Chara (singer)

Chara
Chara performing live, 2011
Native name	綿引美和
Born	Miwa Watabiki (1968-01-13) January 13, 1968 (age 49) Kawaguchi, Japan
Residence	Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Singer actress television presenter record producer
Years active	1990–present
Website	charaweb.net
Musical career
Genres	Alternative rock indie pop trip hop nu jazz reggae fusion electronica downtempo
Instruments	Vocals piano
Labels	Epic/SMEJ 1990–2004 A&M/UMG Japan 2006–2011 Happy Toy/ 2011-2012 Ki/oon/SMEJ 2012–present
Associated acts	Mean Machine Yuki Takeshi Kobayashi Akino Arai The 99½ Towa Tei Satoshi Tomiie James Iha Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Toe

Miwa Watabiki (綿引美和, Watabiki Miwa^?, born January 13, 1968), better known by her stage name Chara, is a Japanese singer, actress and video jockey. She debuted in 1991 with the single Heaven. She is most well known for her song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)", the theme song for the 1996 Shunji Iwai film Swallowtail Butterfly (in which she starred), her 1997 hit single "Yasashii Kimochi", and her collaboration with Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki, "Ai no Hi Mittsu Orange". Chara later formed a band with Yuki, called Mean Machine.

Chara grew up in Kawaguchi, Saitama. She started learning the piano from age four, and starting composing songs in elementary school. In her first year of elementary school, she performed a song she had written, "Sayonara" (サヨナラ, Goodbye^?), at a school piano recital.

She originally received her nickname Chara in junior high school, after a teacher called her this. She was so well known by this name that not even some of her friends knew her real name. She continues to use this name as she believes it brings out her inner child. After finishing high school, Chara went to Tokyo to a vocational school, majoring in music and specialising in piano. However, she dropped out one year into her two-year degree.