Minako Yoshida

Minako Yoshida is a Japanese singer-songwriter who became a key figure in the 1970s and 1980s city pop scene, blending jazz, funk, and R&B into her sophisticated sound. Known for her smoky vocals and poetic lyrics, she emerged alongside icons like Tatsuro Yamashita and worked closely with the "Niagara Triangle" production team, helping shape Japan’s jazz-funk movement. Yoshida wrote hits for peers like Mariya Takeuchi and released cult-classic albums such as *Monsters in Town* (1977) and *Light’n Up* (1980), which fused lush arrangements with introspective themes. Her music—including recent remasters like *Tobira no Fuyu (Winter Door)* and genre-defying tracks like *SPELL*—continues to resonate with fans of retro Japanese pop. A low-profile artist who prioritized artistry over fame, Yoshida’s work remains a goldmine for crate diggers and city pop revivalists.