generasia:Featured article for 2019 week 46
Shiina Ringo
Shiina Ringo (椎名林檎) is a famous Japanese musician, who is recognizable for her nasal voice and for her eccentricity and striking visuals. Her styles range from jazz to rock, and experimental to enka. In 1998, she debuted with the single "Koufukuron" when she was 19 years old. In 1999, she became famous from her single "Koko de Kiss Shite.", which broke the top 10 on Oricon charts.
Shiina had initially indicated that she would retire as "Shiina Ringo" when she had released three albums. At the time her second album was released, she was among the top three Japanese female artists, along with Utada Hikaru and Hamasaki Ayumi, in terms of popularity and annual income. However, she was uncomfortable with being regarded as an icon, and wanted her career to branch out more from the mainstream. When she began to produce her third album she intended to make it her last solo album. After its release in 2003, Shiina formed the band Tokyo Jihen which received similar success. In 2006, it was announced that Shiina would once again release solo music. On January 11th, 2012, it was announced that Tokyo Jihen would disband on February 29th following a final farewell tour.
Shiina describes herself as "Shinjuku-kei Jisaku-Jien-ya (新宿系自作自演屋; a Shinjuku-style writer-performer)". She was ranked #36 in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians compiled by HMV in 2003.
Her first best album, Newton no Ringo ~Hajimete no Best Ban~, is released this week on November 13th.
