Kazuko Matsuo, the melancholy diva who bloomed at night - Showa 1959-1992

Kazuko Matsuo, the melancholy diva who bloomed at night - Showa 1959-1992

Kazuko Matsuo (May 17, 1935-September 25, 1992), born in Kamata, Tokyo, was a mood diva in postwar Japan. After graduating from Hakone Meisei Junior High School, she sang jazz in nightclubs and Occupation Forces clubs and attracted attention for her husky voice. 1959 marked her debut with "Good Night Tokyo Night Club," and her emotionally rich singing attracted much attention. The following year, she won the 2nd Japan Record Award for "Dare Yori Kimi wo Aisu" (I Love You More Than Anyone) with Hiroshi Wada and the Mahinas, and became known as the queen of mood songs. Since then, she has had numerous hits, including "Reunion" and "Ginza Blues," and her voice, which colored the urban nightlife, was a mirror reflecting the melancholy and hope of adults in Japan during the period of high economic growth from the postwar era. In his later years, Matsuo suffered from his son's case and the media's overzealous coverage of his work, and died in an accident in 1992 at the age of 57. M
atsuo's voice continues to be reevaluated to this day and remains as a melancholy song that encapsulates the night of the Showa era.