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Kanako Wada

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Kanako Wada (Japanese: 和田 加奈子, Hepburn: Wada Kanako; born 28 October 1961) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. Originally studying classical piano, she studied sculpture and managed the rugby team at the Tokyo University of the Arts before being scouted at a concert she organized. Debuting in November 1985, she released seven original albums and eleven singles with Toshiba EMI before retiring in 1991. She was also a television personality who worked as Akira Inoue's assistant on NHK's Best Sound II  [ja], as well as a radio personality at networks such as Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. Her music has received renewed attention amidst the city pop boom of the 2010s and 2020s.

Kanako Wada
和田 加奈子
Born (1961-10-28) 28 October 1961 (age 64)
OriginToyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
GenresPop
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
LabelToshiba EMI
Spouse
Mike Maki [ja]

Biography

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Kanako Wada, a native of Toyonaka, was born on 28 October 1961.[1] She spent ten years studying classical piano, and graduated from the Department of Sculpture at the Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyogeidai) Faculty of Fine Arts in March 1986.[2] While at Tokyogeidai, she performed for bands specializing pop and reggae, worked as a concert organizer,[2] and worked as the manager of the rugby team.[1]

Wada's solo music career started after she received a scouting offer following her performance at one of the concerts she organized.[2] Her debut single[3] "Passing Through" was released on 21 November 1985;[4] the songwriting debut of Neko Oikawa, it was the winning song of Yumi Matsutoya's TBS Radio show Yuming no O-jama Shimasu.[5] She later released ten more singles.[4] She also released seven original albums: Tenderness (1986), Quiet Storm (1987), Kana (1987), Vocu (1988), Dear (1989),[3][4] Dessert ni Hoshikuzu no Jelly o (1990),[6] and Yakusoku no Eve (1990).[7] She performed two ending theme songs for Kimagure Orange Road - "Natsu no Mirage" and "Kanashii Heart wa Moeteiru" - [8] and some of her songs were commercial songs, including "Dreamin' Lady" for House Foods's Soup Spaghetti,[9] "Heart de Furimuite" for Menard,[10] and "Wake Up Dream" for Morinaga Milk Industry's Piknik [ja].[11] A greatest-hits album, Esquisse, was released in August 1987.[4][12] She also wrote lyrics for over a dozen of her own songs.[13]

Carlos/Giancarla Ross of THEM Anime Reviews described Wada's songs in Kimagure Orange Road: The Movie as "mournfully plaintive ballads simply perfect for the soundtrack, almost tear-jerking in its own right,"[14] and Christi, also of THEM Anime Reviews said that Wada's songs in Kimagure Orange Road "will definitely hit the heart".[15] According to a 2024 Re:minder article by Eiji Makaino, jazz standards were an important part of Wada's music.[4]

In April 1986, Wada started working as an assistant host on television programming,[2] with her work including as Akira Inoue's assistant on NHK's Best Sound II  [ja].[3] She also became a radio personality at networks such as Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting.[1]

In 1991, Wada retired as a singer.[4] She rarely makes public appearances since then, with most of these being with her husband.[4] In August 2023, she held a brief concert at Kabuki Lounge, located in Kabukichō, Shinjuku.[4]

Following the city pop boom of the 2010s and 2020s, Wada's music has gained renewed attention, with "Natsu no Mirage" being an example.[4] In December 2019, Tower Records re-released three of her original albums - Tenderness, Quiet Storm, and Kana - in CD format.[3] Kana (1987) received a vinyl re-release in 2021, and Esquisse received a re-release as part of the the City Pop Selections series in 2022.[4] Her acoustic concert Kanako Wada Acoustic Live: Tokubetsu Seat was held at Claps in Roppongi on 15 November 2024; Motohiro Makaino of Re:minder said that it "offered a sophisticated blend of pop sensibilities and a jazzy atmosphere".[4]

Wada married actor Mike Maki [ja].[16] The couple have two sons, and she has three stepsons from Maki's previous marriages: actor Claude Maki and surfers Hayato Maki and Taito Maki.[16]

Discography

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Albums

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Original albums

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Title Year Details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN[17] JPN
Hot
Tenderness[3] 1986
  • Released: 1 February 1986
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Quiet Storm
(stylized in all-caps)[18]		 1987
  • Released: 4 March 1987
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Kana
(stylized in all-caps)[19]		 1987
  • Released: 25 December 1987
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Vocu
(stylized in all-caps)[20]		 1988
  • Released: 6 November 1988
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 29 — —
Dear
(stylized in low-caps)[21]		 1989
  • Released: 13 December 1989
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Dessert ni Hoshikuzu no Jelly o
(DESSERTに星くずのゼリーを)[6]		 1990
  • Released: 27 September 1990
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Yakusoku no Eve
(約束のイブ)[7]		 1990
  • Released: 28 November 1990
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Compilations

