Mao (singer)

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Mao
BornOctober 23
OriginKurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1995–present
Websitewww.maofromsid.com

Mao (マオ, born October 23) is a Japanese singer, known for being the lead singer of visual kei rock band SID and writer of all the lyrics.[1]

SID became popular in Japan in mid-2010 with the album Hikari, which includes the anime songs "Monochrome no Kiss" and "Uso" with lyrics written by Mao.[2] He began a solo career in 2016 using the name Mao from SID, debuting at the top 10 of Oricon charts.

On July 3, 2021, he was appointed ambassador of his hometown, Kurume.[3]

Career[edit]

1995–2008: Early years and SID[edit]

Mao joined his first band in high school and moved to Tokyo with the group. After creating a band called Dildo around 1995, he formed Shula in 1999. The band had three members (vocalist, guitarist and bassist) and had a pop-oriented musical style and visual kei costumes. Due to the band's lack of popularity, the members began to fall out and the group disbanded in 2003.[4][1] In May of the same year, Mao invited Aki, who also felt that his previous band was not doing well, to form the band Sid, which initially played covers of Kuroyume.[5] Guitarist Shinji and drummer Yuuya (who was also from Shula) were supporting members until they were officially added to the group in 2004.[2] In an interview with Zy magazine in 2008, Mao talked about the band's beginnings: he reported that Sid's popularity was growing quickly compared to his previous band, and to increase the number of fans, they did a lot of live performances because they didn't have enough money for media advertisements.[4]

On March 3, 2010, Mao released his first book, The Aesthetics of Single-Stroke Drawing (一筆書きの美学, Ippitsugaki no bigaku), which was serialized in Pati Pati magazine, showcasing his trip to South Korea.[6] A sequel was released on December 7, 2012, The Aesthetics of Single-Stroke Drawing 2, this time showing a trip to Taiwan.[7]

2016–present: Debut as a solo artist[edit]

In June 2016, the singer began a solo career under the name Mao from SID. His first release was the single "Tsuki/Hoshi" available in three editions.[8] On September 28, he released the debut album Maison de M with 6 tracks and hosted a digital Q&A and autograph event, which fans could join by lottery.[9] For the release of both works, he also hosted an in-person event to meet fans in several stores across the country. According to the Barks website, the single event attracted around 40,000 fans.[10] The album features a "lush Latin jazz sound" according to Alexey Eremenko of Allmusic.[2]

In 2017, Mao wrote the lyrics for LiSA's song "Ash", theme song of Fate/Apocrypha anime.[11] He also held a solo show at Tsutaya-O West called Whiteday, which was repeated exactly one year later, featuring support members Nishi-ken (keyboards), Daisuke Kadowaki (violin) and Yasuo Kijima (guitar).[12] In 2019, he embarked on an acoustic tour with 6 dates from July 17th to 30th with two shows per day: the first with female covers and the second with male covers.[13]

The singer's first solo performance in livestream format was made on August 29, 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] He participated on Ryuichi Kawamura's album Beautiful Lie, released in January 2021, providing the lyrics for the first track "Kiseki no Chizu".[15] Following the pandemic's aftermath, Mao wrote a self-help book published through Gentosha on May 12, called The Magic of Positivity (ポジティブの魔法, Positive no Mahō).[16]

The singer canceled his Christmas solo performance in November 2021, and in January 2022 he officially suspended his activities for treatment as he was not in good health.[17] Mao resumed his career in January 2023 when Sid performed an exclusive show for fan club members.[18]

In April 2024, Mao restarted his solo career, this time using just Mao as name. He announced a new album, Habit, and released a music video teaser for the track "ROUTE209". Starting in June, he will go on a solo tour with his support band consisting in Nishi-ken (keyboards), Leda (guitar), Shoyo (bass) and DUTTCH (drums).[19]

Personal life[edit]

Mao was born in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture on October 23, but did not reveal his year of birth neither his real name. He moved to Tokyo a year after completing high school and took a part-time job at a Coco Ichibanya restaurant. He learned to sing and perform his vocal techniques on his own, but began taking formal singing lessons in 2010.[1]

