Minmi

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

Minmi ミンミ
Birth name	Michiko Evwana
Born	(1974-12-08) December 8, 1974 (age 50) Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Reggae, hip hop, pop, electropop
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Victor Entertainment 2002–09 (part of JVC) Far Eastern Tribe Records 2009– (part of Universal Music Group)
Website	www.minmi.jp

Michiko Evwana (born December 8, 1974), better known by her stage name Minmi (Japanese: ミンミ), is a Japanese hip-hop and reggae musician,[1] as well as a singer-songwriter and record producer. She is the first soca artist from Japan.^[citation needed] Since 2007, she has been married to Wakadanna (若旦那), a member of Japanese reggae group Shōnan no Kaze.[2][3][4]

She began playing reggae music in Japanese clubs in 1996.[5] Her 2002 debut single, "The Perfect Vision", went on to sell over 500,000 copies.[5]

Biography

Michiko Evwana was born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, on December 8, 1974. She began playing the piano at the age of five, at which time she began to take interest in soul and jazz music.[6] Minmi began her musical career in 1996, performing at rub-a-dub showcases and hip hop events in the clubs of Osaka.[6] She also began to develop her own sound by making her own original tracks around this period. Minmi signed her first recording deal with JVC Records, releasing the reggae song "The Perfect Vision" as her first single in August 2002. Minmi's first single became extremely popular, and was widely accepted and heavily rotated by as many as 20 FM radio stations. "The Perfect Vision," after gradually increasing in popularity, would eventually sell over 500,000 copies.[6]

In 2005, Minmi released her first soca-influenced song, "Summertime!!," as opposed to her regular reggae and hip-hop sound. Because of this event, she attended the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival in February 2006,[6] performing on stage. In September, she was nominated for best new artist at the Reggae/Soca Music Awards in New York.[6] Minmi attended the festival again in 2007, performing "Sha Na Na (Japanese Wine)" with Machel Montano.

In June 2007, it was suddenly announced that Minmi had married Wakadanna, a member of reggae group Shōnan no Kaze, and was four months pregnant.[7] The two had first met in 2001 in Jamaica, and began dating soon after.[3] In November she gave birth to her first child, a son.[3]

In March 2010 it was announced that Minmi was pregnant with her second child.[4] Her fourth album Mother, released in July when she was roughly eight months pregnant, prominently features her stomach in the photographs. The child, the second boy,[8] was born ten days early on August 4 in New York.[9]

On June 10 and July 22, 2015, Minmi released her seventeenth single "Hologram".[10]

Bibliography

• MINMI. (July 1, 2010), Kise Ki to MAMA, PAPA & BABY Kyo Mama Ni Ai Ni Iku Yo (in Japanese), Tokyo: Kobunsha Publishing, ISBN 978-4-334-90172-1
• MINMI. (August 17, 2013), HOW TO BE A MOTHER VERY x MINMI "Kosodate Shinagara" Maternity no Hibi (in Japanese), Tokyo: Kobunsha Publishing, ISBN 978-4-334-97704-7
• Mao Abe / Miu Sakamoto / Watanabe Atsuko / Akiko Noma / JILL / MINMI / Ueno Miki / Takahashi Miho (December 20, 2017), WOMAN Josei Artist 6 Nin Ga Kataru, Renai, Kazoku, Soshite Ongaku (in Japanese), Tokyo: Rittor Music Inc., ISBN 978-4-845-63173-5

Discography

Albums

Year	Album Information	Oricon Albums Charts [11]	Reported sales [12]
2003	Miracle Released: March 19, 2003 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-61097) Formats: CD, digital download	2	476,000
2004	imagine Released: June 30, 2004 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-61768) Formats: CD, digital download	3	190,000
2006	Natural Released: March 29, 2006 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-61936, VICL-61914) Formats: CD, digital download	6	100,000
2010	Mother Released: July 7, 2010 Label: Universal, Far Eastern Tribe Records (UMCF-1040, UMCF-9537, UMCF-9536) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	5	64,000
2013	I LOVE Released: July 24, 2013 Label: Universal, Far Eastern Tribe Records (UMCF-1095, UMCF-9634) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	14
2014	BAD Released: September 24, 2014 Label: Universal (UPCH-1988, UPCH-9953) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	17
2015	EGO Released: August 24, 2015 Label: Universal (UPCH-2051, UPCH-7041, D2CJ-1102, D2CJ-1103) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	28	3,000
2016	Life is Beautiful Released: July 27, 2016 Label: Universal (UPCH-7168, UPCH-2087) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	29
2018	identity Released: May 23, 2018 Label: Universal (UPCH-2161, UPCH-7415) Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download	57

