Okui Masami

Okui Masami

Okui Masami (奥井雅美) is Japanese pop artist who is well known for her songs used in anime. She was formerly signed under King Records, but is now under her own record label, evolution which is under the Geneon umbrella. She is good friends and has often worked with Yonekura Chihiro (the two even formed the short-lived duo r.o.s/s) and Hayashibara Megumi.

Profile

• Birthday: 1968.03.13
• Birthplace: Itamishi, Hyougo Prefecture
• Blood type: A
• Favorite Artists: Matsuda Seiko, Matsutoya Yumi, Takeuchi Mariya, Hamada Mari, LAZY (former), Bon Jovi, and Aerosmith

Information

From a young age, Masami was taught how to play the piano. It wasn't until Middle School when Masami was introduced to pop and rock music. She eventually ended-up joining a band. She then terminated her studies for the escalator entrance exam to college. Instead, she applied at the Osaka University of Arts. Halfway through the first semester, she dropped out and decided to move to Tokyo to pursue a working career.

In 1989, Masami got a job as a back-up singer during Saitoh Yuki's tour. She started getting more singing gigs. She also continued as a back-up singer performing with such acts as Wink and Harada Tomoyo.

On 1993.08.21, Masami released her debut single "Dare Yori mo Zutto..." under King Records. After its release, she switched her focus on her solo career and began releasing on a regular basis: an album and three to four singles a year.

Masami's second album, "V-sit" turned out to be her best selling. This album is her first to incorporate more of a rock sound. It contains some of her best known songs from the Slayers, Sorcerer Hunters, and Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko anime series'. Her most successful single is 1999's, "Tenshi no Kyuusoku". The song was used as the theme song to the Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko anime.

Since her debut, Masami has been taking over more and more aspects of her music. First, taking over writing lyrics, composing music, and even producing. Her seventh album, "DEVOTION", was her first album that she completely produced herself. She has since gone on to publish a monthly column in the NewType anime magazine and has also co-hosted the TV-Osaka music program "M-VOICE".

In 2003, Masami started working with other artists. Early in the year, she started working with super group JAM Project. She soon became the vocalist of the group and has been releasing with them since. Later that year, Masami teamed up with Yonekura Chihiro to from the duo "r.o.r./s". Together, the girls released two singles and an album before returning to their other works.

In 2004, Masami left King Records. She then signed with Geneon who gave her her own record label which she named evolution Records. Afterward, she debuted on the label with the single, "Olive".

Masami has also written lyrics and composed music for several other artists. She has worked on several tracks for Ishida Yoko, Mizuki Nana, and Shimokawa Mikuni. Recently, she has begun scouting and auditioning: looking to find new artists for her label. Ohmi Tomoe is a Japanese pop singer who Masami has signed to her label and has begun producing. She has so far released four singles, witl all lyrics and some of the music composed by Masami.

Discography

Albums

• [1995.04.21] Gyuu
• [1996.09.21] V-sit
• [1997.09.26] Ma-KING
• [1998.09.23] Do-can
• [1999.08.27] Her-Day
• [2000.08.23] NEEI
• [2001.08.29] DEVOTION
• [2002.09.04] crossroad
• [2004.02.04] ReBirth
• [2005.02.02] Dragonfly
• [2006.02.24] God Speed
• [2006.10.04] evolution
• [2007.10.03] Masami Life
• [2009.02.25] Akasha

Best Albums

• [1999.06.04] BEST-EST
• [2001.03.21] S-mode #1
• [2004.02.25] S-mode #2
• [2005.02.23] S-mode #3
• [2008.02.06] Ooku (大奥)

Other Albums

• [2000.11.23] Li-Book 2000 (Live Album)
• [2002.11.22] angel's voice (Mini-Album)
• [2003.05.11] Masami Kobushi (マサミコブシ) (Cover Album)
• [2008.06.25] TRIBUTE TO MASAMI OKUI ~Buddy~ (Tribute Album)

Singles

• [1993.08.21] Dare Yori mo Zutto... (誰よりもずっと…)
• [1993.11.26] Yume ni Konnichiwa ~Willow Town Monogatari~ (夢にこんにちわ〜ウイロータウン物語〜)
• [1994.01.21] I WAS BORN TO FALL IN LOVE
• [1994.03.05] REINCARNATION
• [1994.08.05] My Jolly Days
• [1994.12.21] It's DESTINY -Yatto Meguri Aeta-
• [1995.05.24] Get along (with Hayashibara Megumi)
• [1995.11.03] MASK (with Matsumura Kasumi)
• [1996.01.24] Shake it
• [1996.04.24] Give a reason (with Hayashibara Megumi)
• [1996.12.25] naked mind
• [1997.03.05] J
• [1997.05.21] rinbu-revolution (輪舞-revolution)
• [1997.06.21] Souda, Zettai. (そうだ、ぜったい。)
• [1998.05.22] Birth
• [1998.08.07] AKA (朱 -AKA-)
• [1998.11.27] Never die
• [1999.03.13] Key
• [1999.05.08] Tenshi no Kyuusoku (天使の休息)
• [1999.07.02] labyrinth / Toki ni Ai wa
• [1999.11.26] Sore wa Totsuzen Yatte Kuru (それは突然やってくる)
• [1999.12.13] only one, No.1
• [2000.04.26] OVER THE END
• [2000.07.21] TURNING POINT
• [2000.07.21] CUTIE
• [2000.08.03] Just do it
• [2001.02.07] Sora ni Kakeru Hashi (空にかける橋)
• [2001.03.21] Megami ni Naritai ~for a yours~ (女神になりたい)
• [2001.04.24] Shuffle
• [2001.07.25] Deporation ~but, never too late~
• [2002.08.22] HAPPY PLACE
• [2003.11.27] SECOND IMPACT
• [2004.12.28] Olive
• [2005.05.11] TRUST / A confession of TOKIO
• [2006.01.25] mitsu (蜜 -mitsu-)
• [2006.05.10] zero-G-
• [2006.08.09] WILD SPICE
• [2007.01.26] Remote Viewing
• [2007.07.04] It's my life
• [2007.07.25] RING
• [2007.11.21] INSANITY
• [2008.11.05] Melted Snow
• [2009.05.13] Starting Over
• [2009.08.21] Miracle Upper WL feat. May'n (ミラクル・アッパーWL)

External Links

• Official Website
• Oricon Profile
• PINK HOT SPICE! - Fansite