Teshima Aoi

Teshima Aoi promoting Miss AOI - Bonjour, Paris! (2012)

Teshima Aoi (手嶌葵) is a voice actor/singer hailing from Fukuoka. She debuted as a seiyuu in the lead role in the Studio Ghibli anime movie Ged Senki, which was made by the acclaimed anime artist Miyazaki Hayao's son Miyazaki Goro. Simultaneously, she debuted in the music world under the major label YAMAHA MUSIC. Her debut single, "Therru no Uta", reached #5 on Oricon charts and has sold over 220,000 copies.

Profile

• Name: Teshima Aoi (手嶌葵)
• Birthday: June 21, 1987 (1987-06-21)
• Birthplace: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
• Height: 174cm (5 ft. 8 in.)
• Religion: Christian
• Favourite Colours: Black, Blue
• Favourite Musical Genre: Jazz
• Favourite Artists: Bette Midler, Louis Armstrong, Nat "King" Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Blues Brothers
• Favourite Actor: Audrey Hepburn
• Favourite Movies: Little Lord Fauntleroy, Porco Rosso, Roman Holiday
• First CD She Bought: The Blues Brothers - Best of the Blues Brothers

Information

Teshima Aoi promoting La Vie En Rose ~I Love Cinemas~ (2009)

Teshima was born in Fukuoka in 1987. From when she was little she liked watching musicals and Disney movies. Other than this, not much is known about her early life, except that in 2003 and 2004 she entered the TEENS' MUSIC FESTIVAL in Fukuoka. She also performed at the Nikkan Slow Music no Sekai concert in March 2005 in Korea.

Suzuki Toshio, the producer of many Ghibli films, first heard Teshima's voice in a demo CD given to him by a man from YAMAHA MUSIC. The CD featured three Jazz standards: "Moon River", "La Vie En Rose" and Bette Midler's 1980 hit song "The Rose". He was impressed so much that he offered Teshima the chance to sing for the up and coming Studio Ghibli anime movie Ged Senki. She accepted, and only two weeks after Suzuki hearing her demo CD, Teshima sung and recorded the Ged Senki insert song "Therru no Uta". Later in 2006, Teshima debuted in both the music and voice acting worlds with the announcement that she would be singing for Ged Senki, as well as voice acting one of the main characters, Therru.

Teshima's debut single, "Therru no Uta", as well as being used for Ged Senki, was used in an Asahi Inryo commercial. The song is based upon a poem called 'Kokoro' that was written by the famous Japanese poet Hagiwara Sakutaro. Miyazaki Goro himself composed the tune. The single was a one-tracked single and low priced (500yen), which reached a surprisingly high position of #5 on Oricon charts. Furthermore, it stayed in the top 10 for six non-consecutive weeks, selling a total of over 220,000 copies.

Teshima followed up this single a month later with her debut album, Ged Senki Kashuu (which includes songs the two songs she sung for the soundtrack album ("Therru no Uta" and the ending theme song, "Toki no Uta" as well as other songs inspired by Ged Senki). However, this album did not fare as well commercially as its single counterpart. The album only reached up to #20 on the charts and to date has sold 45,000 copies; roughly 1/4 of that of the single.

While there was a period of inactivity after these releases, it was announced in December 2006 that Teshima would release a new eight track album called Haru no Kashuu in 2007.

Teshima says that she gets her inspiration as a musician and as a seiyuu from reading books and looking at beautiful paintings.

Trivia

Teshima Aoi promoting Gedo Senki Kashu (2006)

Teshima Aoi promoting Haru no Kashu (2007)

Teshima Aoi promoting Niji no Kashu (2008)

Teshima Aoi promoting Christmas Songs (2010)

Teshima Aoi promoting Kokurikozaka Kara no Kashu (2011)

• Was raised listening to American Jazz artists growing up. She is noted for her almost perfect English and her cover albums are all sung in English.
• Does not like ramen noodles.
• Has been a Studio Ghibli fan since childhood.
• Suzuki Toshio's favourite song on Aoi's demo tape was "The Rose".
• The meaning of her first name is Hollyhock.
• Took up voice acting Therru as her brother liked Ghibli, but was originally going to decline the role.
• Wanted to be a librarian or a bookstore owner when she was little.
• Was going to debut in 2008, before the offer to sing for Ghibli arose.
• Would like to go to England or France.
• She looks up to Bette Midler, Louis Armstrong, Nat "King" Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.