Other albums

Year	Album Information	Oricon Albums Charts [11]	Reported sales [12]
2005	Friends: Minmi Featuring Works Best Collaborations compilation album Released: September 22, 2005 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-61097) Formats: 2CD, digital download	16	71,000
2006	Minmi Natural Show Case 2006 In Zepp Tokyo (Special Edition) - EP Live special album Released: December 6, 2006 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-62674, VICL-62675) Formats: digital download	—
2007	The Love Song Collection 2006—2007 'Love' concept compilation album Released: November 21, 2007 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-62674, VICL-62675) Formats: CD, digital download	3	75,000
2008	Minmi Best 2002—2008 Greatest hits album Released: November 21, 2007 Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-280, VICL-62829/30) Formats: 2CD, 3CD, digital download	2	230,000
2009	Summer Collection with Music Clips 'Summer' concept greatest hits album Released: August 19, 2009 Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-341) Formats: CD+DVD, digital download	5	38,000
2011	The Heart Song Collection 'Heart' concept album Released: August 24, 2011 Label: Universal Music Japan, Far Eastern Tribe Records (UMCF-9591, UMCF-1063) Formats: CD+DVD, digital download	10
2012	MINMI Best Ame Nochi Niji 2002-2012 Released: August 22, 2012 Label: Universal Music Japan, Far Eastern Tribe Records (UMCF-9616, UMCF-1077) Formats: 2CD, 2CD+DVD, digital download	7
2014	MINMI BEST "ORIGIN" Released: September 24, 2014 Label: Victor Entertainment (VIZL-736) Formats: CD+DVD, digital download	147
2015	New MINMI Friends -"Bad" "MINMI" To Iu Neta wo Rapper Track Maker Ga Douryouri Shitanoka- Released: July 22, 2015 Label: Universal Music Japan (UPCH-2047) Formats: CD, digital download	117
2017	ALL TIME BEST:ADAM Released: March 3, 2017 Label: Universal Music Japan (UPCH-2116) Formats: CD, digital download	69
	ALL TIME BEST:EVE Released: March 3, 2017 Label: Universal Music Japan (UPCH-2117) Formats: CD, digital download	75

Singles

As lead artist

Release	Title	Chart positions			Oricon sales [12]	Album
		Oricon Singles Charts [11]	Billboard Japan Hot 100† [13]	RIAJ digital tracks† [14]
2002	"The Perfect Vision"	4	—	—	353,000	Miracle
	"T.T.T."	8	—	—	74,000
2003	"Another World"	17	—	—	37,000	Imagine
2004	"Ai no Mi" (アイの実, "Fruit of Love")	19	—	—	15,000
	"Are Yu Ready"	45	—	—	7,000	Natural
2005	"Summertime!!" (サマータイム!!, Samātaimu!!)	19	—	—	27,000
2006	"Nishiazabu Densetsu" (西麻布伝説, Nishiazabu Legend)	78	—	—	3,000
	"I Love You Baby"	42	—	—	9,000	Love Song Collection
2007	"Sha Na Na" (シャナナ☆)	17	—	13*	36,000
2009	"Ave Maria" (アベマリア, Abe Maria)	14	16	2	18,000	Mother
	"Ashita Moshi mo Kimi ga Inai..." (アシタもしもキミがいない..., "What If You're Not There Tomorrow")	25	42	7	7,000
2010	"Hibiscus" (ハイビスカス, Haibisukasu)	27	30	8	7,000
	"Pa to Hanasaku" feat. Verbal (パッと花咲く, "Blooming with a Bang")	58	70	25	2,000	MINMI Best Ame Nochi Niji 2002–2012
2012	" La La La ~Ai no Uta~" (ラララ 〜愛のうた〜, La La La ~Song of Love)	58	—	—		I LOVE
	"Engage Ring" (エンゲージリング)	35	—	—
2013	"Sakura ~Eien~" feat. Shonannokaze (さくら ~永遠~, Cherry Blossom ~Eternity~)	28	—	—
2014	"Ite itai yo" (いていたいよ, I want a lot.)	45	—	—		BAD
2015	"hologram" (ホログラム)	116	—	—		EGO
* charted on monthly Chaku-uta Reco-kyō Chart. †Japan Hot 100 established February 2008, RIAJ Digital Track Chart established April 2009.

