born March 11, 1972), simply known by the stage name Ua (Japanese pronunciation: [ɯːa]), is a Japanese singer. She made her debut under Speedstar Records in 1995 with the single "Horizon".[1]

Ua
Born (1972-03-11) March 11, 1972 (age 52)
Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2006)​
Bishū Hasegawa
​
(m. 2008)​
Children4, including Nijirō
Musical career
Genres
Years active1994–present
LabelsSpeedstar Records
Websiteuauaua.jp

Biography

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Ua was born Kaori Shima and grew up in Suita, Osaka. After graduating from Saga University of Arts in Kyoto, she worked as a lounge singer in her hometown. There in 1994, she was scouted by producer Hiroshi Fujiwara. She took on the unusual stage name of Ua (a Swahili word that means both "flower" and "kill") and made her debut with the Fujiwara-produced "Horizon".[2] Her fourth single "Jōnetsu" became a smash hit and Ua was recognized all over Japan.[1]

After releasing her first album, 11, Ua married actor Jun Murakami and gave birth to a son, Nijirō, in 1997, who is also an actor.[3] The couple divorced in 2006.[3] In 2000, after two more albums, Ametora and Turbo, Ua took a hiatus from her solo work and formed the band Ajico with Kenichi Asai.[1] She resumed her solo activities in 2002 and released her fourth album, Dorobō. The same year she made her acting debut as the leading role in the film Mizu no Onna, as well as contributing to the soundtrack.[1] The film went on to win the Golden Alexander prize for Best Feature-Length Film at the International Thessaloniki Film Festival and was screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.[1]

In 2003, Ua released Illuminate: The Very Best Songs, her first compilation album.[4] In April that year, she expanded her activities by becoming the hostess named ううあ (the pronunciation remains the same since it is meant to be a phonetic representation of her usual stagename) of an educational TV program on NHK called Do Re Mi no TV, designed to pass along Japanese traditional songs to children.[1] Utauua, a compilation of the songs performed, was released in 2004.[5] The same year she released her fifth album, Sun, which was mastered by Ted Jensen.[1] In 2005, she released her sixth album, Breathe, and a compilation album of collaborations titled Nephews to mark her 10th anniversary.[6][7] In 2006, Ua collaborated with renowned jazz musician Naruyoshi Kikuchi on the album Cure Jazz.[8] In 2007, in addition to releasing her seventh album Golden Green, Ua made a second foray into acting by appearing in Hitoshi Matsumoto's directorial debut Dai Nipponjin.[9][10]

In 2008, Ua revealed that she married again and gave birth to a daughter, in August. In December, she released the single "2008", followed by her eighth album, Atta, in July 2009.[3][11][12] In April 2010, Ua released her fourth live album, entitled Haluto Live.[13]

Discography

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Main article: Ua discography
  • 11 (1996)
  • Ametora (1998)
  • Turbo (1999)
  • Dorobō (2002)
  • Sun (2004)
  • Breathe (2005)
  • Golden Green (2007)
  • Atta (2009)
  • JaPo (2016)

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Mizu no Onna Ryo Shimizu Lead role
2007 Dai Nipponjin Manager Kobori
2009 Eatrip Herself Documentary film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Shiritsu Tantei Hama Mike Naomi Episode 2
2003–2006 Do Re Mi no TV Uua

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "UA – artister – JaME Sverige". JaME World. July 18, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  2. ^ "UA : バイオグラフィー / BARKS アーティスト". Barks (in Japanese). January 10, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c "UA pregnant with second child – Tokyograph". Tokyograph. May 5, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  4. ^ "[UA] 初はつのベストアルバムを2枚まい組ぐみで発表はっぴょう！映像えいぞう作品さくひんも同時どうじリリース！｜エキサイトミュージック（音楽おんがく）". Excite (in Japanese). August 13, 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  5. ^ "UAの沖縄おきなわ民謡みんようが日にち仏ふつ合作がっさく映画えいが「ユキとニナ」主題歌しゅだいかに抜擢ばってき – livedoor ニュース". Livedoor (in Japanese). December 22, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  6. ^ "UAが日比谷ひびや野外やがい音楽おんがく堂どうでのライヴを開催かいさい – OOPS!". Oops! (in Japanese). March 30, 2005. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  7. ^ "UAがコラボレーション楽曲がっきょくなどを集あつめた裏うらベスト盤ばん『Nephews』発売はつばい – OOPS!". Oops! (in Japanese). October 6, 2005. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  8. ^ "UA×菊地きくち成しげる孔あな『cure jazz』の全曲ぜんきょく試聴しちょうがスタート – OOPS!". Oops! (in Japanese). July 1, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  9. ^ "UA(ウーア)アルバム「Golden green」6月がつ20日はつかリリース – OOPS!". Oops! (in Japanese). May 3, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  10. ^ "女性じょせいシンガー"UA"松本まつもと人志ひとしの初はつ監督かんとく作品さくひん映画えいが「大だい日本人にっぽんじん」に出演しゅつえん – OOPS!". Oops! (in Japanese). March 30, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  11. ^ "ナタリー – UA新作しんさくジャケ公開こうかい＆アメトラDVDが低てい価格かかくで再発さいはつ". Natalie (in Japanese). November 13, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  12. ^ "ナタリー – "歌手かしゅUA"本領ほんりょう発揮はっきアルバム「ATTA」に細野ほその晴臣はるおみも参加さんか". Natalie (in Japanese). May 20, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  13. ^ "ナタリー – UA、デビュー15周年しゅうねん記念きねんの東阪あずまざか野外やがいワンマンライブ開催かいさい". Natalie (in Japanese). April 7, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
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