Misia, commonly stylized as MISIA, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Nagasaki, Misia moved to Fukuoka at the age of 14 to pursue a recording career. There, she continued her secondary education and briefly attended Seinan Gakuin University before withdrawing to focus on her musical career. She was signed to BMG Japan in 1997, after auditioning for record producer Haruo Yoda.
"Believe" is Misia's 3rd single. It was released on April 21, 1999. It peaked at #2 selling 95,930 copies on its first week. The song was used in Hitachi's "Maxell MD" commercial. "Believe" is one of MISIA's signature songs.
"Wasurenai Hibi" is Misia's 4th single. It was released on November 25, 1999 simultaneously with Sweetness. It peaked at #4 selling 119,630 copies on its first week. The song was used as the image song for Hitachi Maxell's "True Sound".
"Escape" is Misia's 6th single. It was released on her birthday, 7 July 2000. It peaked at #7 selling 81,130 copies on its first week. It was used in a commercial for Kenwood's "Avino".
"I Miss You " is Misia's 8th and last single with Arista Japan. It was released on 1 January 2001 under the name of "Misia+DCT". It peaked at #3 selling 224,740 copies on its first week. The song is a duet between Misia and Dreams Come True vocalist, Miwa Yoshida. Misia penned the lyrics and composed the melody alongside DCT band member, Masato Nakamura.
"Hatenaku Tsuzuku Story" is Misia's 9th single overall and first with Rhythmedia Tribe. It was released on January 30, 2002. It peaked at #3 selling 86,780 copies on its first week. The song served as opening theme to NHK's Salt Lake City Olympics TV report. Jane Zhang's recorded the Chinese version of this song (我的路) in her third album, Jane@Music. Sarah Geronimo has an English version of the song entitled "Love Can't Lie," on her album Sweet Sixteen.
"Nemurenu Yoru wa Kimi no Sei" is Misia's 10th single. It was released on August 8, 2002. It reached #1, selling 128,630 copies in its first week. It was used as theme song for the drama "Ren'ai Hensachi" as well as in a commercial for Kirin's "Rakuda" beverage.
"Back Blocks" is Misia's 11th single. It was released on 20 November 2002. It peaked at #7 selling 30,846 copies in its first week. The third track, "Tobikata wo Wasureta Chiisana Tori" served as theme song for the PlayStation 2 game "Star Ocean: Till the End of Time".
"Kokoro Hitotsu" is Misia's 12th single. It was released on August 27, 2003. It peaked at #7 selling 36,771 copies in its first week. The song served as theme song for the movie Dragon Head, starring Satoshi Tsumabuki and Sayaka.
"Luv Parade/Color of Life" is the fifteenth single by Japanese recording artist Misia. It was released on July 5, 2006 as the first single from Misia's seventh studio album Ascension.
Mother Father Brother Sister is Misia's debut album, released on June 24, 1998. It debuted at #3 on the weekly albums chart with 330,660 copies sold. The album stayed in the Top 3 the next two weeks and on its fourth week, reached the top of the charts with 277,990 copies sold. The album remained in the Top 5 for eleven consecutive weeks and sold over 2.58 million copies in Japan alone. It won the award for Best Album at the 40th Japan Record Awards.
Misia Remix 2000 Little Tokyo is the first remix album of Japanese R&B singer Misia, released on April 19, 2000. It debuted atop of the weekly Oricon albums chart with 234,190 copies sold. Misia Remix 2000 Little Tokyo is the second highest-selling remix album of all time in Japan, succeeding TRF's Hyper Mix 4.
Kiss in the Sky is Misia's fourth studio album and first under Avex Trax subsidiary label Rhythmedia Tribe, released on September 26, 2002. It sold 410,060 copies in its first week and peaked at #1 for two consecutive weeks. Like her previous album, Marvelous, Kiss in the Sky was produced by Misia herself and features collaborations with B'z guitarist and leader, Tak Matsumoto.
Mars & Roses is the fifth studio album by Japanese R&B singer Misia, released on February 11, 2004. It debuted at #3 with 151,087 copies sold. The album was recorded in London, New York and Tokyo. The song Little Rose, the title and theme of the album were inspired by Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince. Mars & Roses was produced by American songwriter Keith Crouch and includes a duet with Erykah Badu. The first pressing of the album includes a bonus live version of "Snow Song", whose simple piano arrangement was created by Misia's band leader and pianist, Tohru Shigemi, during one of their tour rehearsals.
Eighth World is Misia's eighth studio album and first since signing back with BMG Japan, released on January 9, 2008. It includes the singles "Any Love" and "Royal Chocolate Flush" as well as the J-Wave Winter Campaign Holy December, Be in Love with J-Wave image song and theme song to the Japanese release of the movie Bridge to Terabithia, "To Be in Love". The first pressing of the album came in a sleeve case packaging.
Just Ballade is the ninth studio album by Japanese singer Misia. It was released on December 16, 2009 by Ariola Japan, marking Misia's first album release under the label. The album yielded seven singles, "Yes Forever" and "Yakusoku no Tsubasa", released in 2008, the digital exclusive "Sukoshi Zutsu Taisetsu ni", the double A-side single "Ginga" / "Itsumademo", "Aitakute Ima", and lastly "Hoshi no Yō ni...", released on the same day as the album. Just Ballade was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
Misia no Mori: Forest Covers is the first covers album by Japanese singer Misia. It was released by Ariola Japan on December 14, 2011. The album consists of cover versions of songs by soul musicians, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, among others, reworked Christmas standards and one newly recorded original song by Misia.
Super Best Records: 15th Celebration is the second greatest hits album by Japanese singer Misia. It was released to commemorate Misia's 15th anniversary as a recording artist by Ariola Japan on February 20, 2013, one day shy of her actual 15th anniversary. The three-disc set was released in Blu-spec CD2 format and each disc was remastered by a different music engineer. The compilation includes four reworked tracks, the singles "Koi wa Owaranai Zutto", "Deepness" and "Back in Love Again", and the new song "Holiday", which was released as a promotional single for the album.
New Morning is the eleventh studio album by Japanese singer Misia. The album was released by Ariola Japan on April 2, 2014, the same day as the 77th and final date of Misia's nationwide Hoshizora no Live VII: 15th Celebration concert tour, at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall, which was broadcast live on YouTube. The album yielded the singles "Shiawase o Forever" and "Boku wa Pegasus Kimi wa Polaris". The lead track "Hope & Dreams" was released as a promotional single for the album.
Misia Hoshizora no Live Song Book: History of Hoshizora Live is the second live album by Japanese singer Misia. It compiles live material, spread out over two discs, collected from the Hoshizora Live concert series, recorded from its first installment in 2001 to the most recent in 2015, in commemoration of the series' 15th anniversary. The double album was released on March 9, 2016, through Ariola Japan.
