Sheena Ringo, stage name of Shinozaki Noriko, was born January 21, 1978 in Tokyo, Japan. Her parents were both musicians, and her mother named her after the musician Sheena Easton. She eventually inherited both their love of, and talent in, music.
Ringo's musical upbringing and taste gave rise to her complicated, free-wheeling style, which would later become her signature sound. Her natural musicality initially had her playing the piano that her mother taught her how to play, though she also took to guitar and percussion instruments shortly thereafter.
Ringo found further inspiration from many disparate musical genres. She tracked down albums from all over the world, including punk, rap, jazz, blues, folk, soul, and classical music, eventually managing to create her own unique sound.
Ringo started her music career at the age of 17 with the release of her debut single, “Musou Kareshi†(The Insurmountable Lover). She gained increasing recognition both locally and internationally at the same age while working as both a solo artist and part of the pop band Tinkerbell’s Middleburg Band.
Ringo has enjoyed massive success with over 35 million lifetime countrywide sales. She won several awards and accolades for her achievements, including a Japanese Record Grand Prix prize for her third album “Utakata no Hibi†in 2005, and the highest honor from the Japan Academy Prize for her movie theme song, “Uta†for the movie Tokyo Tower in 2007.
Public recognition of Ringo's influence on Japanese music increased when she was featured in NHK's special “Sheena Ringo and Contemporary Music History†in 2013. She later received an honor from the Japanese Music Critics' Awards in 2014.
In 2017, Sheona Ringo debuted as a movie director with “Yumejiâ€, a live-action movie adaptation from a manga series of the same name. Along with male lead actor Satoshi Tsumabuki, the movie was granted audiences across Japan, and earned Ringo a reputations s both a director and scriptwriter.
Her reputation spread quickly gaining numeorus views and compliments across the globe. Ringo is the first female poet in Japanese history to be granted the Akutoglu Poetry Award for her outstanding writing.
She reveals that the best way to express her emotions and explore her potentials is through music. Earlier in her career, Ringo especially used music to integrate her personal mishaps and experiences into a concept and in her newest albums she discloses her simple wishes, sorrows - coupled with moments of pure sincerity and emotion.
Her credible and significant influence on the Japanese music industry has reconnected Japanese music with its historical roots and created a cosmopolitan attitude allowing her fans to travel through different cultures and time.
Ringo is a universal artist whose lyrics can reach even the most distant fans, making her one of the most loved and captivating Japanese singers. Her voice continues to flatten listeners every year, making her one of the most influential and enduring singers in both Japan and beyond.