Singer-actress Sayaka Kanda has recently passed away.
According to Kyodo News, on 18 December, the Japanese actress was found lying in an outdoor space on the 14th floor of a 22-storey hotel in Sapporo, northern Japan where she was staying at around 1pm – after she did not show up for her performance in the musical “My Fair Lady” that afternoon.
She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Her studio expressed, “Kanda’s office issued an official statement regarding her passing, which stated, “It is with extreme sadness that we announce her death to her fans and those who have supported her. We still are unable to accept her passing and trying to cope with it.”
While the police are investigating the case as probable suicide, they have not ruled out foul play.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Sayaka’s parents, actor Masaki Kanda and singer Seiko Matsuda have yet to accept what had happened. Sayaka was known to be their only child.
A versatile performer, Sayaka has released multiple albums and starred in various movies, TV shows and stage productions, as well as being a voice actor. She is most known for voicing the character Anna for the Japanese dub for “Frozen” and “Kingdom Hearts III”.
Her last anime role was Mana Nagase in 2021’s “Idoly Pride”.
She was 35.
(Photo Source: Sayaka Kanda Instagram)