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Fuji Keiko

Fuji Keiko (2009)

Fuji Keiko (藤圭子) was an extremely famous Japanese Enka singer in the 70's. She is the wife of Utada Teruzane and the mother of Utada Hikaru. Her maiden name was 'Abe Junko'. Keiko was the main vocalist for the U3 Utada family project.

Fuji Keiko was born on July 5, 1951 at Iwate, and grew up in Hokkaido. Her father (Abe Souji) was a Roukyoku singer and her mother played the Shamisen for a living. Keiko had an upheaveled childhood, as her family toured around Hokkaido and Tohoku (much like her daughter, Utada Hikaru).

Once when her father became sick before a Hokkaido show, Fuji decided that she would have to play the part instead. While there, a well known writer happened to hear her and suggested that she should move to Tokyo to become a singer. In September 1969, Fuji debuted with the song "Shinjuku no Onna", which was a huge hit. Her next two singles, "Onna no Blues" and "Keiko no Yume wa Yoru Hiraku", also were major hits, making her extremely famous. These two songs held first and second position in Oricon charts for 40 weeks, the first and only time in Japanese music history.

After 10 years in the music business, Fuji decided to quit the music business and move to New York. There, she met Utada Tezurane, and in 1983 gave birth to an only child, Utada Hikaru. The couple married and divorced seven times until 2007, when they divorced for good.

It was announced on August 22nd, 2013 that Fuji had apparently committed suicide, she was 62. She was found on the ground facing upward in front of an apartment in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo. She was transported to the hospital, where she soon passed away. The identity of the body was confirmed by her ex-husband.


Discography

Fuji Keiko (1970s)

Albums

Singles

External Links

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