Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa (b. 1944) is a New Zealand opera singer who had an international career until her retirement in 2017.

Te Kanawa was adopted when she was only a few weeks old by Nell and Thomas Te Kanawa whose family is Ngāti Maniapoto.

As a young woman, Te Kanawa was an entertainer in New Zealand. In 1966 she enrolled at the London Opera Centre and 1st appeared on stage as the Second Lady in the Magic Flute. She began performing overseas from 1971 and became well known after singing at the wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spence in 1981 before something like 600 million people.

In 1982, Kiri Te Kanawa became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, after previously having been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1973.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa returned to live in New Zealand in 2021.