Minmi

This article is about the Japanese musician. For other uses, see Minmi (disambiguation).

Minmi

MINMI is a Japanese hip-hop, reggae, soca, singer-songwriter, and record producer.

She was born in Osaka on December 8 1975.

Biography

Michiko Evwana, a.k.a MINMI, started her musical career around 1996 by performing at ruba dub showcases and hip hop events at the clubs in Osaka, and also started to make her original tracks around this period. Soon after, MINMI's name was well known in the club market, especially through her live performances in the club events. She also participated in the works of the label of the Japanese Big Sound like Red Spider and MIGHTY JAM ROCK. Those CDs became a hit, not only in a Reggae market but also the Hip Hop market.

With much expectations, MINMI has made the artist contract with JVC, and MINMI’s first Maxi Single "The Perfect Vision" was released in the summer of 2002. This single was well accepted by the radio stations, as shown by the figure of 20 FM stations heavy rotated the song. As the song gradually became popular in the market, the song started to climb up the Sales Chart over 3 months period, and eventually reached the sales of 400,000 units, an extraordinary figure for a debut single.

And with the 2nd Maxi Single "T.T.T.", released in December 2002, MINMI has revealed her diverse approach in her music, from the Reggae based 1st single to this time a Hip Hop based track for the 2nd single. And as a result of the newly tasted tracks and the popular melodies blended in her songs, MINMI became a popular figure among many female music fans between 10~20.

So a long-awaited 1st Album "Miracle" was released in March 2003. Though there was only a limited exposure, the album ranked in the Top 5 of the Album Sales Chart for 2 months period, and eventually the album sales exceeded 600,000 units. This only proved that MINMI's music itself is what the market has desired.

To coincide with the album release, MINMI's first nationwide tour, “MINMI LIVE TOUR 2003 Miracle”, took place from June 20, 2003. The tickets were all sold out instantly, and the tour took place in full pack audiences in every venue. She also participated in major concert events in many places in the summer of 2003, and appealed her performance, which was trained through her live activities in the underground music scene.

After that, MINMI has been constantly releasing singles, 3rd Single "Another World" In September 2003, and 4th Single "Ai No Mi (True Eye)" in March 2004. She has blended the latest music trend with the Japanese popular music trend, and now, she is known as the major artist in the Japanese music industry with plenty of urban music and Dance music essence, without not belonging to a specific musical genre.

Regarding her production, MINMI is a rare artist in that she basically does all the songwriting (including the lyrics), arrangements, and production work. Her production is so highly accepted in the industry that she is now getting offers to produce for the other artists. Also, many of the leading musicians and the engineers from Jamaica, home of Reggae music, and the United States, home of Hip Hop and R&B music, participate in her production which is the key factor of blending the latest music trends into her work and making high quality music.

On June 30, 2004, her long anticipated 2nd album “Imagine” was released, which coincided with the nationwide live tour “MINMI LIVE TOUR 2004 “Imagine””, started on September 10, 2004. In December, she released her 5th single “Are yu ready”. The song was originated from MINMI’s original riddim “SAKURA” which contains a sample of Japanese traditional guitar, Shamisen. The “SAKURA” riddim became popular in Jamaica as well. From this point, the produce team ZAREK for TSURU-KAME Recording, the team consist of MINMI and JUNIOR(Red Spider), who produced the riddim “SAKURA”, started their produce works in Jamaica. They have produced various Jamaican artists, and released their original 7 inch vinyls in Jamaica in the start of 2005.

Minmi was very active in live performances in 2005, from organizing a monthly regular reggae club event in Tokyo, a nationwide club tour, to appearing in the major summer rock festival “Summer Sonic” in August. In September, MINMI has released the album “FRIENDS”, the best selection compilation album of her featured works. In 2006, MINMI released her 6th single "Summertime!!", the song based on Reggae rhythm, had a big reaction in jamaica the home of reggae. In February 2006, She was invited to the famous Trinidad Tobago Festival, Carnival, which is known as the Top 3 major festivals, compared with the festival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Venice in Italy. She performed in front of 30,000 people, including Wyclef Jean of the Fugees. In March, MINMI released a long-awaited 3rd album “Natural”. The album proved that MINMI is not just another a Reggae diva, but into many music genre.

MINMI’s nationwide tour entitled "Natural Mystic" & "Natural Showcase" coincided with the release of "Natural", and ended successfully, selling out all the dates. In the summer, MINMI appeared in the major rock festival "SUMMER SONIC’06" as the headliner, only Japanese artist to headline in the Festival ever. In Sept. 2006, MINMI was nominated as the Best New Artist of SOCA AWARDS, took place in New York, as the only Japanese artist ever to be nominated in the Awards. She was the center of the attention of the worldwide media.

In 2007, MINMI participated in the Trinidad Tobago Festival for the second straight year. MINMI recorded the new reggae tune "Sha na na ～Japanese Wine～" a collaboration with Machel Montano HD, known as the "King Of Soca", to coincide with this year's Festival. Machel was the person responsible for bringing MINMI over to the Festival the previous year. This year, they got together to record the new tune just in time for this year's Festival. And "Sha na na ～Japanese Wine～" is included in Machel's new album "Book Of The Angels" was just released in Trinidad & Tobago.

Also, in 2008's Festival, MINMI participated in "Soca Monarch", a competition for the local major artists. She became the first Japanese artist ever to win in the preliminary round and advance s into the final round of the competition. She performed on the National Stage, in front of the audience of over 30,000 people, and MINMI became the first Japanese artist ever to make it into the Best 8 of the Competition. She was Best 3 artist among the female artists in the Competition.