As featured artist

Release	Title	Notes	Chart positions			Oricon sales [12]	Album
			Oricon Singles Charts [11]	Billboard Japan Hot 100† [13]	RIAJ digital tracks† [14]
2006	"Win and Shine" (Ukarats FC)	Co-wrote lyrics/music.	48	—	—	6,000	We Love We [We Love Winning Eleven]
2007	"Dream Lover" (Infinity 16 welcomez Shōnan no Kaze, Minmi, Moomin)		10	—	5*	74,000	Foundation Rock
	"Manatsu no Orion" (真夏のオリオン, "Midsummer Orion") (Infinity 16 welcomez Minmi, 10-Feet)		14	—	27*	25,000
	"Kiseki" (キセキ, "Miracle") (Teruteru Babys)	Charity single, wrote song/featured vocals.	39	—	—	7,000
2008	"Dream Mix, Vol. 01" ( INFINITY 16 welcomez Shonan no kaze, MINMI, MOOMIN, 10-FEET, MUNEHIRO)		—	—	—		Non-album single
	"Dream Believer (Hoshi ni Negai o)" (星に願いを, "Wishing on a Star") (Infinity 16 welcomez Minmi, Wakadanna & Han-kun from Shōnan no Kaze, Goki)		19	13	11*	14,000	Welcomez
2010	"Kinkyu Jitai" (緊急事態, "Emergency") (RED SPIDER feat. MINMI, HAN-KUN, KENTY GROSS, BES, APOLLO, KIRA, NG HEAD, DOZAN11)		—	—	—		Kinkyu Jitai – One Sound Dance Live 2010
2012	"Ame Nochi Hare " (雨のち晴れ, "Rain then sunny") (INFINITY 16 welcomez MINMI & JAY'ED)		98	—	—		MY LIFE
2013	"Pan Pan Papan" (RED SPIDER feat. feat. Minmi, Kenty Gross, Arm Strong & Bes)		—	—	—		WHAT THE SPIDER
	"HANDS UP" (RED SPIDER feat. Minmi, Bes, NG Head, Kenty Gross, Boogie Man & Shingo Nishinari)		—	—	—
	"Tokyo" (東京) (Shingo Nishinari feat. MINMI)		—	—	—		Okage-samadesu. (おかげさまです。, I am sorry.)
2016	"Ah Murderz" (RED SPIDER feat. MINMI, BES, APOLLO, KENTY GROSS, J-REXXX, KIRA, NATURAL WEAPON & DOZAN11)		—	—	—		Title is to be announced ～ALL JAPANESE REGGAE DUB MIX CD～
2018	"Slave of Love" (YOSA & TAAR feat. Taichi Mukai & MINMI)		—	—	—		Modern Disco Tours
	"All In" (Shella Posse feat. MINMI)		—	—	—		Non-album single
	"NO NO" (RED SPIDER feat. MINMI, APOLLO, KENTY GROSS & NATURAL WEAPON)		—	—	—		#compact_disc

Digital Singles

Release	Title	Notes	Album
2009	"A Natural Woman"	Aretha Franklin cover	Non-album single
2010	"Pink Boushi no "Do Re Mi Fa So"" (ピンク帽子の "ドレミファソ")		The Heart Song Collection
2012	"Teo Teo ~D.I.N.C~" feat. DOBERMAN INC		MINMI Best Ame Nochi Niji 2002–2012
2013	"Sumaho (Season II)" (スマホ （SeasonII）) feat. Shingo Nishinari		New MINMI Friends -"Bad" "MINMI" To Iu Neta wo Rapper Track Maker Ga Douryouri Shitanoka-
2014	"#Yacchaitai" (#ヤッチャイタイ)		BAD
2015	"MOVE"		EGO
	"hologram" (ホログラム)
2018	Winner (Yokohama Futtou Version)	Yokohama F. Marinos Official Half Time Supporting Song	Non-album single

