Mieko Hirota, a Japanese popular singer, was born in Setagaya, Tokyo in 1947. She grew up listening to pop and jazz in places like Tachikawa, which was frequented by Occupation troops. She made her debut in 1961 at age 14. In 1965, Mico became the first Japanese singer to sing the song Sunny (Bobby Hebb song) on album and the first to appear at the Newport Jazz Festival.

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A Japanese female singer born in Tokyo on February 5, 1947. Died on July 21, 2020. Her nickname is Mico (also spelled Miko).

Due to her dynamic and growing vocal she was also called "queen of pops". That singing ability was also reputed as "the best singing skill of Japanese women singers" at that time. She was singing jazz, popular, etc. at the US occupation army camp in Tachikawa city from the age of 7 when she was in elementary school. She learned the advice from her brother who was doing Hawaiian music and the teacher about nursery rhymes and English.

In 1961 she made a debut with Toshiba Music Industry at the age of 14 with "Don't Treat Me Like A Child" (Helen Shapiro's cover). In the following year, "Vacation" (Connie Francis's cover) issued by each company competition, but her cover version on Toshiba records made a big hit. Most of the release of her girl pop singer era on Toshiba were covering Western hits.

Music critic Hisao Murata argues, "As a means of overcoming the problem of the Western rhythm, melody line and the language's ability to communicate as a Japanese language, it is Mieko Hirota who invented English-like Japanese."

In October 1964 she left the Toshiba music industry and moved to Nippon Columbia. In July 1965, she first appeared as a Japanese singer in the American Newport Jazz Festival. Top jazz musicians of the time, such as Carmen McRae, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Count Basie Orchestra, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Duke Ellington etc.

She sang with Billy Taylor Trio back and acted as the last performer of the third day. On the other hand, in 1968 she performed the first rhythm and blues concert at Sankei Hall in Tokyo. Following jazz, pop, she pioneered her new genre R&B/Soul/Funk. Her releases from Nippon columbia are funky songs.

Mieko Hirota, born in February 5, 1947 was a Japanese popular singer. Her nickname was Mico (also spelled Miko).

Miko Hirota was born in Setagaya, Tokyo. She grew up listening to pop and jazz in places like Tachikawa, which was frequented by Occupation troops. She made her debut in 1961 at age 14. In 1965, Mico became the first Japanese singer to sing the song Sunny (Bobby Hebb song) on album and the first to appear at the Newport Jazz Festival.

Mico appeared on the NHK New Year's Eve Kōhaku Uta Gassen eight times. Her first performance was in 1962, when she sang the Connie Francis tune "Vacation." NHK tapped her for the next four years in succession, and again in 1969, 1970, and 1971.

She sang the theme song, "Leo no Uta", for the animated television series Kimba the White Lion. Hirota's commercial career included endorsements for Nescafé, Nippon Oil, Daikin Industries, Fujiya, Renown, and Sapporo Beer.

Hirota died on July 21, 2020 at the age of 73 following a fall. She became one of eight recipients of the Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Japan Record Awards.

Musicians:

Mieko Hirota - vocal
Billy Taylor - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Grady Tate - drums

Track Listing:

A1 - Right Here Right Now
A2 - Sunny
A3 - Lazy Lovin
A4 - Ramblin' Rover
A5 - I'm Comin' Home Baby

B1 - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be
B2 - The Message
B3 - Flying Home

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