She graduated from the Musashino Academia Musicae in 1933, and soon obtained a job as a music instructor at the Yokohama Gakuen Women’s High School.

Per the advice and recommendation of Tamaki Tokuyama, her mentor from the Musashino Academia, she transferred to Victor, who released her debut song in 1934.

When the lead singer, Chikoko Kobayashi suddenly dropped out of the performance, Watanabe was quickly promoted to understudy, and played the role of a fisherman’s daughter alongside Ichirō Fujiyama and Roppa Furukawa.

In 1950, she participated in the first tour of Japanese artists to the United States, making performances in various cities, and capitalizing on her part-American ancestry.

Her life story was made into a television movie, Senjō no Melody, released on Fuji TV in September 2009, with Hiroko Yakushimaru playing the role of Watanabe.