Saori Minami

Saori Minami (南 沙織 Minami Saori; Real Name: Akemi Uchima (内間明美), Christian Name: Cynthia) was born in Okinawa, Japan on July 2, 1954 to Okinawan parents. She became a singer in Japan when she made a hit song "Seventeen Year Old". For years, she has denied her fact that she was born in Okinawa due to Japanese discrimination presented against ethnic Okinawans. Not only did she hide her birth place, she hid the fact that her stepfather^[1] is a Filipino engineer who lived in Okinawa.

She later married photographer Kishin Shinoyama and their son is actor Akinobu Shinoyama.

Discography

Singles

#	Title	Release Date/Chart Position
1	17sai (Jyunanasai) (17才, Seventeen Years Old?) Debut single and biggest hit	1971-06-01 (#2)
2	Shiokaze no MELODY (潮風のメロディ, Melody of the Seabreeze?)	1971-10-01 (#7)
3	Tomodachi (ともだち, Friends?)	1972-02-01 (#7)
4	Junketsu (純潔, Chastity?)	1972-06-01 (#3)
5	Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ, A Page Full of Sorrow?)	1972-09-21 (#3)
6	Soushun No Minato (早春の港, Harbour in the Early Spring?)	1973-01-23 (#11)
7	Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代, Wounded Generation?)	1973-05-01 (#3)
8	CALIFORNIA No Aoi Sora (カリフォルニアの青い空, Blue Sky of California?)'	1973-07-05 (#77)
9	Irozuku Machi (色づく街, A Painted City?)	1973-08-21 (#4)
10	Hito Kakera No Junjou (ひとかけらの純情, A Little Naive?)	1973-12-05 (#8)
11	Bara No Kageri (バラのかげり, Total Eclipse of the Rose?)	1974-03-21 (#15)
12	Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情, Summer Feelings?)	1974-06-21 (#16)
13	Yogiri No Machi (夜霧の街, The City of the Mist?)	1974-09-21 (#17)
14	Josei (女性, Feminine?)	1974-12-21 (#23)
15	Omoide Toori (想い出通り, Like The Memories?)	1975-04-21 (#19)
16	Hito Koishi Kute (人恋しくて, A Wonderful Person?)	1975-08-01 (#8)
17	Hitonemuri (ひとねむり, Sleeping People?)	1975-11-21 (#27)
18	Kiga Mukeba Denwa Shite (気がむけば電話して, Call Me When You Get That Feeling?)	1976-03-01 (#29)
19	Seishun Ni Haji Naiyouni (青春に恥じないように, To Satisfy Youth?)	1976-05-31 (#44)
20	Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精, The Sad Fairy?)	1976-09-1 (#20)
21	Ai Hameguri Ai Kara (愛はめぐり逢いから, A Love Affair of Love?)	1976-11-21 (#45)
22	Yureru Gogo (ゆれる午後, Swing Time?)	1977-03-01 (#45)
23	Machikado No LOVE SONG (街角のラブソング, A Street Love Song?)	1977-07-21 (#36)
24	Kogarashi No Sei (木枯しの精, The Cold Winterwind?)	1977-11-21 (#63)
25	Haru No Yokan ~I'VE BEEN MELLOW~ (気がむけば電話して, Premonition of the Spring?)	1978-01-21 (#25)
26	Ai Naki Sedai (愛なき世代, Loveless Generation?)	1978-04-21 (#74)
27	Ms. (ミズ?)	1978-08-21 (#80)
28	GOODBYE GIRL (グッバイガール?)	1978-10-21 (#-)

Studio albums

#	Title	Release Date/Chart Position
1	17sai (17才?) Debut album	1971-10-01 (#8)
2	Shiokaze no MELODY (潮風のメロディ?)	1971-12-05 (#10)
3	Junketsu/Tomodachi (純潔／ともだち?)	1972-06-21 (#2)
4	Aishuu No PAGE (哀愁のページ?)	1972-09-21 (#4)
5	Soushun No HARMONY (早春のハーモニー?)	1972-12-21 (#18)
6	Kizutsuku Sedai (傷つく世代?)	1973-05-21 (#9)
7	Hatachi Mae (20才まえ?)	1973-09-21 (#5)
8	Hito Kakera no Junjou (ひとかけらの純情?)'	1974-02-21 (#6)
9	Natsu No Kanjou (夏の感情?)	1974-07-21 (#7)
10	Hatachi (20才?)	1974-12-10 (#19)
11	CYNTHIA STREET (-?)	1975-06-21 (#28)
12	Nin Koishi Kute (人恋しくて?)	1975-12-05 (#19)
13	Sugao No Mama De (素顔のままで?)	1976-04-21 (#20)
14	Kanashii Yousei (哀しい妖精?)	1976-09-21 (#19)
15	Janice He no Tegami (ジャニスへの手紙?)	1976-12-21 (#39)
16	Gogo No Cynthia (午後のシンシア?)	1977-04-01 (#42)
17	HELLO! CYNTHIA (-?)	1977-08-21 (#29)
18	I'VE BEEN MELLOW (-?)	1978-06-01 (#39)
19	SIMPLICITY (-?)	1978-10-01 (#37)

EP's

#	Title	Release Date
1	CYNTHIA no Kurisumasu (シンシアのクリスマス?)	1975-11-21

Live albums

#	Title	Release Date/Chart Position
1	CYNTHIA IN CONCERT (-?) First live album	1974-09-01 (#5)
2	SAORI ON STAGE (潮風のメロディ?)	1977-12-05 (#74)
3	Sayonara CYNTHIA (さよならシンシア ?) Goodbye concert	1978-12-05 (#-)

Greatest hits

#	Title	Release Date/Chart Position
1	Minami Saori Pops Wo Utau (南沙織 ポップスを歌う?) First best of album	1975-02-21 (#40)
2	Minami Saori No Subete (南沙織のすべて?)	1983-11-05 (#-)
3	Minami Saori BEST SELECTION (ベスト・コレクション 南沙織?)	1986-05-21 (#-)
4	Minami Saori BEST RECALL ~28 SINGLES SAORI +1~ (-?)	1992-02-21 (#-)
5	Cynthia BEST ~ ETERNITY (-?)	1996-06-21 (#-)
6	GOLDEN J-POP/THE BEST Minami Saori (-?)	1998-11-21 (#-)
7	DREAM PRICE 1000 Minami Saori 17sai (DREAM PRICE 1000 南沙織 17才?)	2001-10-11 (#-)
8	DREAM PRICE 1000 Minami Saori Iro Zuku Machi (DREAM PRICE 1000 南沙織 色づく街?)'	2001-10-11 (#-)
9	GOLDEN BEST Minami Saori Tsutsumi Kyouhei wo Utau (GOLDEN☆BEST 南沙織 筒美京平を歌う?)	2002-06-19 (#-)
10	Minami Saori THE BEST ~Cynthia-ly (南沙織 THE BEST 〜 Cynthia-ly?)	2003-11-19 (#-)
11	SUPER BEST Minami Saori (南沙織 スーパー・ベスト?)	2006-07-21 (#-)
12	Minami Saori BEST OF BEST (南沙織 BEST OF BEST?)	2006-09-21 (#-)

External links

• Minami Saori's Fan Site
• Minami Saori's Official Web Site

References

1. ^ 長田美穂「スターに愛されたガサコの編集者人生」『新潮45』2008年2月号、新潮社。

Persondata
Name	Minami, Saori
Alternative names
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Date of birth	1954
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