平田志穂子 (Shihoko Hirata)

Shihoko Hirata, known professionally as SHIHOCO, is a Japanese singer from Kanagawa Prefecture best recognized as the lead vocalist behind the theme songs of the Persona 4 video game and its anime adaptation, Persona 4: The Animation. Her voice became closely associated with the Atlus RPG series through tracks like «Heaven», «Pursuing My True Self», and «Reach Out to the Truth», which helped define the emotional and pop-driven sound of the franchise's soundtrack.

Hirata's musical foundation runs deep: she studied classical piano from age six to seventeen, then discovered 70s and 90s soul music in her early teens, which pulled her toward singing. Her college years brought her into a band setting, and she later formalized her vocal skills through gospel training at the Soul Bird Musical School and further study under vocal teacher Mineko Yamashita.

Her catalogue blends pop, rock, and rap-inflected production, reflecting the genre-crossing style typical of Japanese video game soundtracks. Beyond studio recordings, she performs regularly with the Persona Music Band, touring Japan and bringing the game's music to a live audience of devoted fans.