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Title Year Details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN JPN
Hot
Esquiss[12] 1987
  • Released: 5 August 1987
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
Golden Best
(ゴールデン☆ベスト)[22]		 2006
  • Released: 21 June 2006
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Singles

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Title Year Details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN[23] JPN
Hot
"Passing Through"
(パッシング・スルー)[24]		 1985
  • Released: 21 November 1985
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 49 — —
"Boy"
(stylized in all-caps)[25]		 1986
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Creation My Heart"[26] 1986
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Natsu no Mirage"
(夏のミラージュ)[27]		 1987
  • Released: 1 May 1987
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Kanashii Heart wa Moeteiru"
(悲しいハートは燃えている)[28]		 1987
  • Released: 16 September 1987
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 30 — —
"Tanjobi wa Minus 1"
(誕生日はマイナス1)[29]		 1988
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Lucky Love"
(stylized in all-caps)[30]		 1988
  • Released: 25 May 1988
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 35 — —
"Ano Sora o Dakishimete"
(あの空を抱きしめて)[31]		 1988
  • Released: 5 October 1988
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Dreamin' Lady"
(stylized in all-caps)[32]		 1989
  • Released: 4 October 1989
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 33 — —
"Heart de Furimuite"
(HEARTでふりむいて)[10]		 1990
  • Released: 4 June 1990
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"Wake Up Dream"
(stylized in low-caps)[11]		 1991
  • Released: 5 July 1991
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
 — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 DJ名鑑 1987 (in Japanese). Sansai Books. 15 February 1987. p. 168.
  2. 1 2 3 4 現代日本人名錄 98 (in Japanese). Nichigai Associates. 1998. p. 1618. ISBN 978-4-8169-1468-3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "和田加奈子のアルバム3作品が2019年リマスター仕様&ボーナス・トラック追加にて再発、タワレコ限定で発売中". Tower Records Online. Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Makaino, Motohiro (3 December 2024). "和田加奈子【35年ぶり単独ライブレポ】シティポップの名曲「夏のミラージュ」も披露！". reminder.top (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Nagai, Eiji (20 August 2022). "林哲司が作曲したシティポップ・ランキング 〜 女性アーティスト編". reminder.top (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "DESSERTに星くずのゼリーを | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "約束のイブ | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Nagai, Eiji (12 February 2024). "【80年代アニソンの魅力】エモいアニメ「きまぐれオレンジ☆ロード」とシティポップ". reminder.top (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "新しい食習慣を日本にもたらした「ハウス スープスパゲッティ」発売、1985年【食品産業あの日あの時】". Livedoor News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 "HEARTでふりむいて | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 "wake up dream | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Esquiss | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "List of lyrics by lyricist wadakanako". Uta-Net. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Kimagure Orange Road: The Movie". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Kimagure Orange Road". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 "「私は57歳の時の子で…」父は3度結婚の大物歌手！異母兄は全員離婚〝想像絶する〟家系図に騒然…眞木花〝親子共演〟姿に「娘さん成長されて喜んでると思う」の声：「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO!". Web Otto! (in Japanese). 10 April 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "和田加奈子のアルバム売上TOP1作品". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "QUIET STORM | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "KANA/KANAKO WADA/和田加奈子". Diskunion (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "VOCU | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "dear | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "ゴールデン☆ベスト 和田加奈子 | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "和田加奈子のシングル売上TOP4作品". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "【買取】和田加奈子 / パッシング・スルー（音楽ソフト）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  25. ↑ BOY (label). Kanako Wada. Eastworld. 1986. WTP-17862.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ↑ Creation My Heart (label). Kanako Wada. Eastworld. 1986. WTP-17892.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ↑ "【買取】和田加奈子/ジェニーナ / 夏のミラージュ/ジェニーナ ～TVアニメ「きまぐれオレンジロード」エンディング・テーマ曲（音楽ソフト）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "【買取】和田加奈子 / 悲しいハートは燃えている/サルビアの花のように ～TVアニメ「きまぐれオレンジロード」エンディング・テーマ（音楽ソフト）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  29. ↑ 誕生日はマイナス1 (label). Kanako Wada. Eastworld. 1988. RT07-2073.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ↑ "【買取】和田加奈子 / LUCKY LOVE（音楽ソフト）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "【買取】和田加奈子/あの空を抱きしめて アニメ映画「きまぐれオレンジロード」主題歌（アニメ）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "DREAMIN' LADY | 和田加奈子". Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
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