NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Acclaimed Japanese, American recording artist Emiko will be a featured artist at the upcoming first Japan Music Week (JMW) taking place in Tokyo, Japan November 9th through the 15th. The artist is expected to address the opening ceremony on November 9th and will be a Featured Speaker at the Singer/ Songwriter Night November 10th. She will perform her original compositions in both Japanese and English at the New York Showcase Night on November 12th and will perform and speak at other events during that week. Emiko is the Founder and Director of the Asian American Music Industry Association (AAMIA), an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between Asia and the Western World in today’s popular music industry. The organization with be debuted at JMW.
The daughter of a Japanese mother and Jewish/American father, Emiko was a “Foreign Service kid” who was raised in both the US (DC, NYC) and Japan (Omiya in Saitama Prefecture). Her school year was split between the two countries and she completed all subjects up to 10th grade in Japan.
Trained as a classical pianist from the age of two, Emiko began writing original compositions at eight when she discovered pop music and made the transition into rock and roll. By the time she was a teenager, Emiko had already retired from professional classical music, was touring the US with her own rock band and recorded her first album, “Forced To Smile,” self-released in the DC-MD-VA tri-state area.
Presently, Emiko is completing work on a new CD which is entirely funded by her fans. The album is produced by Grammy nominated, multi-platinum-selling Tommy Faragher (musical producer of Fox TV’s hit series “Glee”, Bee Gees, Taylor Dane); the singles were produced by Patrick Shaw (Shakira, Alicia Keys, Mandy Moore). The new release comes on the heels of her international debut album “Here Lies Tinkerbell,” and follow-up EP “Becoming Marina.” The new CD, as yet untitled, is slated for release in early 2010. To coincide with her appearances at Japan Music Week, Emiko re-recorded two of her songs – “Venice” and “Any Favours” – in Japanese which will be released as singles in Japan.
In addition to her work as a solo artist, Emiko has begun a musical collaboration with legendary drummer Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel, Ronnie Spector, Meat Loaf, Carly Simon, Rick Wakeman). Called The May-December Project, the two are writing new music together with the expectation on signing with a record label and touring. Emiko has tour dates booked into the new year, including appearances at NAMM in Anaheim, CA (Jan. 14 – 17), MIDEM in Cannes, France (Jan 18 – 25) and a return engagement to perform a benefit concert in Boise, Idaho (Feb 16 – 20) where she was named to the Board of Directors for the Center for the Performing Arts, and in Sun Valley to participate in the annual Apres Ski even (February 21 – March 3) which will include a live album recording. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
