Hibari Misora (美空ひばり, Misora Hibari, May 29, 1937 – June 24, 1989) was a Japanese singer and actress. The style of music she sang was enka. She received many awards, among them living national treasure. In Japan she is regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. She was the first woman in Japan to receive the People's prize of honour (国民栄誉賞), which was awarded for her notable contributions to the music industry. Hibari Misora was also one of the most commercially successful music artists in the world. At the time of her death, she had recorded around 1,200 songs, and sold 68 million records. After her death, consumer demand for her recordings grew significantly, and she had sold more than 80 million records by 2001. Her swan-song "Kawa no nagare no yō ni" (川の流れのように) is often performed by artists and orchestras in her honour. Artists who recorded this song include The Three Tenors, Teresa Teng, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, and the Twelve Girls Band.
Hibari Misora
Questions and Answers
Q: Who was Hibari Misora?
A: Hibari Misora was a Japanese singer and actress who was known for her enka music.
Q: What were some of her accomplishments?
A: She was a living national treasure, regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time, and the first woman in Japan to receive the People's prize of honour for her contributions to the music industry.
Q: How successful was she commercially?
A: Hibari Misora was one of the most commercially successful music artists in the world. She had recorded around 1,200 songs and sold 68 million records by the time of her death, and more than 80 million records had been sold by 2001.
Q: What is her swan song?
A: Her swan song is the song "Kawa no nagare no yō ni" (川の流れのように), which is often performed by artists and orchestras in her honor.
Q: Who are some of the artists who have recorded her swan song?
A: The Three Tenors, Teresa Teng, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, and the Twelve Girls Band are some of the artists who have recorded her swan song.
Q: How did consumer demand for her recordings change after her death?
A: Consumer demand for her recordings grew significantly after her death.
Q: How many records did she sell in total?
A: She sold 68 million records by the time of her death, and more than 80 million records had been sold by 2001.