Naoko Ken（研 ナオコ, Ken Naoko, born July 7, 1953）is a Japanese singer and actress. She is well known for her comedy roles featuring idiosyncratic looks, and a string of successful torch songs that gained popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Biography In 1971, Ken debuted as an enka-oriented singer with a single "Daitokai no Yasagure On'na". In 1975, after the release of several charted singles, she gained the first outstanding commercial success with a song "Guzu", which was written by Ryudo Uzaki and his wife Yoko Aki. "Abayo", a song written by Miyuki Nakajima became the most successful single for Ken, selling more than 600,000 copies. In 1976, the prize-winning song reached number-one spot on the Oricon, Japan's most eminent chart. In addition to the success as a musician, she also obtained popularity as a tarento in the mid 1970s, through her comical acts on multiple TV shows including Kakkurakin Daihousou!!.
After a temporary hiatus in 1977 owing to her arrest on suspicion of possession of marijuana, she returned to the Japanese entertainment industry with the hit tune "Kamome wa Kamome". The melancholic ballad written by Nakajima became known as one of her signature songs, finally sold in excess of 300,000 units. In 1982, she gained huge commercial success as a singer again with a cover version of the Southern All Stars' song "Natsu wo Akiramete", winning several Japanese music prizes. The song is her last top-ten hit solo single so far.
Due to her songs’ popularity, Ken was selected for the annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen every year from 1976 to 1986 except 1977, the year that she went hiatus due to her drug case, and made another return to the prestigious programme on 1993 for her 11th and last appearance so far.
Through her long-term career as a comedic TV personality, she has released several novelty singles with other performers such as Ken Shimura. The song "Natsuzakari Ho no Ji Gumi" recorded with an idol singer Toshihiko Tahara in 1985 is the last top-40 hit single for Ken on the Japanese record charts. To date, her last single was released in 1985.
Discography
Singles YearSingleChart positionsLabel JP1971"" / ""-Toho1972"" / ""-"" / ""-"" / ""52"" / ""-1973"" /""59"" / ""601974"" / ""-Canyon1975"" / ""91976"" / ""28"La La La" / ""28"" / ""11977"" / ""14"" / "Blues"43"" / ""351978"" / ""7"" / ""8"" /""171979"" /""55"" /"Goodbye"33"" /""-"" /""391980"" /""31"" /""-"" /"Bravo-Bravo"911981"" /""-"" /""-"" /""691982"" /""5"" /""531983"Lonely Way" /""-"" /"Lonely Star"71"" / ""411984"" / "Don't Cry My Heart"-"" / ""-"" / "Give Me Blues"781985"" / ""-1986"" / ""731987"" / "Etranger"-"" / ""-1989"" / ""-Pony Canyon1992"" / ""-1993"" / "Off"-"Mary Jane" / "Half Moon"-1994"" / ""-1995"" / ""-2019"" / ""-Unchanged
Collaboration singles YearSingleChart positionsAdditional informationLabel JP1985"" / "" (with Toshihiko Tahara)5Credit to "Toshi and Naoko"Canyon1992"" / "" (with the Lilacs)91Credited to "Naoko and Lilacs"Pony Canyon2001"" / "Love Tokyo Night" (with Ken Shimura)41Credited to "Ken♂♀Ken"Produced by Tsunku2004"" (with Toshihiko Tahara)123Gauss Entertainment
Albums Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions JPNOricon Released: 1973 Label: Touhou Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1974 Label: Touhou Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1975 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1976 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1977 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1978 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Naoko VS Aku Yu Released: 1979 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1980 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1981 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Naoko Mistone Released: 1983 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1983 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Again Released: 1984 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1984 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Deep Released: 1985 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape, CD - Deep Released: 1989 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1992 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: Cassette Tape, CD - Released: 1992 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2008 Label: unchangedName of the recording label "Unchanged Records", please do not remove it! Formats: CD - Released: 2011 Label: unchanged Formats: CD - Released: 2015 Label: King Formats: CD -
Compilations Title Album details Peak chart positions JPNOricon Released: 1975 Label: Touhou Formats: LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1976 Label: Pony Formats: Cassette Tape - Released: 1977 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1977 Label: Canyon Formats: LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1980 Label: Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1982 Label: Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Best Selection Released: 1984 Label: Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1985 Label: Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1985 Label: Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Super Best Released: 1986 Label: Pony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1986 Label: Pony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1987 Label: Pony Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Naoko Sings Ballads Released: 1987 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1988 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette Tape - Released: 1990 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, Cassette Tape - Released: 1992 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, Cassette Tape - Released: 1994 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - My Classics Released: 1998 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - LOVE LIFE LIVE Vol.1: 35th Anniversary Released: 2006 Label: Unchanged Formats: CD - Released: 2008 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD - Released: 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD -
Box sets Title Album details Peak chart positions JPNOricon Released: 2011 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 5-CDs -
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2025Wash AwayNorie IsogaiLead role
Television Year Title Role Notes 2026The Scent of the WindMaji / narratorAsadoraPlastic Beauty
Kōhaku Uta Gassen Appearances Year#SongNo.VSRemarks1976 (Showa 51)/27th1LA-LA-LA9/24Aoi Teruhiko1978 (Showa 53)/29th2Kamome Wa Kamome (かもめはかもめ)4/24Goro Noguchi1979 (Showa 54)/30th3Hitori Pocchide Odorasete (ひとりぽっちで踊らせて)11/23Takashi Hosokawa1980 (Showa 55)/31st4Yumemakura (夢枕)13/23Yūzō Kayama1981 (Showa 56)/32nd5Bosanoba (ボサノバ)16/22Ryuu Tetsuya1982 (Showa 57)/33rd6Natsu Wo Akiramete (夏をあきらめて)8/22Sugawara Youichi1983 (Showa 58)/34th7Nakasete (泣かせて)18/21Sugawara Youichi (2)& Shiruiya1984 (Showa 59)/35th8Meigaza (名画座)5/20Yamamoto Jyouji1985 (Showa 60)/36th9Kishuu (帰愁)9/20Haruo Minami1986 (Showa 61)/37th10Tokyo Mikaeribijin (Tokyo見返り美人)8/21Shibugakitai1993 (Heisei 5)/44th11Kamome Wa Kamome (2)15/26KaientaiReturned after 7 years
References
External links Official site (Japanese)
JMDb Profile (in Japanese)