Mai Mizuhashi

Mizuhashi Mai
Mizuhashi Mai performing at the Sakura Matsuri 2018 in Singapore
Mizuhashi Mai performing at the Sakura Matsuri 2018 in Singapore
Background information
Birth name水橋 舞
Born (1992-01-31) January 31, 1992 (age 32)
OriginIbaraki Prefecture, Japan
GenresJ-pop, Anison
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, dancer, costume designer, model
Years active2006–present
LabelsMedia Factory (2006–2011)
Pony Canyon Inc. (2021–present)
Websitewww.garnidelia.com

Mai Mizuhashi (水橋 舞, Mizuhashi Mai, born January 31, 1992), better known by her stage name MARiA (メイリア, [Meiria/美依礼芽] Error: {{nihongo}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 8) (help)), is a Japanese singer, songwriter, dancer, costume designer and model from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Originally a member of a music group, Mizuhashi found fame posting videos on the Japanese website Niconico, and later gained huge popularity in mainland China after posting a dance video of "Gokuraku Jodo" on Bilibili. She is currently part of the pop rock duo Garnidelia.[1]

Biography

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Mizuhashi began her career as a member of the music group Harajuku BJ Girls, later known as the Chix Chicks. While a member of the group, Mizuhashi performed a number of opening and ending themes for different anime series, such as "Brand New Morning", which was used as the opening theme to the 2006 anime television series Kamisama Kazoku, "Yumemiru Otome" (夢みる乙女, Dream Maiden), which was used as the ending theme to the 2007 anime television series Dōjin Work,[2] and "Kaze no Message" (風のメッセージ, Message of the Wind), which was used as the second ending theme to the 2007 anime television series Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl.[3]

Following Chix Chicks's disbandment in 2010, Mizuhashi pursued a solo career by posting videos on the Japanese website Niconico, where she caught the attention of music producer Yoshinori Abe, also known as Toku, also known as old man 4. Toku produced Mizuhashi's single "Color" which was used as the opening theme to the 2010 anime television series Freezing. The two would later form the music unit Garnidelia, which made its major debut in 2013 with the single "Ambiguous", used as the second opening theme to the anime television series Kill la Kill.[4] Both attained popularity, particularly in China, with the success of their 2016 single Gokuraku Jodo.[5][6]

In 2023, Mizuhashi participated in the fourth season of Sisters Who Make Waves. Against a backdrop of nationalism sentiments that were easily kindled in China when comes to diplomatic dealings between Japan and China, Mizuhashi was well-received by the Chinese public throughout the season.[7][8] On July 23, 2023, at the season finale, she was ranked third among the 21 participants.[9]

Discography

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As MARiA

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Studio-Albums

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Year Album details Track Listing Peak Oricon
chart positions
Peak Billboard
chart positions
1st 2021 Utamonogatari 1. Concourse

2. Renaikanjo

3. Garasu no Kane

4. Orokamonogatari

5. Matilda

6. Kiss o Shitemiyoka

7. Ah Kiyomomata

8. Brand New Me

9. Hikari

10. Harugare

23
2nd 2022 Moments
  • Released: June 22, 2022
  • Label: Pony Canyon Inc. (PCCA-06135, PCCA-06134)
  • Format: CD, CD+BD
1. Think Over

2. Star Rock

3. Long Distance

4. Cafe Latte no Uta feat. Iuz

5. Kimi to Itai

6. Heartbreaker

7. Galactic Wind

8. Asterisk

9. Pray

10. Labyrinth

38
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

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Release date Title Peak Oricon position Album
1st February 23, 2011 COLOR
35
BiRTHiA

Digital Singles

[edit]
Release date Title Album
1st April 28, 2021 Concourse Utamonogatari
2nd October 13, 2021 Galactic Wind Moments
3rd June 9, 2022 Labyrinth
4th June 15, 2022 Cafe Latte no Uta feat. Iuz
5th October 16, 2022 Trust On Me -Theme of E.T.E- (with Tetsuya Komuro) Non-album single

Indie-Albums

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Year Album details Track Listing Peak Oricon
chart positions
Peak Billboard
chart positions
1st 2012
aMazing MusiQue PaRK
  • Released: July 25, 2012
1. Another

2. Girls

3. We've gotta have a party!

4. Daiippo (第一歩, First Step)

5. Aitaisei monorōgu (相対性モノローグ, Relativity Monologue)

6. Kimagure kettoshī (きまぐれケットシー, Whimsical Ket Sea)

7. Not Gonna Dump Me

8. mere

9. Thanks For…

10. aMazing MusiQue PaRK

243
2nd 2013
MaBLE SYNDROMe
  • Released: August 13, 2013
1. WAVE

2. Buriki No Dance (ブリキノダンス)

3. Just Be Friends

4. Yobanashi Deceive (夜咄ディセイブ)

5. Noushou Sakuretsu Girl (脳漿炸裂ガール)

6. glow

7. zephyr

8. GALLOWS BELL

9. Black★Rock Shooter (ブラック★ロックシューター)

10. 炉心融解 -melt down- (Junk Arrange feat.MARIA)

"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Other appearances

[edit]
List of guest appearances that feature MARiA
Title Year Album Peak
Daze 2014 Daze / Days by Jin 3
Children Record 2015 Mekakucity M's 1 ~Mekakucity Actors Vocals and Sound Collection~ by Jin, LiSA
Yobanashi Deceive
Pray (Song. MARiA, CV: Miku Itō) 2021 Moments by MARiA 38
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

As Mai Mizuhashi

[edit]

Singles

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Release date Title Peak Oricon position
1st January 25, 2006 Yumemiru Shanson Ningyō (夢見るシャンソン人形, Dreaming Chanson Doll)
2nd September 3, 2006 Brand New Morning / Toshokande Wa Oshiete Kurenai Tenshi No (図書館では教えてくれない天使の秘密, The Secret of an Angel That The Library Does Not Tell)
3rd April 25, 2007 Smile (スマイル)
4th July 25, 2007 Yumemiru Otome (夢みる乙女, Dream Maiden) 157
5th June 9, 2008 Kaze no Message (風のメッセージ, Message of the Wind) 48
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

References

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  1. ^ Kawasaki, Naoko; Nogami, Shigeru (August 2007). "Smile". Newtype USA. Vol. 6, no. 8. p. 126. ISSN 1541-4817.
  2. ^ 夢みる乙女 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  3. ^ 風のメッセージ (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "GARNiDELiA Duo to Perform Kill La Kill Anime's New Opening". Anime News Network. December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "GARNiDELiA Conclude Solo Tour in China & Announce Japan Summer Tour". Moshi Moshi Nippon. May 9, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. ^ "MMN Interview: GARNiDELiA discuss their popularity in China as they embark on 2019 Asia tour". Moshi Moshi Nippon. April 12, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  7. ^ "Overcoming geopolitical divide, Japanese singer becomes breakout star in China". South China Morning Post. May 29, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  8. ^ 网易 (June 1, 2023). "《乘风2023》:美依礼芽火了,但不会是第2个王心凌,原因很现实". www.163.com. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  9. ^ "Ella《浪姐4》夺总冠军! | 早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved August 5, 2023.
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