Marlene (Japanese singer)


Marlene is a Filipina jazz vocalist from Manila, Philippines mainly active in Japan. Her real name has been cited as Marlene dela Peña 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 reached #5, each enjoying sales of over 150,000 records.
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. and her album Stay With Me which reached No. 28 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in the 90’s. Her sixth album, Looking for Love, was also recorded in Los Angeles in 1984. With the Mal Waldron/Billy Holiday composition Left alone recorded on the soundtrack of the Haruki Kadokawa movie Kyabare 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. In 2016 she teamed up with Jiro Yoshida, Makoto Kuriya and released the album Cubic Magic under the group name Threesome, followed by the album Whatever! in 2017. Marlene was the subject of Mundo ni Juan sa Japan, a television film documentary in 2015.
She has appeared in two Japanese films — Nantonaku and Karanukan, where she played the character "Yukie".

Discography

Sources:
; Studio albums
YearAlbumLabel
1981Just Like First LoveCBS/Sony
1982Summer Nights CBS/Sony
1982My Favorite SongsCBS/Sony
1983Déjà VuCBS/Sony
1983CBS/Sony
1984Looking For LoveSony Music
1984Foot Print - Best SelectionCBS/Sony
1985Be PopCBS/Sony
1985Softly, As A Morning SunriseCBS/Sony
1986Just A WomanCBS/Sony
1987This TimeCBS/Sony
1988AffectionCBS/Sony
1988Stay BeautifulCBS/Sony
1988Left AloneCBS/Sony
1989StylishCBS/Sony
1990The Best Of MarleneCBS/Sony
1990MarleneWho Ring
1991The Best Of The BestCBS/Sony
1991Unforgettable YouWho Ring
1993We're All AloneCBS/Sony
1997Ipangako Sa AkinViva
1994Stay With MeToshiba-EMI
1998What's NewÉm Èm Gee
2005Golden BestGT
2007Jazz'n OutBMG
2007Marlene meets Masato Honda B. B. StationRCA
2009Marlene Sings Nettai JazzRCA
2011InitialSony
2013Marlene Sings Donna SummerSony