Ena Fujita (Japanese: 藤田恵名, Hepburn: Fujita Ena, born July 7, 1990) is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and gravure idol. She is managed by Platinum Production and signed to King Records. Due to her two careers she has dubbed herself a "singer-songradol" (シンガーソングラドル, shingāsonguradoru),[1][2] a portmanteau of "singer-songwriter" and "gradol", an abbreviation of "gravure idol". As a musician she is known for wearing bikinis onstage and for provocative promotional material.

Ena Fujita
Also known asEnamel (エナメル, Enameru), Tiramisu (ティラミス),
MC Bikini (MCビキニ)
Born (1990-07-07) July 7, 1990 (age 34)
Kitakyushu, Japan
GenresRock, pop
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, gravure idol
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2006–present
LabelsGo! Go!, Spacey, King,
JPU (EU)
Websitefujitaena.com

Early life and influences

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Ena Fujita was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture on July 7, 1990.[3] As a child she was inspired to become a singer after performing a Sailor Moon song in front of her family.[4] In October 2005, she won a singing contest in junior high school.[1] As a child she was a fan of pop idols such as Aya Matsuura and Speed.[2] But when she entered the music business she felt it was disingenuous to sing songs that other people wrote and that did not resonate with her, so she vowed to write her own lyrics.[2][4] When she started playing guitar around 2014, she became more interested in rock music like Number Girl and The Blue Hearts. This was a result of recommendations by her frequent collaborator, Ga-ko Tabuchi.[2]

Career

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In June 2006, Fujita started attending the Vanz Entertainment entertainment school in Fukuoka. Her song "Karen" (カレン) was included on the January 2008 omnibus album Vanz Variety Vol. 1.[5] Under the name Ena (エナ), she was drummer of the all-female band Itsuka Minatsu (イツカミナツ) for their 2009 single "Wild Berry".[6]

She moved to Tokyo in January 2010,[3] and started attending vocal classes at Watanabe Entertainment College.[7] In October, she made her first regular appearance on the BS Fuji television show Seishun! Imoto no Mon.

Fujita started activities as a gravure idol in October 2012. She admitted that she had a lot of resistance to the move, as she grew up in a family where she was not allowed to look at gravure.[2] Fujita has a darker alter ego named Tiramisu (ティラミス) who is vocalist of Dolce, a faux-English pop band who made their debut in 2013.[8] In January 2014, Fujita won Tokyo Sports' Miss TōSupo 2014 grand prix.[9] It was around this time that she combined her bikini modeling with her music, and started to learn guitar as she felt it was wrong to be taking photos with one when she could not actually play it.[4] Fujita released the single "Yumehikousen" on October 29, 2014, via Spacey Music Entertainment.

In August 2016 Fujita starred in the horror film Evil Idol Song and transferred to major record label King Records. That same month she released a mini-album of the same name that includes the film's titular theme song.[10] The album Tsuyome no Shinzō followed a year later in August 2017. Its track "Bikini Riot" is performed under her rapping alter ego MC Bikini (MCビキニ).[11] The album was released in Europe by JPU Records under the title Bikini Riot. Fujita was a winner of the 2017 Miss iD idol audition held by Kodansha, and won its Cheerz Award.[12] She and other Miss iD winners appear in the 2018 horror film Vampire Clay, while Fujita also performs its theme song "Watashi Dake ga Inai Sekai".[13]

The single "Ienai Koto wa Uta no Naka" was released in June 2018. Its music video, directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura, was released in two versions as the uncensored one was banned from TV due to its gore.[14] It was followed by "Tsuki ga Tabeteshimatta" in January 2019, which includes a cover of The Pillows' 1996 single "Trip Dancer".[15] Fujita also appears in Ōsama ni nare, a film celebrating The Pillows' 30th anniversary.[16] Her album Iromono was released in June 2019.[17] Nishimura expanded Fujita's 2018 music video "Ienai Koto wa Uta no Naka" into the October 2019 feature film Welcome to Japan: Hinomaru Lunch Box, which the musician also stars in.[18]

Fujita's June 2020 single "Dead Stroke" is the ending theme song to the second season of the anime adaptation of Baki.[19] The song's music video was delayed not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, but also due to the death of professional wrestler Hana Kimura, who was set to co-star in it.[20]

In October 2021, Fujita cancelled two concerts due to both physical and mental exhaustion.[21] In June 2022, Shūkan Bunshun reported that Fujita had married Kenta Tokui of the comedy duo Heisei Nobushi Kobushi earlier that spring.[22] On September 3, 2022, Fujita announced on her blog that she had given birth to her first child.[23]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Album details Oricon
Albums
[24]
2010 First Heart
  • Released: September 18, 2010
2012 Ii Enbai (いい塩梅)
  • Released: January 7, 2012
Osuso Wake (おすそ分け)
  • Released: July 7, 2012
2013 Pastel Parade (パステルパレード)
  • Released: July 7, 2013
  • Label: Go! Go! Records
2014 Reversible!! (リバーシブル!!)
  • Released: July 7, 2014
  • Label: Go! Go! Records
2016 Evil Idol Song
  • Released: August 24, 2016
  • Label: King Records, JPU Records
144
2017 Bikini Riot (強めの心臓, Tsuyome no Shinzō)
  • Released: August 9, 2017
  • Label: King Records, JPU Records
77
2019 Iromono (色者)
  • Released: June 26, 2019
  • Label: King Records
78

