MISIA

MISIA promoting Hoshi no You ni... (2009)

MISIA is a female Japanese R&B artist that debuted in 1998 under the BMG Japan label. In 2002 she changed to Rhythmedia Tribe (affiliated with avex). On May 1st, 2007 MISIA left avex trax to go back to her former record label, BMG Japan. In 1998 she debuted with the single Tsutsumi Komu You ni..., which was one of MISIA's best selling singles.

Profile

• Stage Name: MISIA (ミーシャ) (pronounced "Mee-shah")
• Real Name: Ito Misaki
• Birthdate: July 7th, 1978
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 153 cm (5'0")
• Shoe size: 23 cm
• Trademark: Dreadlocks
• Favorite artists: DREAMS COME TRUE
• Hobbies: Cooking

Biography

Misia was born on July 7, 1978, Fukuoka, in Kyushu the southernmost of Japan's four main islands. The Fukuoka music scene is usually associated with rock acts such as Sheena and the Rokkets, Number Girl and Shiina Ringo, but gospel and R&B music influence over her own career. She started voice training at the age of 15. During high school, she began training with some African-American trainers in gospel and R&B such as Frank Toddy Winfrey, an African-American who was Misia’s vocal coach from 1994 to 1997.

She first appeared in 1998 after being spotted at an BMG Japan audition in '97. After that, Misia gave herself the name "Misia" is a combination of "Misaki" and "Asia."(other saying goes "Messiah" and/or "Asia"). One of her claims to fame is the ability to cover 5 octaves when singing, something she puts to good use in her songs. To date she has released 12 albums, and though her popularity isn't as huge as some others artist that are the same genre, she commands a decent following. While it's common to find Misia described as an R&B artist, her music has a more soulful, even bluesy, quality to it, something her voice complements well.

She is one of the few artists in Japan to have never performed on any TV music shows and fewer to be as popular despite this. Her live performance is acclaimed by many. She became the first female solo act that toured five major domed stadiums of Japan in 2004.

It was announced on May 1, 2007 that MISIA will be leaving avex trax to go back to her former record label, BMG Japan. The first original release on BMG Japan since 2002 was released on July 4, 2007. It is said to be a love song composed by Satoshi Shimano, who also produced her debut hit.

On September 29, 2007 MISIA held her first overseas concert in Taiwan.

Her next single, Royal Chocolate Flush, was released in December 2007, and the first album since returning to BMG, EIGHTH WORLD, was released in January 2008.

Starting in April, MISIA will release a new single each month for three months. Yes Forever will be released in April, Yakusoku no Tsubasa in May, and now untitled single in June along with the EIGHTH WORlD tour DVD.

Discography

MISIA promoting Catch the Rainbow (2008)

Original Albums

• [1998.06.24] Mother Father Brother Sister
• [2000.01.01] LOVE IS THE MESSAGE
• [2001.04.25] MARVELOUS
• [2002.09.26] KISS IN THE SKY
• [2004.02.11] MARS & ROSES
• [2004.12.01] SINGER FOR SINGER
• [2007.02.07] ASCENSION
• [2008.01.09] EIGHTH WORLD
• [2009.12.16] JUST BALLADE

Best Albums

• [2002.03.03] MISIA GREATEST HITS
• [2003.12.03] MISIA SINGLE COLLECTION 5th ANNIVERSARY
• [2004.06.16] MISIA Love & Ballads The Best Ballade Collection

===Remix Albums

• [1999.06.09] MISIA REMIX 1999
• [2000.04.19] MISIA REMIX 2000 LITTLE TOKYO
• [2001.11.21] MISIA REMIX 2002 WORLD PEACE
• [2003.04.23] MISIA REMIX 2003 KISS IN THE SKY-NON STOP MIX-
• [2008.06.25] DECIMO X ANIVERSARIO DE MISIA ~THE TOUR OF MISIA 2008 EIGHTH WORLD + THE BEST DJ REMIXES~ (remix album/concert DVD)

Other Albums

• [1998.11.21] The Glory Day (mini-album)
• [2003.10.12] MISIA Hoshizora no Live ~The Best of Acoustic Ballade~ (星空のライヴ; Starry Sky Live) (live album)