MINMI's song Shiki No Uta (Song of Four Seasons))" is played during the credits of the Shinichiro Watanabe anime, "Samurai Champloo". Her song "True Eye" is also used in the series. The tracks can be found on the show's soundtracks "Departure" and "Impression," respectively, both released in 2004.

Besides singing herself, she produces the reggae group "湘南ノ風 (Shonan no Kaze, Wind of Shonan)", and plans Music festivals.

Discography

Albums

• Miracle [Release Date: 19 March 2003]
• imagine [Release Date: 30 June 2004]
• FRIENDS～MINMI featuring works BEST～ [Release Date: 22 September 2005]
• Natural [Release Date: 29 March 2006]
• THE LOVE SONG COLLECTION 2006-2007 [Release Date: 21 November 2007]
• MINMI BEST 2002-2008 [Release Date: 04 June 2008]

Singles

• "The Perfect Vision" [Release Date: 21 August 2002]
• "T.T.T" [Release Date: 04 December 2002]
• "Another World" [Release Date: 17 September 2003]
• "Another World Remix" [Release Date: 11 November 2003]
• "アイの実 (ai no mi)" [Release Date: 31 March 2004]
• "Are yu ready" [Release Date: 08 December 2005]
• "サマータイム！！ (It's Summer Time!!)" [Release Date: 6 July 2005]
• "西麻布伝説 (nishiazabu densetsu)" [Release Date: 22 February 2006]
• "I Love You Baby" [Release Date: 12 July 2006]
• "シャナナ☆ (sha na na)" [Release Date: 18 July 2007]

DVDs

• MINMI LIVE TOUR 2004"imagine" [Release Date: 24 September 2004]
• MINMI Video Clips 2002~2005．Summer [Release Date: 27 July 2005]
• MINMI Natural Show Case 2006 In Zepp Tokyo [Release Date: 22 November 2006]

Collaborations

• SILVER KING - Tornade feat.MINMI [Release Date: September 2000]
• JUMBO MAATCH from MIGHTY JAM ROCK - Shot Dem Up feat.MINMI [Release Date: October 2001]
• SILVER KING - 3Minute Special feat.MINMI [Release Date: 22 May 2002]
• VADER - Parasite feat.MINMI [Release Date: 22 May 2002]
• BOOGIE MAN - I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend feat.MINMI [Release Date: July 2002]
• TAKAFIN from MIGHTY JAM ROCK - Journey Into... feat.MINMI [Release Date: August 2002]
• 湘南乃風 - Cry feat.MINMI [Release Date: July 2003]
• PUSHIM - Independent Woman Duet with MINMI [Release Date: 17 December 2003]
• VADER - V-XL (Five-Xtra Large) feat.MINMI [Release Date: 02 June 2004]
• HOME GROWN - Irie Music feat.PUSHIM,MOOMIN,H-MAN&MIGHTY JAM ROCK<JUMBO MAATCH,TAKAFIN&BOXER KID> [Release Date: 04 August 2004]
• HOME GROWN - Set Mi Free,Let Mi Be feat.MINMI&BOXER KID from MIGHTY JAM ROCK [Release Date: 04 August 2004]
• 湘南乃風 - My Way feat.MINMI [Release Date: 18 August 2004]
• SAL the soul - Keep On Steppin' feat.MINMI [Release Date: 25 November 2004]
• Munehiro - DAY DREAMER feat.MINMI [Release Date: 21 May 2005]
• 10-FEET - CHERRY BLOSSOM feat.MINMI [Release Date: 18 April 2006]
• Ukatrats FC (☆Taku Takahashi(m-flo),GAKU-MC(EAST END),日之内絵美,コヤマシュウ(Scoobie Do),MINMI,Ryohei,RYO the SKYWALKER,SEAMO,湘南乃風,Sowelu,SPHERE of INFLUENCE) - Win and Shine [Release Date: 24 May 2006]
• m-flo loves MINMI - Lotta Love [Release Date: 26 July 2006]
• 湘南乃風 - Happy Today feat.MINMI [Release Date: 18 April 2007]
• MINMI&KENTY-GROSS - SPIDER CITY(ROCK CITY 3) [Release Date: 07 February 2007]
• MINMI&KENTY-GROSS - スパイダータイム(サマータイム!!) [Release Date: 07 February 2007]
• MINMI - MISSING YOU [Release Date: 07 February 2007]
• MINMI - スパイダー（アイラ） [Release Date: 07 February 2007]
• INFINITY16 welcomez 湘南乃風,MINMI,MOOMIN - Dream Lover [Release Date: 18 April 2007]
• MINMI&RUDEBWOY FACE - NANDE [Release Date: 25 April 2007]
• 湘南乃風 - 睡蓮歌 (Produced by MINMI) [Release Date: 06 June 2007]

Compilations

• Rock City presents Coolie Dance
• Rock City
• Di Vibes 2003 - Japanese Reggae Selection 2003
• Relaxin' with Japanese Lovers Vol. 2 Japanese Lovers Rock More Collections
• Samurai Champloo music record Departure
• DJ Kaori's "Ride" into the Mix
• Beautiful Songs series Cool Beauty
• Samurai Champloo music record Impression
• Rock the Sky - Kaeru Studio Greatest Hits
• FM802 Heavy Rotations J-Hits Complete '01-'03
• Di Vibes - Japanese Reggae Selection 2004
• Episode I
• DJ Kaori's "Ride" into the Party
• Tag the Mic
• DJ MAYUMI - Berry Jam Mixed Up
• RED SPIDER - 爆走エンジェル～ALL JAPANESE REGGAE DUB MIX CD～
• Blast Star - MIAMI SHINE

External links

• Official Site
• Victor Entertainment Site
• MINMI Official Blog
• Jun Hasegawa (MJ) & MINMI Blog