Singles

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Year Title Oricon
Singles
[25]
2010 "Taiyō no Wa" (太陽の輪)
  • Released: December 2010
2011 "Zeze Hihi" (是ぜ非ひ)
  • Released: January 2011
"Gyaku-sama no Sasanoyō-sama" (逆様の笹の葉様)
  • Released: July 8, 2011
2012 "Yakō Ressha" (夜行列車)
  • Released: November 15, 2012
2014 "Yumehikousen" (ユメヒコウセン)
  • Released: October 29, 2014
  • Label: Spacey Music Entertainment
106
2018 "Ienai Koto wa Uta no Naka" (言えない事は歌の中)
  • Released: June 20, 2018
  • Label: King Records
62
2019 "Tsuki ga Tabeteshimatta" (月が食べてしまった)
  • Released: January 16, 2019
  • Label: King Records
35
2020 "Dead Stroke
  • Released: June 10, 2020
  • Label: King Records
41

Home videos

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Year Title Oricon
DVDs
2012 Fujita Ena to Hitori Yuenchi Birthday (藤田恵名と一人遊園地バースデイ)
  • Released: October 26, 2012
2013 Crazy Tana Butter (クレイジータナバター)
  • Released: September 7, 2013
2014 Birthday Live Drive 2014 DVD (バースデイ☆ライブドライブ2014DVD)
  • Released: August 16, 2014
2015 Ishu Kakutō-on-waza Vol. 1: Fujita Ena vs Dolce DVD (異種格闘音技Vol.1 藤田恵名vsドルチェ DVD)
  • Released: March 12, 2015
Zigzag Galaxy (ジグザクギャラクシー)
  • Released: November 25, 2015
2016 Mōretsu no Susume! (モーレツのススメ!)
  • Released: December 3, 2016
2018 Ato wa Neru Dake? (あとはねるだけ?)
  • Released: January 27, 2018
2019 Mō Kite Iru (もうきている)
  • Released: June 26, 2019

Filmography

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Image videos
Year Title
2014 Enamel (エナメル)
  • Released: February 20, 2014
2015 Mind Rock
  • Released: July 17, 2015
2016 Hontō ha Dame Nan Desu yo... (本当はダメなんですよ…)
  • Released: June 23, 2016
2017 Kokuhaku Latte Art (告白ラテアート)
  • Released: April 20, 2017
2018 Chiyura Nure (ちゅら濡れ)
  • Released: October 20, 2018
Films
Year Title Role
2017 Evil Idol Song
  • Released: August 9, 2017
Kana Fujisaki
2018 Vampire Clay (血を吸う粘土)
  • Released: July 4, 2018
Reina Tani
2019 Welcome to Japan: Hinomaru Lunch Box
(WELCOME TO JAPAN 日の丸ランチボックス)
  • Released: October 11, 2019
Kika

References

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  1. ^ a b ""シンガーソングラドル"の藤田恵名、最新作は「露出し過ぎずセクシー」". mynavi.jp (in Japanese). May 15, 2017. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "藤田恵名「強めの心臓」インタビュー". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "藤田恵名". Tower Records (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "藤田恵名 『言えない事は歌の中』 〈脱げるシンガー・ソングライター〉が歌に込めた、ジャケット以上にネイキッドな気持ち". Mikiki (in Japanese). June 19, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. ^ "VANZ VARIETY VOL.1". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  6. ^ "アーティスト紹介". Vanz Entertainment (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "4人でパンケーキ【′◡‵】♪". Fujita Ena Official Blog (in Japanese). Ameblo. February 24, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Interview with Ena Fujita". JaME-World. September 12, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  9. ^ "「ミス東スポ2014」グランプリ決定". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 7, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "藤田恵名、AL『EVIL IDOL SONG』でギリギリヌード披露". Barks (in Japanese). July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  11. ^ "藤田恵名ニューアルバム「強めの心臓」発売、ヌードで攻める脱衣盤あり". Natalie (in Japanese). June 30, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  12. ^ "ミスiD 藤田恵名". Miss iD (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  13. ^ "ミスiD2017受賞者の出演作「血を吸う粘土」が夏のホラー秘宝まつりで上映". Natalie (in Japanese). May 23, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "ビキニ姿の藤田恵名「言えない事は歌の中」MVで胸から血しぶき、閲覧注意の"未検閲ver."". Natalie (in Japanese). June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  15. ^ "New Single from Ena Fujita". JaME-World. October 24, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  16. ^ "the pillows30周年記念の映画「王様になれ」に後輩ミュージシャン集結". Natalie (in Japanese). April 28, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  17. ^ "藤田恵名ニューアルバム「色者」でも脱衣、誕生日には"ビキニの暴動"". Natalie (in Japanese). April 22, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "殺し道具はランチボックス、藤田恵名が不良外国人と戦う主演作の予告解禁". Natalie (in Japanese). September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  19. ^ "Baki Goes for a Stroll in Newly Released Creditless ED for Upcoming Anime". Crunchyroll. April 23, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  20. ^ "藤田恵名、『バキ』ED曲MV公開。木村花を予定していた女格闘家役にプロ雀士・和久津晶". Barks (in Japanese). June 17, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  21. ^ "1番脱げるシンガー藤田恵名「心身ともお手上げ」ライブキャンセル続き謝罪". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 28, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "ノブコブ徳井健太(41)の再婚相手は「今、一番脱げるシンガーソングライター」(31)だった". Shūkan Bunshun (in Japanese). June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  23. ^ ""一番脱げるシンガー"藤田恵名、第一子出産を報告「食べづわりで20キロ増えたんよ!」". Livedoor News (in Japanese). September 5, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "藤田恵名のアルバム売り上げランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  25. ^ "藤田恵名のシングル売り上げランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 10, 2017.
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