Chara

Miwa Watabiki (綿引 美和), better known by her stage name Chara (ちゃら), is a Japanese singer, actress and video jockey.

From 1984 onward, she worked as a keyboardist in several different unsigned bands.

During this time, she found part-time work as a roller-skating waitress.

In 1988, to get a chance to sing her own compositions, she decided to become a band vocalist instead.

Her first live performance was at the Shinjuku Ruido live house in 1990.

Chara sent a demo tape to Sony Music in 1990, which caught the attention of Masahiro Ohara and landed her a deal with Epic Records Japan She recorded her debut album in early 1991 in Tokyo and London, and debuted in September with a performance at the Shibuya Club Quattro and the release of her debut single Heaven.

In October, Chara became a personality on the ANN music show Video Jam, and later in November released her debut album Sweet.

The album was not very successful, only reaching No. 64 on Oricon's album charts.

She debuted in 1991 with the single Heaven.

Chara's career gained more momentum after her first tour, Chara Live "Sweet" in May 1992.

She became a radio personality for the FM Yokohama, with her own radio show Yokohama Chara Machi 8-4-7 (横浜チャラ町8-4-7), and her second album, Soul Kiss, won the 1992 Japan Record Award for best rock/pop album from a new artist.

The album reached No. 14 on the album charts.

In 1993, she starred in many different commercials (or had her songs featured in them), including commercials for Suntory, Shiseido, Marui and Snow Brand ice creams.

Her single "Mujintō ni Watashi o Motte Itte..."

(無人島に私をもっていって・・・), the song used in the Shiseido campaign, was her first top 100 charting single, reaching No. 66.

The resulting album, Violet Blue, debuted at No. 4 on the charts.

Her 1994 album, Happy Toy, riding on the success of her first top 50 single "Atashi Nande Dakishimetain darou?"

(あたしなんで抱きしめたいんだろう?), also debuting at No. 4.

In spring 1994, she filmed the Shunji Iwai film Picnic, in which she played a mental patient.

The film would not be released for another two years.

She starred aside Tadanobu Asano, whom she married in 1995.

Chara took a short break from music, releasing Chara the Best Baby Baby Baby XXX and giving birth to her first child, a girl named Sumire (菫).Sumire means violet.

She is known for her song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)", the theme song for the 1996 Shunji Iwai film Swallowtail Butterfly in which she starred, her 1997 hit single "Yasashii Kimochi", and her collaboration with Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki, "Ai no Hi Mittsu Orange".

Chara later formed a band with Yuki, called Mean Machine.

Chara grew up in Kawaguchi, Saitama.

She started learning the piano from age four, and starting composing songs in elementary school.

In her first year of elementary school, she performed a song she had written, "Sayonara" (サヨナラ), at a school piano recital.

She originally received her nickname Chara in junior high school, after a teacher called her this.

She was so well known by this name that even some of her friends did not know her real name.

She continues to use this name as she believes it brings out her inner child.

After finishing high school, Chara went to Tokyo to a vocational school, majoring in music and specialising in piano.

However, she dropped out one year into her two-year degree.

In February 1996, Chara began filming her second film for Iwai, titled Swallowtail Butterfly.

She played Glico (グリコ), a slum prostitute with musical aspirations.

Chara recorded the soundtrack for the movie, collaborating with Mr. Children music producer Takeshi Kobayashi to create a Beatles-esque sound.

The music was released under the name Yen Town Band, the name of the band Glico forms in the film.

Before the movie's release, the theme song "Swallowtail Butterfly (Ai no Uta)" was released, along with Chara's first film with Iwai, Picnic, finding a proper cinema release.

The film was a massive hit, propelling Chara to stardom.

Both the concept album, Montage, and the theme song reached No. 1 on Oricon charts.

Her performance awarded her a Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role nomination.