31 Facts About Misia

Misaki Ito commonly known as Misia and stylized in all caps, is a Japanese singer and songwriter.

Misia was signed to BMG Japan in 1997, after auditioning for record producer Haruo Yoda.

Misia came to prominence following the release of her debut album, Mother Father Brother Sister, which became the seventh best-selling Japanese debut album of all time, earning her two Japan Gold Disc Awards and one Japan Record Award.

In 2000, Misia released her sophomore album, Love Is the Message, which earned her another Japan Gold Disc Award and Japan Record Award.

In doing so, Misia became the fourth solo female artist with the longest streak of number-one albums since their debut.

Misia has released thirteen studio albums and is among the all-time best-selling Japanese music artists, having sold more than 20 million records.

Misia is one of the top-touring artists in Japan, becoming the first female artist to play all five of Japan's largest stadiums in 2004.

Besides her musical career, Misia is a committed philanthropist and involves herself in humanitarian causes and biodiversity conservation activities.

Misia was born on July 7,1978, to parents who were both doctors.

Misia's father loved jazz, and her mother loved Western music.

Misia gradually came to want to leave Tsushima, where she was not able to get enough information about music, and wanted to take voice lessons in earnest in Fukuoka.

Misia sang "Goodbye Darlin'" by Dreams Come True and was chosen from about 3,000 candidates.

Misia decided to pursue a music career instead of school education and took a leave of absence from university.

Misia used the stage name "MISIA" at the beginning of her music career.

In 2001, one of Misia's dreams came true with the release of "I Miss You ", a collaboration with Dreams Come True, her favorite band.

Misia became the first female solo act to tour the five major dome stadiums of Japan in 2004, drawing 357,000 spectators in seven performances.

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

In May 2008, Misia joined Sadao Watanabe, Juanes, Youssou N'Dour, and Bono for the 'One For All' event on May 29,2008, for 1,500 in Yokohama, Japan.

In continuation of her 10th anniversary celebration, Misia released her first digital single, "Catch the Rainbow" on August 30,2008.

In 2008, Misia drew near more than 200,000 spectators, second only to Ayumi Hamasaki in the number of concert-goers for a solo female artist in Japan.

Misia was inspired by the International Year of Biodiversity and wrote the song "Life in Harmony", eventually chosen by the Convention on Biological Diversity to be the song for the conference.

In 2011, Misia returned to recording with the song "Ashita e" to raise money for victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and "Kioku", Misia's first official single in nearly a year and a half.

Misia followed up Soul Quest with the cover album Misia no Mori: Forest Covers, which includes a cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" which is used as the theme song for the film Friends: Mononokejima no Naki.

Misia stated that she hoped that her appearance at the concert would re-invigorate the bond between the US and Japan to help with the reconstruction from the 2011 earthquake.

Misia performed at the 63rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in a live broadcast from Namibia's Namib Desert singing "Everything" and "Ashita e".

In 2020, Misia made another international appearance on the eighth season of Hunan TV's reality singing competition Singer, along with four previously contested singers from seasons four to six, and along with new singers Mao Buyi and Zhou Shen.

On December 30,2021, Misia won the Best Vocal Performance award at the 63rd Japan Record Awards.

Misia began getting involved in fund-raising in 2002 and went on to visit Kenya, Mali, and Malawi, setting up the charity Child Africa.

Misia's role was largely to raise awareness of the issues and she created a website titled Satoyama Basket to encourage education on the issue of biodiversity.

At her 2010 "Hoshizora no Live VI" tour, Misia produced a "Biodiversity Band" with profits going to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In May 2010, Misia expanded her activities by establishing a foundation named "mudef" for which she is a board member.