Biography
She graduated from Kôjimachi Elementary School (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) and Shoei Girls' Junior and Senior High School. Although she passed the Takarazuka Revue exam—a renowned Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyôgo Prefecture, where women perform all roles in lavish Broadway-style productions featuring Western musicals and adaptations of films, novels, shôjo manga, and Japanese folktales—she chose to decline and instead enrolled at Toho College of Music. Afterward, she debuted as an actress. Her real name is Kyoko Kawaguchi, and she appeared in NHK’s morning drama series "Ichibanboshi" and "Otei-chan," as well as Fuji TV’s "Gashintare." She also featured in a Taiga drama.
In 1982, she made her major debut as a jazz vocalist, noted for her excellent proportions and decadent aura. At that time, she was hailed as "a significant newcomer in the jazz world after a long hiatus." She later released her acclaimed album "The Man I Love," which won hit and work awards, achieved a top ten position on the Oricon album chart, and earned a gold disc.
In 1987, she married Masao Tahara, who had been her manager since her debut.
In 1994, she appeared fully nude in a photo book, and in 1996, she performed a wet scene alongside Shingo Tsurumi and Ren Ōsugi in a V-cinema film.
In 2001, she wrote and directed the film "Mermaid: The Girl Who Came from the Sea."
In September 2009, she debuted in the adult image video (AIV) genre with "Affair jyoji," a work distinct from AV as it features no actual sexual acts, similar to V-cinema. The release was a blockbuster, selling over 40,000 copies, and her entry into AIV as a well-known jazz singer astonished the industry.
In 2011, she published the novel "Intimacy" through Tokuma Shoten.
In 2015, the film "Onna sagi-shi to bijin singer: O-atsui no wa dotchi?" directed by Sachi Hamano, was released as her first theatrical movie.
In 2017, Fuji TV’s "The Non-Fiction" followed her and her husband with close camera coverage over nine months, achieving a remarkable 4.7% viewership rating in the Kanto area—a notable success for a documentary.
In March 2019, marking the 10th anniversary of her adult image DVD debut, she transferred from Alice JAPAN (Japan Home Video) to SOD Create (Soft On Demand).
In March 2022, she celebrated 40 years as a singer.
