中森明菜

Nakamori Akina (中森明菜) is a Japanese soloist and former idol.

Nakamori started in show business after auditioning for the talent scouting TV show Star Tanjou!. She did not clear the preliminary rounds in 1979 and 1980's contests, but won 1st place in 1981 with a record breaking score, guaranteeing her a recording contract.

She debuted as an idol in 1982 with the single slow motion, but it did not sell as planned. However, her subsequent single Shoujo A (少女A) became a huge hit, and after that she became one of the best selling artists of the 1980s.