Chara (singer) facts for kids

Chara (born Miwa Watabiki on January 13, 1968) is a famous Japanese singer and actress. She also used to be a video jockey, which is like a TV host for music videos. Chara started her music career in 1991. She is well-known for her song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)", which was the main song for the 1996 movie Swallowtail Butterfly. She also starred in that movie! Another big hit for her was "Yasashii Kimochi" in 1997. Later, Chara teamed up with Yuki, the singer from the band Judy and Mary, to form their own band called Mean Machine.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Chara grew up in Kawaguchi, Japan. She started playing the piano when she was just four years old. By elementary school, she was already writing her own songs! In her first year, she even performed a song she wrote called "Sayonara" (Goodbye) at a school piano show.

Her nickname, Chara, came from a teacher in junior high school. She was so well-known by this name that some friends didn't even know her real name. She still uses it because she feels it helps her stay in touch with her inner child. After high school, Chara went to a special music school in Tokyo to study piano. However, she decided to leave after one year.

From 1984, Chara played keyboards in different bands that weren't signed to a record label. She also worked part-time as a roller-skating waitress. In 1988, she decided to become a singer for a band so she could perform her own songs. Her first live show was in 1990.

Chara's Music Journey

Starting Out: 1991–1995

In 1990, Chara sent a demo tape to Sony Music. This tape caught the attention of a producer, and she got a deal with Epic Records Japan. She recorded her first album in Tokyo and London in 1991. Her first single, Heaven, came out in September, and her first album, Sweet, was released in November. This album reached No. 64 on the music charts.

Chara's career really took off after her first tour in May 1992. She also became a radio host for FM Yokohama. Her second album, Soul Kiss, won an award for best rock/pop album from a new artist in 1992. This album did much better, reaching No. 14 on the charts.

In 1993, Chara's songs were used in many commercials for big companies like Shiseido. Her song "Mujintō ni Watashi o Motte Itte..." (Take Me to a Deserted Island...) was her first song to make it into the top 100, reaching No. 66. Her album Violet Blue then debuted at No. 4! Her 1994 album, Happy Toy, also reached No. 4, thanks to her song "Atashi Nande Dakishimetain darou?" (Why Do I Wanna Hug Him?).

In 1994, she filmed a movie called Picnic, where she played a patient in a mental hospital. She starred alongside Tadanobu Asano, whom she later married in 1995. Chara then took a short break from music. She released a "best of" album called Chara the Best Baby Baby Baby *** and welcomed her first child, a daughter named Sumire.

Becoming a Star: 1996–2001

In February 1996, Chara started filming her second movie with director Shunji Iwai, called Swallowtail Butterfly. In the movie, she played a girl named Glico who dreams of being a singer. Chara recorded the movie's soundtrack with music producer Takeshi Kobayashi. The music was released under the name Yen Town Band, which was the name of Glico's band in the film.

Before the movie came out, the theme song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)" was released. The movie was a huge success, making Chara very famous. Both the soundtrack album, Montage, and the theme song reached No. 1 on the music charts! Chara was even nominated for a Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her acting.

Chara's fame continued to grow with her next album, Junior Sweet. The main song from this album, "Yasashii Kimochi", was a massive hit, selling over 520,000 copies. It became her second biggest hit after "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)". The album itself sold over 1,000,000 copies!

Her 1999 album, Strange Fruits, also did well, reaching No. 3 and selling over 300,000 copies. Chara then teamed up with Yuki, the singer from the band Judy and Mary, to release a special song called "Ai no Hi Mittsu Orange". This song is Chara's third biggest hit, selling over 230,000 copies.

In 2000, Chara released her second "best of" collection, Caramel Milk: The Best of Chara. In 2001, she released her 8th album, Madrigal, which included two songs she wrote with American guitarist James Iha.

The Mean Machine Band: 2001–2005

In late 2001, Chara started playing drums in an all-girl rock band called Mean Machine. The band included Yuki, actress Ayumi Ito, and other musicians. The idea for the band started in 1998. A rule for the band was that everyone had to try something new, which is why Chara played the drums!

In 2001, the band released their first song, "Sūhā". Chara wrote this song during her second pregnancy, inspired by breathing sounds. Soon after, the band released their first album, Cream.

In 2003, Chara released her 9th solo album, Yoake Mae. In 2004, she released A Scenery Like Me, which had new versions of songs from her earlier albums. This marked the end of her contract with Sony. After this, Chara started releasing her own music, recording songs at home. She released a limited album called Something Blue and a digital song "Hikari no Niwa" (Garden of Light), which was used in the movie March of the Penguins.

Later Career: 2006–Present

Chara returned to a major record label in 2006 with her single "Sekai". Her song "Fantasy" was also a hit, reaching No. 13 on the charts. She wrote it with Seiji Kameda, a famous producer. Her album Union also did very well, reaching the top 5 on the charts. Because of her success, Sony released another collection of her best love songs.

Chara's songs released with Universal Music have done very well on digital music charts. "Trophy", a song from her album Honey, was popular digitally.

After her contract with Universal ended, Chara released a mini-album called Utakata in November 2011. It reached No. 56 on the Oricon charts. In December 2011, Chara announced she was joining Ki/oon Music, another part of Sony Music Japan. She released her first single with them, "Alterna Girlfriend", in June 2012.

In 2014, Chara worked with the music group Basement Jaxx on their song "Wherever You Go" from their album Junto.

Personal Life

In 1994, Chara married actor Tadanobu Asano. They met while filming the movie Picnic. Chara and Asano had a daughter named Sumire on July 4, 1995, and a son named Himi on December 19, 1998. In 2009, Chara and Asano decided to divorce. They remained friendly.

Chara has two tattoos: a blue bird on her back and a sumire flower (violet flower) on her neck. Her children have also been part of her music. Her daughter Sumire is on the cover of her album Honey, which also has a song named after her.

Discography

• Sweet (1991)
• Soul Kiss (1992)
• Violet Blue (1993)
• Happy Toy (1994)
• Montage (1996)
• Junior Sweet (1997)
• Strange Fruits (1999)
• Madrigal (2001)
• Yoake Mae (2003)
• A Scenery Like Me (2004)
• Something Blue (2005)
• Union (2007)
• Honey (2008)
• Carol (2009)
• Dark Candy (2011)
• Cocoon (2012)
• Jewel (2013)
• Secret Garden (2015)
• Diverse Journey (2016)
• Sympathy (2017)
• Baby Bump (2018)

Filmography

Films

Series

TV Music Shows