Singles

• [1998.02.21] Tsutsumi Komu You ni... (つつみ込むように...; Like Being Wrapped Up)
• [1998.05.21] Hi no Ataru Basho (陽のあたる場所; A Place in the Sun)
• [1999.04.21] BELIEVE
• [1999.11.25] Wasurenai Hibi (忘れない日々 Unforgettable Days)
• [1999.11.25] sweetness
• [2000.07.07] ESCAPE
• [2000.10.25] Everything
• [2001.01.01] I miss you ~Toki wo Koete~ (時を越えて; Crossing Time) (MISIA+DCT)
• [2002.01.30] Hatenaku Tsudzuku Story (果てなく続くストーリー; Endless Story)
• [2002.08.08] Nemurenu Yoru wa Kimi no Sei (眠れぬ夜は君のせい; My Sleepness Nights Are Because of You)
• [2002.11.20] BACK BLOCKS
• [2003.08.27] Kokoro Hitotsu (心ひとつ; One Heart)
• [2003.12.03] IN MY SOUL / SNOW SONG
• [2004.07.07] Namae no Nai Sora wo Miagete (名前のない空を見上げて; I Look Up at the Nameless Sky)
• [2006.07.05] LUV PARADE / Color of Life
• [2006.07.12] Sea of Dreams ~Tokyo DisneySea 5th Anniversary Theme Song~
• [2007.07.04] ANY LOVE
• [2007.12.05] Royal Chocolate Flush
• [2008.04.30] Yes Forever
• [2008.05.28] Yakusoku no Tsubasa (約束の翼; Promised Wings)
• [2008.12.17] Catch the Rainbow
• [2009.06.10] Ginga / Itsumademo (銀河/いつまでも; Galaxy / Forever)
• [2009.11.18] Aitakute Ima (逢いたくていま; I Want To See You Now)
• [2009.12.16] Hoshi no You ni... (星のように…)

Digital Downloads

• [2005.07.07] SONG FOR YOU
• [2005.11.22] SHININ' ~Nijiiro no Rhythm~ (虹色のリズム; Rainbow Colored Rhythm)
• [2008.08.30] Catch the Rainbow
• [2009.02.04] Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni (少しずつ 大切に; Little By Little, With Care)

Vinyls

• [1998.01.28] Tsutsumi Komu You ni... (つつみ込むように...; Like Being Wrapped Up)
• [1998.05.21] Hi no Ataru Basho (陽のあたる場所; A Place in the Sun)
• [1998.11.27] The Glory Day
• [1999.04.01] BELIEVE
• [1999.10.21] Unforgettable Days
• [1999.12.03] MISIA REMIX 1999 THE GLORY DAY
• [2000.03.09] SWEETNESS
• [2000.04.05] SWEET PAIN
• [2000.10.04] Everything
• [2001.01.01] I miss you (MISIA+DCT)
• [2001.04.11] EVERYTHING JUNIOR + GOMI REMIX
• [2001.05.30] EVERYTHING JUNIOR VASQUEZ REMIX
• [2001.06.20] Toki wo Tomete MALAWI ROCKS REMIX (時をとめて; Crossing Time)
• [2001.06.20] CLOSE TO MY HEART (ERICK MORILLO REMIX)
• [2001.11.14] SUNNY DAY　(JOE CLAUSSELL REMIX / SHINICHI OSAWA REMIX)
• [2002.11.13] BACK BLOCKS
• [2003.02.13] BACK BLOCKS (DJ Spinna Remix)
• [2003.02.26] Always (DJ GOMI Remix)
• [2003.03.12] Destiny's rule (Moments Of Soul Remix)
• [2003.03.12] BACK BLOCKS (So So Def Remix) / The Wink Blues (DJ Watarai Remix)
• [2003.03.26] over bit (Human Rhythm Remix)
• [2003.04.09] The Sun (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
• [2003.07.31] Kokoro Hitotsu (DJ GOMI Remix) (心ひとつ; One Heart)
• [2003.12.10] IN MY SOUL / SNOW SONG REMIXES

DVD / VHS

• [1999.04.01] WM (VHS)
• [2000.07.26] LOVE IS THE MESSAGE THE TOUR OF MISIA 1999-2000
• [2001.05.30] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2001
• [2001.07.07] MISIA COLLECTION MUSIC CLIPS SINCE 1998 (VHS)
• [2002.03.27] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2002
• [2003.03.26] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2003 KISS IN THE SKY IN SAPPORO DOME
• [2004.03.31] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2004 MARS & ROSES
• [2004.07.07] Hoshizora no Live II ~Acoustic Live in Okinawa~ (星空のライヴII)
• [2004.09.08] MISIA MY MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS
• {2005.07.07] MISIA THE SINGER SHOW THE TOUR OF MISIA 2005
• [2006.12.06] MISIA Hoshizora no Live III ~Music is a joy forever~ (星空のライヴ)
• [2006.12.06] MISIA Hoshizora no Live STAR PACKAGE ~II & III~ (星空のライヴ)
• [2007.07.04] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2007 ASCENSION
• [2007.12.05] Hohizora no Live IV CLASSICS + FILM OF MISIA IN KIBERA SLUM (星空のライヴ)
• [2008.06.25] THE TOUR OF MISIA 2008 EIGHT WORLD (Blu-Ray)
• [2009.06.10] THE TOUR OF MISIA DISCOTHEQUE ASIA

Compilation / Other

• [2002.05.29] The Japan Gold Disc Award 2002 (#10 Everything)

External Links

• Official Website