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Mieko Hirota (弘田 三枝子), known by her nickname Mico, was a renowned Japanese singer born in Tokyo on February 5, 1947. She passed away on July 21, 2020. Celebrated for her dynamic vocal abilities, she earned the title of "queen of pops" and was recognized for having "the best singing skill of Japanese women singers" during her era. Hirota began her musical journey at the young age of 7, performing at the US occupation army camp in Tachikawa city. She was influenced by her brother, who was involved in Hawaiian music, and received guidance from a teacher on nursery rhymes and English. In 1961, at the age of 14, she made her debut with Toshiba Music Industry, releasing "Don't Treat Me Like A Child," a cover of Helen Shapiro's song. The following year, she achieved significant success with her cover of "Vacation," originally by Connie Francis. Most of her early releases as a girl pop singer involved covers of Western hits. Music critic Hisao Murata noted that Hirota was instrumental in developing "English-like Japanese" to address the challenges of Western rhythm and melody in the Japanese language. In October 1964, she left Toshiba and joined Nippon Columbia. Hirota made history in July 1965 as the first Japanese singer to perform at the American Newport Jazz Festival, sharing the stage with top jazz musicians, including Carmen Mc

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