中山美穂
Miho Nakayama (中山 美穂, Nakayama Miho, born 1 March 1970) is a Japanese singer and actress. She made her debut in the 1985 drama Maido Osawagase Shimasu, where her performance lead to instant stardom. Nakayama released her debut single, "C", shortly after, and finished the year with her film debut in the blockbuster Be-Bop High School. She became one of the most popular idols during its "Golden Age" in the 1980s.
Nakayama's early releases as a teen pop artist were moderate sellers, with the singles compilation Collection (1987) becoming her first of three chart-topping studio albums on the Oricon chart. By this point, Nakayama had pivoted towards a dance-oriented sound and achieved five consecutive number one singles. Her best known songs from this period include "Waku Waku Sasete", "50/50", "Catch Me" and "You're My Only Shinin' Star".
By the 1990s, her artistry began to mature as she penned lyrics and recorded ballads, resulting in several platinum singles and her biggest sales: "Tōi Machi no Doko ka de..." (1991), "Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto" (1992) with Wands, and "Tada Nakitaku Naru no" (1994).
Nakayama received positive reviews for her lead roles in Love Letter (1995) and Tokyo Weather (1997); the former remains as her most recognizable credit internationally.
Since 1985, she is represented by Big Apple Co., Ltd. Nicknamed Miporin (ミポリン), Nakayama occasionally uses the pseudonyms Mizuho Kitayama (北山 瑞穂, Kitayama Mizuho) or Issaque (一咲, Issaku) when she writes song lyrics.
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