Marlene (Japanese singer)

{{Short description|Filipino-born Japanese jazz vocalist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{nihongo|Marlene|マリーン|Marīn|extra=born 4 January 1960}} is a Filipina jazz vocalist{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2007/05/25/music/cd-reviews/marlene-meets-masato-honda-b-b-station-jazz-n-out/|title=Marlene meets Masato Honda B.B. Station "Jazz 'n Out"|website=Japantimes.co.jp|date=25 May 2007}} from Manila, Philippines mainly active in Japan. Her real name has been cited as Marlene dela Peña{{cite web|url=http://2016.mb.com.ph/2016/03/09/marlene-dela-pena-highest-paid-pinay-jazz-artist-in-japan/|title=Marlene dela Peña: Highest paid Pinay jazz artist in Japan|date=2016-03-09|website=Mb.com.ph}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.jazz.co.jp/musicians/marin.html|title=Jazz Singer "Marlene" Profile|website=Jazz.co.jp}}

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.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.discogs.com/Marlene-16-With-Seawind-Summer-Nights/master/489161|subject1=Marlene|subject2=Seawind|title=Summer Nights|via=Discogs |year=1982 }} and her album Stay With Me which reached No. 28 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in the 90’s.{{Cite web |last=Belen |first=Crispina M. |date=2021-01-14 |title=Marlene dela Pena: Acclaimed Pinay jazz artist in Japan! |url=https://celebrityworldph.wordpress.com/2021/01/14/marlene-dela-pena-acclaimed-pinay-jazz-artist-in-japan/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Celebrity World Ph |via=WordPress.com }} Her sixth album, Looking for Love,{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-326949|title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts|website=Offiziellecharts.de|accessdate=25 May 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/album/Marlene-JP/Looking-For-Love-326949|title=MARLENE [JP] - LOOKING FOR LOVE|website=Hitparade.ch|accessdate=25 May 2018}} was also recorded in Los Angeles in 1984.{{cite web|url=http://www.sessiondays.com/2018/03/1984-marlene-looking-love/|title=1984 Marlene - Looking For Love|website=Sessiondays.com}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://2016.mb.com.ph/2016/03/09/marlene-dela-pena-highest-paid-pinay-jazz-artist-in-japan/|title=Marlene dela Peña: Highest paid Pinay jazz artist in Japan|date=9 March 2016|website=2016.mb.com.ph|accessdate=25 May 2018}} In 2016 she teamed up with Jiro Yoshida, Makoto Kuriya and released the album Cubic Magic under the group name Threesome,{{Cite web |title=CUBIC MAGIC |url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/threesome/discography/SICJ-10001 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=THREESOME (Marlene, Jiro Yoshida, Makoto Kuriya) {{!}} ソニーミュージックオフィシャルサイト |language=ja}} followed by the album Whatever! in 2017. Marlene was the subject of Mundo ni Juan sa Japan, a television film documentary in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7752119/|title=Marlene Dela Peña|website=IMDb.com|accessdate=25 May 2018}}

She has appeared in two Japanese films — Nantonaku (2007) and Karanukan (2017), where she played the character "Yukie".{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2018/06/29/1828765/jazz-time-marlene#xL5rlglpiCjKfB2K.99|title = Jazz in time with Marlene |date = 2018-06-29 | website=The Philippine Star }}