Hatsumi Shibata

Hatsumi Shibata (née Kanna; born April 11, 1952, in Shinjuku, Tokyo) was a Japanese jazz vocalist known for her distinctive voice and international performances. Born into a musical family—her father was jazz pianist Yasushi Shibata and her mother a vocalist—she began performing at the age of nine at a US military officers' club. She debuted as Hatsumi Kanna in 1968 with Victor Records, releasing "Otome no Kisetsu" as her debut single.

After graduating from high school, she spent two years in the United States before returning to Japan and debuting as Hatsumi Shibata in 1974 with Nippon Columbia, releasing the single "Gokey." In the 1970s, she studied jazz under Yuzuru Sera and released The Woman Who Sings the Blues in 1975. Her 1977 single, "My Luxury Night," peaked at number 17 on the Oricon charts.

Throughout her career, Shibata performed extensively as a live concert artist both domestically and internationally. She received numerous accolades, including the 1968 Shinjuku Music Festival Gold Award (as Hatsumi Kanna), several awards at the Tokyo Music Festival in 1975, the 1977 TV Asahi Special Award for "Sound in 'S'," and the prestigious 1996 Japan Jazz Vocal Grand Prize.

Shibata passed away on March 27, 2010, at age 57, due to a heart attack.