Discography

Albums

• [2006.07.12] Gedo Senki Kashu (ゲド戦記歌集; 'Tales from Earthsea' Anthology)
• [2007.02.07] Haru no Kashu (春の歌集; Spring Anthology)
• [2008.07.23] Niji no Kashu (虹の歌集; Rainbow Anthology)
• [2011.07.06] Kokurikozaka Kara no Kashu (コクリコ坂から歌集; Anthology From Kokuriko Hill)

Compilation Albums

• [2011.11.09] Collection Blue

Cover Albums

• [2008.03.05] The Rose ~I Love Cinemas~
• [2009.10.07] La Vie En Rose ~I Love Cinemas~
• [2010.11.24] Christmas Songs (クリスマス・ソングス)
• [2012.12.12] Miss AOI - Bonjour, Paris!

Singles

• [2006.06.07] Therru no Uta (テルーの唄; Therru's Song)
• [2007.10.03] Kiseki no Hoshi (奇跡の星; Miracle Star)
• [2008.06.04] Niji (虹; Rainbow)
• [2011.06.01] Sayonara no Natsu ~Kokurikozaka Kara~ (さよならの夏～コクリコ坂から～; Summer of Farewell ~From Kokuriko Hill~)

Digital Singles

• [2007.02.07] Kishi wo Hanareru Hi (岸を離れる日; The Day I Push Off from the Shore)
• [2008.05.07] Kazoku no Fuukei (CM Version) (家族の風景 (CMバージョン); Family Scene)
• [2008.10.15] Can't Help Falling In Love
• [2008.12.24] Hikari / Tsuki no Nukumori (光 / 月のぬくもり; Light / Warmth of the Moon)
• [2009.03.11] Tsuredzure Youbi (徒然曜日; Boring, Regular Day)
• [2009.09.16] La Vie En Rose
• [2009.11.04] Kono Michi (この道; This Road)
• [2010.04.07] Ima wo Ikite (いまを生きて; Live for Today)
• [2010.04.07] Because (Teshima Aoi x Kanno Yoko)
• [2010.11.03] Ryuusei (流星; Meteor)
• [2012.04.11] Kori no Daichi (氷の大地; Land of Ice)
• [2012.12.05] Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (手をとりあって (Let Us Cling Together); Hand in Hand)

Compilation / Other

• [2006.07.12] Ged Senki Original Soundtrack (#13 Therru no Uta (Movie Version), #21 Toki no Uta)
• [2008.03.05] Kaimin CD ~Dreams II~ (#7 Negaigoto)
• [2008.03.12] Dreams 2 II (#3 Negaigoto)
• [2008.11.26] Studio Glibi no Uta (#10 Therru no Uta)
• [2009.03.25] CHAGE - Many Happy Returns (#4 Uso with Teshima Aoi)
• [2010.01.27] Nihon no Uta (#11 Yuki no Furu Machi wo with Sakamoto Ryuichi)
• [2010.11.17] Ohashi Trio - NEWOLD (#7 Mayonaka no Merry Go Round Ohashi Trio with Teshima Aoi)
• [2011.05.11] Dreams for Babys -Tensaiji wo Sodateru Akachan no Tame no Suimin Ongaku- (#7 The Rose)
• [2011.07.13] "From Kokuriko Hill" Original Soundtrack (Kokuriko Zaka Kara) (#1 Asa Gohan no Uta; #11 Hatsukoi no Koro; #29 Sayonara no Natsu ~Kokurikozaka Kara~)
• [2012.01.25] image 12 douze emotional & relaxing (#5 Ruriiro no Chikyuu)
• [2012.09.19] Ohashi Trio - White (#13 Mayonaka no Merry Go Round with Teshima Aoi)
• [2012.04.25] f.e.n. - Tokyo Cafe Style #1 Story (#10 Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara with Ikeda Ayako and Teshima Aoi)
• [2012.11.26] Lights of Life -Ashita no Tameni- (#5 Genki wo Dashite)

Filmography

• [2006] Gedo Senki - Therru
• [2011] Kokurikozaka Kara - Yuuko
• [2012] Shinsai o Ikiru Kodomotachi: 21-nin no wa - Narrator

External links

• Official Site
• Yamaha Music Profile
• IMDB Profile
• Japanese iTunes
• Oricon Profile