The singer's biggest influence is the band Kuroyume and its vocalist Kiyoharu, with his vocal style inspired by him.[1] In the April 2011 issue of Fool's Mate magazine, he said he became a fan after a friend introduced him to the single "Ice My Life".[20]

Mao revealed in 2015 that two years earlier he was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, and after contracting gastroenteritis, he underwent surgery to remove polyps from his vocal cords.[21]

Discography[edit]

Singles
  • "Tsuki/Hoshi" (June 22, 2016), Oricon peak position: 4[22]
Studio albums
  • Maison de M (September 28, 2016), Oricon peak position: 8[22]
  • Habit (May 29, 2024)
Live albums
  • Maison de M vol.1 in Billboard Live Tokyo (March 29, 2017)

With SID[edit]

Main article: Sid discography

Books[edit]

  • The Aesthetics of Single-Stroke Drawing (一筆書きの美学, Ippitsugaki no bigaku) (March 2, 2010)
  • The Aesthetics of Single-Stroke Drawing 2 (一筆書きの美学II, Ippitsugaki no bigaku II) (December 7, 2012)
  • The Magic of Positivity (ポジティブの魔法, Positive no Mahō) (May 12, 2021)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "【SID】マオのプロフィール｜ハスキーな高音が魅力のボーカリスト｜ヴィジュアリズム宮殿". ヴィジュアリズム宮殿 (in Japanese). 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  2. ^ a b c "Sid Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  3. ^ "マオさんがくるめふるさと大使に就任【くるめのみりょく｜久留米シティプロモーション】". くるめのみりょく (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  4. ^ a b "Zy 38: SID". JaME. 2008-03-19. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  5. ^ "【SID】明希のプロフィール｜Akiとしてもソロ活動するベーシスト｜ヴィジュアリズム宮殿". ヴィジュアリズム宮殿 (in Japanese). 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  6. ^ 一筆書きの美学/マオ from シド (in Japanese). エムオンエンターテイメント. 2010-03-03.
  7. ^ "SID's Mao launches mail-order sales of the book, "The Aesthetics of Single-Stroke Drawing 2," to domestic and international markets". SYNC MUSIC JAPAN. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  8. ^ Zansouki (2016-04-12). "SID's vocalist Mao to make solo debut this upcoming June". JROCK NEWS. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  9. ^ "シド・マオ、9・28国内初のデジタルサイン会実施 Twitter Japan全面協力". Oricon (in Japanese). 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  10. ^ "マオ from SID、9月発売『Maison de M』に全6曲". BARKS (in Japanese). 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  11. ^ "LiSAの新曲「ASH」はシドのマオ＆明希が作詞・作曲 13thシングルとしてリリースも決定". SPICE (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  12. ^ "シドのマオ、1年前の約束果たすホワイトデー「箸休めNight」". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  13. ^ "シドのマオ、明希がソロプロジェクトで7月よりツアー開催（動画あり）". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  14. ^ "MAO from SID Announces Live Streaming Solo Concert". JaME. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  15. ^ "河村隆一「BEAUTIFUL LIE」含むアルバム3作配信リリース決定、プレゼントキャンペーン実施". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  16. ^ "マオ from SID、今年の箸休めNightクリスマスは2DAYS（コメントあり）". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  17. ^ "シドのVoマオ、ライブ活動休止「19年間頑張り続けてくれた喉を、しっかりと休ませて」". Oricon (in Japanese). 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  18. ^ "シド、結成20周年幕開け公演でライブ活動再開「みんなの夢をのせて俺は歌う」". BARKS (in Japanese). 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  19. ^ "シドのマオが新たなソロプロジェクト始動、自身が全曲作詞作曲したアルバム「habit」発表（動画あり）". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  20. ^ Fool's Mate 354, April 2011.
  21. ^ "マオ、メニエール病だった…現在は完治". TV Asahi (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  22. ^ a b "マオのプロフィール". Oricon (in Japanese). 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
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