DVDs

Title	Release date	Oricon rank[15]
Minmi Live Tour 2004 "Imagine" (sunshine)	September 24, 2004	—
Minmi Video Clips 2002—2005: Summer	July 27, 2005	37
Minmi Natural Show Case 2006 in Zepp Tokyo	November 22, 2006	69
Freedom '08	December 3, 2008	17
Minmi Live: Freedom in Awajishima	December 2, 2009	33
LIVE TOUR "Himawari" ～Road to 10th Anniversary～ at Saitama Super Arena	June 27, 2012	36
MINMIDVD	December 24, 2014	127
MINMI LIVE TOUR 2014 "BAD"	May 27, 2015	40

Collaborations

Title	Artist	Release date
"Tornade"	Silver King	September 2000
"Shot Dem Up"	Jumbo Maatch from Mighty Jam Rock	October 2001
"3 Minute Special"	Silver King	May 22, 2002
"Parasite"	Vader	May 22, 2002
"I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend"	Boogie Man	July 2002
"Journey Into..."	Takafin from Mighty Jam Rock	August 2002
"Cry"	Shōnan no Kaze	July 2003
"Independent Woman"	Pushim	December 17, 2003
"THE ROCK CITY"	Vader	June 2, 2004
"Shiki No Uta"	Nujabes	June 23, 2004
"Irie Music"	Home Grown	August 4, 2004
"Set Mi Free, Let Mi Be"	Home Grown	August 4, 2004
"My Way"	Shōnan no Kaze	August 18, 2004
"Who's Theme"	Nujabes	September 22, 2004
"Keep On Steppin'"	SAL The Soul	November 26, 2004
"Rastaman Drive Mi Crazy"	Anthony B	2005
"Day Dreamer"	Munehiro	May 21, 2005
"Cherry Blossom"	10-Feet	April 18, 2006
"Lotta Love"	M-Flo	July 26, 2006
"Sha Na Na – Japanese Wine"	Machel Montano	March 6, 2007
"Happy Today"	Shōnan no Kaze	April 18, 2007
"Spider City (Rock City 3)"	Kenty-Gross	February 7, 2007
"Spider Time (Summer Time!!)"	Kenty-Gross	February 7, 2007
"Missing You"	Minmi	February 7, 2007
"Spider (Aira)"	Minmi	February 7, 2007
"Nande"	Rudebwoy Face	April 25, 2007
"Suirenka"	Shōnan no Kaze	June 6, 2007
"Saving All My Love For You"	Minmi	January 1, 2011
"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Junior Kelly	April 3, 2012
"Hoshino Raburetaa"	Sergio Mendes	January 1, 2013
"Konoyo ga Yami Dato Iwanaide Okure"	Sambomaster	October 9, 2013
"Nadeshiko (Soul Remix)"	KIRA	February 4, 2015
"Heisei no Otome"	Kenty-Gross	August 26, 2015
"Outta Love"	Che'Nelle	June 14, 2017
"Dame"	DJ SWING & Tarantula	July 5, 2017

See Also

• Supa Dups

References

1. MINMI BEST 2002–2008 (Review) at the Wayback Machine (archived March 7, 2012), United Daily News (in Chinese), August 22, 2008
2. "女性レゲエ・シンガーのMINMIが妊娠、お相手は湘南乃風の若旦那。" (in Japanese). narinari.com. June 27, 2007.
3. "レゲエ歌手MINMIが男児出産" (in Japanese). Oricon. November 20, 2007. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
4. MINMIが第2子妊娠...「湘南乃風」若旦那も大喜び (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. March 11, 2010. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010.
5. "A Trini Wine made in Japan". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. February 13, 2007.
6. "Minmi Official Site/Bio" (in Japanese). Retrieved November 11, 2010.
7. MINMIと湘南乃風の若旦那が結婚 (in Japanese). Oricon. June 27, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
8. "NY出産7 産声" (in Japanese). Minmi official Ameblog. August 25, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
9. MINMI、スーパー安産で第2子出産 (in Japanese). Sanspo. August 5, 2010. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
10. CD Journal Staff (July 22, 2015). "Minmi / Hologram (single review)". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved July 17, 2016.
11. "アーティスト： MINMI". Oricon. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
12. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved October 15, 2010. (subscription only)
13. "Hot 100|JAPAN Charts|Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard. Archived from the original on November 22, 2010.
14. 有料音楽配信チャート (in Japanese). RIAJ.
15. MINMIのリリース一覧 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 11, 2010.

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Minmi at Oricon (in Japanese)

Agency profiles:

• Minmi at Victor Entertainment (in Japanese)
• Minmi at Universal Music Group Japan (in Japanese)