Marlene (Japanese singer)

Marlene (マリーン, Marīn, born 4 January 1960) is a Filipina jazz vocalist[1] from Manila, Philippines mainly active in Japan. Her real name has been cited as Marlene dela Peña[2] or Marlene Pena Lim. Marlene moved to Japan in the late 1970s and released her first single through EMI Japan in 1979 before signing a contract with CBS Sony in 1981, recording albums twice a year. In 1983 two of her albums appeared on the Oricon charts. Deja Vu reached #8, while Magic (sometimes listed as It's Magic in English) reached #5, each enjoying sales of over 150,000 records.[3]

In the United States, Marlene is known for her work with Seawind, with whom she recorded her second album Summer Nights in Los Angeles in 1982.[4] and her album Stay With Me which reached No. 28 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in the 90’s.[5] Her sixth album, Looking for Love,[6][7] was also recorded in Los Angeles in 1984.[8] With the Mal Waldron/Billy Holiday composition Left alone recorded on the soundtrack of the Haruki Kadokawa movie Kyabare (Cabaret) she scored a hit in Japan in 1986. She has recorded 31 albums in total so far and is the highest paid Pinay jazz artist in Japan.[9] In 2016 she teamed up with Jiro Yoshida, Makoto Kuriya and released the album Cubic Magic under the group name Threesome,[10] followed by the album Whatever! in 2017. Marlene was the subject of Mundo ni Juan sa Japan, a television film documentary in 2015.[11]

She has appeared in two Japanese films — Nantonaku (2007) and Karanukan (2017), where she played the character "Yukie".[12]

Discography[13][14] edit

Studio albums
Year Album Label
1981 Just Like First Love CBS/Sony
1982 Summer Nights (with Seawind Horns) CBS/Sony
1982 My Favorite Songs CBS/Sony
1983 Déjà Vu CBS/Sony
1983 (It's Magic) CBS/Sony
1984 Looking For Love Sony Music
1984 Foot Print - Best Selection CBS/Sony
1985 Be Pop CBS/Sony
1985 Softly, As A Morning Sunrise CBS/Sony
1986 Just A Woman CBS/Sony
1987 This Time CBS/Sony
1988 Affection CBS/Sony
1988 Stay Beautiful CBS/Sony
1988 Left Alone CBS/Sony
1989 Stylish CBS/Sony
1990 The Best Of Marlene CBS/Sony
1990 Marlene Who Ring
1991 The Best Of The Best CBS/Sony
1991 Unforgettable You Who Ring
1993 We're All Alone CBS/Sony
1997 Ipangako Sa Akin Viva
1994 Stay With Me Toshiba-EMI
1998 What's New Ém Èm Gee
2005 Golden Best GT
2007 Jazz'n Out BMG
2007 Marlene meets Masato Honda B. B. Station RCA
2009 Marlene Sings Nettai Jazz RCA
2011 Initial Sony
2013 Marlene Sings Donna Summer Sony

Marlene with Threesome

  • 2016 Cubic Magic (Sony)
  • 2017 Whatever! (Sony)
Marlene as guest artist
  • 1986 - Left Alone (Song) - Kyabare (Cabaret) Movie Soundtrack[15]

References edit

  1. ^ "Marlene meets Masato Honda B.B. Station "Jazz 'n Out"". Japantimes.co.jp. 25 May 2007.
  2. ^ "Marlene dela Peña: Highest paid Pinay jazz artist in Japan". Mb.com.ph.
  3. ^ "Jazz Singer "Marlene" Profile". Jazz.co.jp.
  4. ^ "Marlene (16) With Seawind - Summer Nights". Discogs. 1982.
  5. ^ Belen, Crispina M. (14 January 2021). "Marlene dela Pena: Acclaimed Pinay jazz artist in Japan!". Celebrity World Ph. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  7. ^ "MARLENE [JP] - LOOKING FOR LOVE". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  8. ^ "1984 Marlene - Looking For Love". Sessiondays.com.
  9. ^ "Marlene dela Peña: Highest paid Pinay jazz artist in Japan". 2016.mb.com.ph. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  10. ^ "CUBIC MAGIC". THREESOME (Marlene, Jiro Yoshida, Makoto Kuriya) | ソニーミュージックオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Marlene Dela Peña". IMDb.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Jazz in time with Marlene". The Philippine STAR.
  13. ^ "Discography". area52.lalalu.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Marlene (16)". Discogs (in German). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  15. ^ Various - Cabaret = キャバレー, 1986, retrieved 10 July 2022

External links edit