Lisa Ono is a Brazilian-born Japanese singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for bossa nova, Brazilian music, jazz standards and soft Latin-influenced pop. She was born in São Paulo, Brazil, spent her childhood there until age 10, and began singing and playing guitar at 15. Her official biography says she made her recording debut in 1989 with Catupiry and became a major figure in popularizing bossa nova in Japan.
Important albums in her career include Catupiry, Nana, Menina, Bossa Carioca, Dream, Pretty World, Romance Latino Vol. 1–3, Jambalaya – Bossa Americana, The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim “Ipanema”, and Amor pela Bossa Nova: The Best of Lisa Ono. Well-known songs include “Garota de Ipanema,” “Bésame Mucho,” “Samba de Verão,” “Moon River,” “Cachito,” “Quien Sera,” “A Felicidade,” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Music list many of these as top tracks or key catalogue items.
She is known for her relaxed, gentle vocal style, rhythmic guitar playing, and authentic connection to Brazilian music. Her official biography notes that Dream sold over 200,000 copies in Japan, that she has won the Japan Gold Disc Award in the Jazz category four times, and that Brazil honored her with the National Order of Rio Branco in 2013.
