PRIDEMiki Imai1rank/position

Miki Imai - 'PRIDE' Music Video

A gem of a love song that portrays a woman pledging her heart to the Southern Cross.

The deep affection for the lover who taught her both loneliness and freedom soaks into the heart through Miki Imai’s translucent vocals.

Written and composed by Tomoyasu Hotei, the song was released in November 1996 and topped the Oricon charts for three consecutive weeks.

Chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “Doc,” it became a massive hit, selling 1.

6 million copies.

In 2006, the couple appeared together on the 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, delivering the performance with Hotei’s guitar accompaniment.

A heartwarming anthem that conveys the joy and ache of love, and the strength to turn feelings for a beloved into pride.

Recommended for those who want to keep moving forward while thinking of someone precious.

PIECE OF MY WISHMiki Imai2rank/position

Miki Imai – PIECE OF MY WISH

“PIECE OF MY WISH,” renowned as one of Miki Imai’s classic ballads, is a spot-on generational anthem for many women in their 50s.

In live performances, it’s sometimes sung a cappella, which shows how complete the vocal line is.

The range is on the narrower side, from mid1 F# to hi C, and the pitch movement isn’t very extreme.

However, because of Miki Imai’s vocal timbre, the song uses a lot of mixed voice and falsetto, so when actually singing it, you’ll need to adjust the key to suit your own voice.

If you’re not confident in your singing, try setting the highest notes so they sit around the boundary between mixed voice and chest voice.

Blue RainMiki Imai3rank/position

Miki Imai – “Blue Rain” [TV Asahi drama “A Woman of the Crime Lab” theme song]

A track from Miki Imai’s 20th original album, “Sky,” released in June 2018.

It’s a very gentle, mellow ballad, sung quietly as if murmuring or whispering, so it may be one of the best choices for women in their 40s to sing.

It’s true that when you really pursue this kind of “soft singing,” it can be more difficult to master than songs that call for belting, but if you’re just enjoying it at your usual karaoke, there’s no need to worry that much.

She and TIP ON DUOMiki Imai4rank/position

She and TIP ON DUO

This is a famous song by Miki Imai that leaves a strong impression with its portrayal of an independent woman who gracefully moves on from heartbreak.

The lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto and the music composed by Chika Ueda, and the urban, smooth sound is wonderfully stylish.

While acknowledging where her former partner is now, the lyrics depict her stepping forward flexibly into her own future; combined with Imai’s transparent vocals, it’s a song that seems to breathe a refreshing breeze into the listener’s heart.

Released in August 1988, the track was used in a Shiseido campaign and became a major talking point.

Jun Sato, who arranged the piece, is also known for winning the Arranger Award at the 30th Japan Record Awards for this sophisticated production.

Why not enjoy this song as background music for a weekend drive or a relaxing café time?

From a distant townMiki Imai5rank/position

From a distant town

Miki Imai’s hidden gem “Tooi Machi Kara” (“From a Distant Town”).

Released in 2015, it remains one of her most serene and cherished masterpieces among fans.

While the song doesn’t have a particularly narrow vocal range, it can be sung throughout in a whispery style, making it easier to perform than it sounds.

It may seem like a high-pitched song, but it doesn’t require falsetto, and the higher notes can be reached smoothly by thinning the voice.

It’s recommended for those whose natural pitch is high but who struggle with vocal power.

A Bouquet of Kisses in the RainMiki Imai6rank/position

Miki Imai - A Bouquet of Kisses in the Rain

Miki Imai’s classic “Bouquet of Kisses in the Rain.” The song was composed by singer-songwriter KAN and is characterized by a gentle, straightforward melody.

Because Miki Imai sings it, many people may feel it’s high, but in reality the range isn’t that wide, and there are no sudden high notes.

As long as you sing it in a key that suits you, you should be able to handle every part without any issues.

Consider adding it to your repertoire.

HikariMiki Imai7rank/position

Miki Imai – “Hikari” [Theme Song for the TV Asahi drama “A Woman of the Crime Lab” (Kasouken no Onna)]

Speaking of Miki Imai, many women in their 50s have been listening to her in real time and absolutely love her, and I imagine many have made her songs karaoke staples.

Among them, this particular song was featured in the TV drama “Kasōken no Onna” (Woman of the Crime Lab), so it’s well known across a wide range of age groups and comes highly recommended.