Lisa Ono

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Also known as

Ono Risa

Genres

bossa nova, MPB, samba, jazz

Instruments

voice, acoustic guitar

Biography

Lisa Ono is a renowned Brazilian-Japanese singer and songwriter, born in São Paulo in 1962. Although she moved to Japan with her family at the age of ten, subsequently dividing her life between Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, she built a solid musical career deeply rooted in Brazilian culture, becoming one of the leading ambassadors of bossa nova and Brazilian popular music in Asia. Influenced by her father, who had connections to the artistic and musical circles, she began singing and playing the acoustic guitar in her teens.

Her professional debut took place in 1989 with the release of the album Catupiry, marking the beginning of a prolific discography that includes dozens of acclaimed works. Throughout her career, Lisa has collaborated with major names in Brazilian music such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, João Donato, Sivuca, Toninho Horta, and Oscar Castro-Neves. Her albums have gained international prominence and significant awards, consolidating her role in spreading Brazilian sounds combined with jazz and global rhythms.

In addition to her strong presence in the Japanese market, where she popularized the genre with her soft voice and signature acoustic guitar style, the artist has taken her music to stages in various countries across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. With striking albums like Dream and Menina, she expanded the frontiers of bossa nova by incorporating elements of folk songs, international pop, and jazz standards, while always keeping her strong connection to her Brazilian roots alive.

Discography

• Dindi (1986)
• Catupiry (1989)
• Nanã (1990)
• Menina (1991)
• Serenata Carioca (1992)
• Namorada (1993)
• Esperança (1994)
• Brazil (1994)
• Minha Saudade (1995)
• Rio Bossa (1996)
• Essencia (1997)
• Bossa Carioca (1998)
• ボッサ・カリオカ (1998)
• Dream (1999)
• Pretty World (2000)
• Boas Festas (2000)
• プリティ・ワールド (2000)
• Lisa's Ono Bossa Hula Nova (2001)
• Bossa Hula Nova (2001)
• Questa Bossa Mia... (2002)
• クエスタ　ボッサ　ミーア... (2002)
• Dans Mon Île – La Musique Française Rencontre La Bossa Nova (2003)
• ボアス・フェスタス＋ (2003)
• Naima ∼Meu Anjo∼ (2004)
• Boas Festas2 ~Feliz Natal~ (2004)
• ボアス・フェスタス２ ～フェリース・ナタウ～ (2004)
• Romance Latino Vol.1 (2005)
• Romance Latino Vol.2 (2005)
• Romance Latino Vol.3 (2005)
• Romance Latino Selection (2005)
• Romance Latino vol.3 -Cuba Caliente Y Su Ritmo Sabroso- (2005)
• Romance Latino vol.2 -Baladas Romanticas Al Ritmo de Bossanova- (2005)
• Romance Latino vol.1 -Los Boleros Al Estilo de Bossanova- (2005)
• Jambalaya - Bossa Americana (2006)
• Lisa Ono = 小野リサ – Take Me Home Country Roads + Night Selection From Jambalaya - Bossa Americana - (2006)
• Around The World (2006)
• Soul & Bossa (2007)
• The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim "Ipanema" (2007)
• Lisa Ono = 小野リサ – Cheek To Cheek - Jazz Standards From Rio (2009)
• Lisa Ono = 小野リサ – Look To The Rainbow - Jazz Standards From L.A. (2009)
• Jazz Standards From L.A. (2009)
• Asia (2010)
• Japao (2011)
• Japão 2 (2013)
• Brasil (2014)
• Japão 3 (2014)
• My Favorite Songs (2015)
• Dancing Bossa (2016)
• 旅そしてふるさと (2018)
• Lisa Ono = 小野リサ – 愛から愛へ~愛の讃歌~ (2019)
• ISLAND CAFE feat. Lisa Ono Ⅱ (2019)
• LISA CAFE Ⅱ～Japão especial (2019)
• Sue Ann (Homage To Antonio Carlos Jobim) (2026)