Anna Sato
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Artist Profile
Anna SatoBeginning at the age of three, she learned Amami Shima-uta (traditional folk songs from the Amami Islands) from her grandfather and went on to win numerous competitions. In 2005, she made her professional debut by performing at the opening event of the 'Expo 2005 Aichi' (World Expo), which was produced by Kansai Yamamoto.
In 2013, she was selected through an open audition for the role of Fantine in the new production of the musical Les Misérables - her first foray into musical theater-and reprised the role for the 2015 run.
In 2016, she performed at a vocal music festival on the French island of Corsica. That same year, she participated in the production *ICON*-choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui-at the Gothenburg Opera in Sweden, and held her first solo *Shima-uta* concert in New York.
Subsequently, she formed the duo 'Anna Sato × Toshiyuki Sasaki' with Toshiyuki Sasaki, developing a musical style that fuses *Shima-uta* with elements of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. In 2017, she successfully held a solo concert in Paris and performed at various festivals both in Japan and abroad.
In 2018, she collaborated with flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena on the production *Cuentos de Azúcar*, earning high acclaim during performances in Spain and France. That same year, she provided vocals for the theme song of the NHK historical drama *Segodon* and appeared in the series as Sato Chiyogane, the sister-in-law of the character Aikana.
In 2021, she released the album *MAI Brisa Con Tres Aromas*, a collaborative project recorded remotely with Mariana Baraj (from Salta, Argentina) and Irma Osno (from Ayacucho, Peru).
In 2022, she performed alongside Mariana Baraj and Mayunkiki at the 'SUKIYAKI MEETS THE WORLD' festival in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, where they explored the connections between Amami, Ainu, and South American musical traditions. In 2023, she provided the voice for Shiver (Fuka) of Deep Cut in the video game *Splatoon 3*. That same year, she received high acclaim for her appearance at the opening ceremony of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in the United States, and also performed in the production *Yachabo Utaunagu* by the dance troupe Dairakudakan (led by Akaji Maro).
In 2025, she participated once again in 'SUKIYAKI MEETS THE WORLD,' engaging in a cultural exchange performance with the group Lindigo Family from Réunion Island, through which they created a new form of expression that transcends traditional boundaries.
In 2026, she appeared as a chanter (*utai-te*) in the musical drama *Ghosts and Monsters of Regret: 'Coral' and 'Maruyamacho,' written and directed by Toshiki Okada.