Keiko Fuji
| Keiko Fuji | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 藤 圭子 |
| Born |
Junko Abe (阿部 純子?) 5 July 1951 Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan |
| Died | 22 August 2013 (aged 62) Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan |
| Occupation | |
| Spouse(s) |
Kiyoshi Maekawa (m. 1971; div. 1972) Teruzane Utada (m. 1982; div. 2007) |
| Children | Hikaru Utada |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1969–1979, 1981–Unknown |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
Junko Abe (阿部 純子 Abe Junko?) (5 July 1951 – 22 August 2013), known primarily by the stage name Keiko Fuji (藤 圭子 Fuji Keiko?) was a Japanese enka singer and actress. She had success in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s with her ballad-type songs. She was married on-and-off with Utada Teruzane, and was the mother of Japanese pop singer Utada Hikaru.
Fuji was born in Iwate Prefecture, where her father was a rōkyoku singer. Her mother was a blind shamisen player or goze. As a child, Fuji sometimes accompanied her parents and sang with them when they were on tour. Her song "Keiko no Yume wa Yoru Hiraku" (Keiko's version of "Yume wa Yoru Hiraku") won the "mass popularity award" at the Japan Record Award in 1970. By this song, she took part in the 21st Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Fuji lent her voice in the television anime Wandering Sun, acting as main character Nozomi who is also a singer in the show. This allowed her to gain higher exposure in the Japanese music world.
She married the Enka singer Kiyoshi Maekawa and retired from singing in 1979, announcing her retirement during a TV show on 30 December of that year. The marriage ended in divorce, after which she emigrated to the U.S.
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