generasia:Featured article for 2022 week 6
Touyama Mirei
Touyama Mirei (當山みれい) is a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter under MASTERSIX FOUNDATION in Japan and Cool Japan Music in America.
In September 2011, Touyama, a junior high school student, went to New York to celebrate passing the level 3 English proficiency examination. She performed on stage at an open mic night at the live house Village Underground. After only three short weeks studying abroad, she won the Amateur Night -Stars of Tomorrow- on April 11, 2012 at the Apollo Theater. From September of the same year, she began to study abroad in New York for one year. While studying abroad, Touyama attended The Professional Children's School Arts Program and joined the gospel team "Gospel For Teens" led by the creator of the musical Mama, I Want to Sing! She was the only Asian on the team, selected by internal audition and served as a lead vocal. While in New York, she also had one-on-one voice training and dance lessons by Rhapsody James, a dancer and choreographer who choreographed for artists such as Beyoncé.
On January 13, 2013, Touyama released the song "Hysteric Girl" in Japan for DJ Kazu's compilation album A GIRL↑↑ mixed by DJ Kazu. On June 18th of the same year, at the age of 14, she released a single "Tattoo" under the name of MIREI, making her U.S. debut. She also participated in the song "Online" with Young Money artist Torion. Touyama made her official Japanese debut with the single "Fallin' Out / I Wanna NO" feat. SHUN in June 2014. After releasing another Japanese single, various songs for compilation and tribute albums, and being featured in songs by other artists, she released her second album My Way on her 18th birthday. The album ranked #1 on the iTunes R&B/Soul chart.
Her digital single, "Ame no Oto", is released this week on February 9th.
