Mai Yajima

Not to be confused with Maimi Yajima.
Mai Yajima
矢島舞依
BornApril 28
Sōja, Okayama, Japan
OriginKyoto
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2013–present
Labels
    • South to North Records
    • Fitone
Websiteyajimamai.com

Mai Yajima (矢島舞依, Yajima Mai) is a Japanese heavy metal singer. Since her debut in 2013, she has released 2 studio albums, 6 EPs and 5 singles.

Biography

Yajima was born on April 28 in Sōja, Okayama Prefecture. She later moved to Kyoto.[1] She grew up listening to enka music and anime songs. She also listened to Japanese visual kei and metal bands.[2]

She came to Tokyo to start working as a voice actress, but she eventually decided to become a singer.[2] Her debut single, "Kodou" (鼓動, "Pulse"), was released in January 2014. The titular song was used as an ending theme for the live-action adaptation of the Nijimaru Rangers (疾風・虹丸組) manga.[3] It was followed by the release of "Signal" (シグナル) in August 2014 and "Youzai" (有罪) in April 2015.[4]

Mai Yajima's logo

Since January 2016, she has been performing with a backing band. "The Un-Dead", her first EP, was released in June 2016.[5] It was followed by "Bloodthirsty" in January 2017 and "Innocent Emotion" in December 2017.[6][7] Her first full-length album, Vampiress, was released in October 2018.[8][9] It was followed by three EPs: "Hell on Earth" (2020),[10] "Heaven Knows" (2020)[11] and "Heretical Soul" (2021).[12] "Heretical Soul" was ranked No. 7 on Oricon's weekly Indies Albums chart.[13] Her second full-length album, Metamorphose, was released in May 2022,[14] debuting at No. 4 on the Indies Albums chart.[15]

Influences

According to Yajima, because of her grandfather she grew up listening to enka singers, such as Nana Mizuki, Sayuri Ishikawa, Harumi Miyako, Fuyumi Sakamoto, but also the heavy metal band Onmyo-Za. Next, she started listening to visual kei bands, like The Gazette, Dir En Grey, Sid, D and Girugamesh. She also mentioned enjoying Western bands: Slipknot, The Agonist and Korn.[2]

Band personnel

  • Tsuyoshi Ōnishi – bass
  • Shimobe KC – drums
  • ShinyA – guitar
  • Kazuma – guitar

Discography

Studio albums

  • Vampiress (2018)
  • Metamorphose (2022)

EPs

  • "The Un-Dead" (2016)
  • "Bloodthirsty" (2017)
  • "Innocent Emotion" (2017)
  • "Hell on Earth" (2020)
  • "Heaven Knows" (2020)
  • "Heretical Soul" (2021)

Singles

  • "Kodou" (2014)
  • "Signal" (2014)
  • "Youzai" (2015)
  • "Vampire Maiden" (2016)
  • "Second Dead" (2018)

References

  1. ^ 20140214　矢島舞依　MUSIC NAVI　ユタンポ on Dailymotion
  2. ^ a b c 荒金, 良介 (May 31, 2016). "矢島舞依 激ロック インタビュー". gekirock.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "鼓動(Type A)". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  4. ^ "シグナル / 矢島舞依". South to North Records (in Japanese). May 1, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  5. ^ "疾走感溢れるロックを可憐に舞い歌う女性シンガー 矢島舞依、明日6/1リリースの1stミニ・アルバム『The Un-Dead』より「覚醒JINX」のMV公開！". gekirock.com (in Japanese). May 31, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "壮大なメタル・ワールドを華麗に舞う歌姫 矢島舞依、1/25にリリースする2ndミニ・アルバム『BLOODTHIRSTY』の最新ヴィジュアル公開！". gekirock.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  7. ^ "壮大なメタル・ワールドを華麗に舞う歌姫 矢島舞依、12/6リリースの3rdミニ・アルバム『Innocent Emotion』より「REPLICA」のMVショート・バージョンを公開！". gekirock.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  8. ^ Maniac, Homicidol (September 20, 2018). "Yajima Mai Will Bathe in Your Blood and Sound Great Doing It". Homicidols. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "【イベント特典】矢島舞依『Vampiress』発売記念インストア・イベント!!". diskunion.net (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  10. ^ "メタル・ディーヴァ 矢島舞依、3部作ミニ・アルバム第1弾『Hell on Earth』アー写＆ジャケ写公開！". gekirock.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Maniac, Homicidol (November 20, 2020). "This Is Yajima Mai Music". Homicidols. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "New Mini-Album from Yajima Mai". JaME. July 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  13. ^ "Oricon 2021 Week 30". jame-world.com. August 1, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "メタル・ディーヴァ 矢島舞依のメロスピ・ベスト・アルバム『METAMORPHOSE』公式リリース・パーティー、激ロックがプロデュースするMusic Bar ROCKAHOLIC新宿にて5/21開催決定！". gekirock.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "Oricon 2022 Week 22". jame-world.com. June 5, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2024.