Mayuka Thaïs Explained

Mayuka Thaïs
Origin:San Francisco, United States
Birth Date:1979 9, mf=yes
Birth Place:San Francisco, United States
Occupation:Singer-songwriter
musician
artist
art educator
voice over artist
edutainer
Instruments:Guitar
Vocals
Harmonica
Years Active:1985–present

Mayuka Thaïs (born September 25, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter, artist, voice over artist, art educator, and edutainer.[1] [2] She is known for her role as a bilingual singer and actress on the popular children's program Shimajiro.[3] [4] [1]

Early life and career beginnings

Thaïs was born in San Francisco to an American mother, Teri Suzanne, from Monrovia[1] and a Japanese father. Her parents met while her mother was studying abroad in Japan.[1] [5] She worked in the edutainment industry in Japan, as a studio singer, actress, and voice over artist, for bilingual multi-media edutainment products from the age of 5 for Nippon Columbia.[6] [4] For 13 years she honed her acting skills while studying at Aoyama Theatre in the round, bilingual Performing Arts Group,[1] at the National Children's Castle's Aoyama Theatre. At the age of 10, Thaïs won the Tokyo Metropolitan Government art award.[7] Her notable role came when she became the main singer, actress on a popular children's program Shimajiro[1] [3] [8] In 2007, Thaïs graduated and received her BFA from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles with HONORS majoring in Fine Arts Painting and A.C.T. (Artists, Community, & Teaching).[9] Thaïs is currently a senior lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design.[10] [2] [1] [11] [12] [13]

Music

At the age of 5, Thaïs recorded a Christmas album Minna De Merry Christmas with multiracial children for Nippon Columbia.[14] To date, Thais has worked on 14 albums and countless singles. In 2004 Thaïs recorded Genki Genki Utaou Nontan's bilingual Christmas album for Nippon Columbia along with her sister Kunimi Andrea,[1] and her mother Teri Suzanne.[1] [15] With the help of contributors on her Pledge Music campaign, her album Tusks & Horns was produced by Geoff Levin of People! in May 2014.[16] [2] Thaïs has shared the stage with artists such as Mayu Wakisaka, The Watanabes, Nesian Mystik, and Geoff Levin.[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] Thaïs's song "Song Without You" is featured in the film "Half Way to Hell" directed by Richard Friedman.[22]

Art

At the age of 10, Thaïs won the Tokyo Metropolitan Government art award. In 2007, Thaïs's painting of a life-size Asian Elephant was exhibited at the Palos Verdes Art Center as part of a group show The Circus Comes to Town curated by Scott Canty.[23] [24] [25]

Activism

On December 13, 2006, when Thaïs was an art student at Otis College of Art and Design, she took her painting of an elephant in captivity to a town hall meeting to lend her voice to discuss conditions of elephants in captivity.[26] In 2007, Thaïs released her first independent single When Elephants Cry on YouTube to help raise awareness of the plight of Elephants in captivity.[27] [28] She was asked to perform this song at the Comedy Store for a recognition dinner of high-profile celebrities including Jorja Fox, comedian Lily Tomlin and former Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas and current Congressman.[2] In 2014, she was asked to march for the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos in San Francisco and to sing her song Tusks & Horns at the United Nations Plaza with her producer Geoff Levin on guitar.[29] [30] [31] [32] In 2015, she went on her Tusks & Horns tour and toured Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kagawa, and Tokyo, Japan. She gave hanga artworkshops for children, art students, and families in hopes of raising and spreading awareness of the plight of endangered Elephants & Rhinos. She also joined in the march for the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos in Tokyo.[33] [34]

Peace song for Hiroshima

In August 2015, Thaïs performed her song Yamayuri no Kimochi for the 70th war memorial in Hiroshima at the Akioota International Music festival.[35] The song was a collaboration between Thaïs for melody, lyrics by the children of Hiroshima, lyrics made into poetry by poet Arthur Binard, piano by Scott Nagatani.[36] The song has become the official song to commemorate the annual war memorial for the Akioota International Music Festival.

Art and music non-profit collaborations

Music

To help disadvantaged youth find their own voices, Thaïs worked with the non-profit program Youth Speak Collective students in the San Fernando Valley to cultivate their songwriting skills for Rockband 101. Drummer and percussionist Billy Hawn joined in to help teach, inspire, and arrange music for the students.[37]

Art

To help raise awareness of the plight of Asian elephants, Thaïs collaborated with a non-profit organization Elemotion, to paint a life-size baby Asian elephant with the students from International School of the Sacred Heart.[38]

Television

In 2016, Thaïs was one of the two finalists on Skin Wars: Fresh Paint episode 2, hosted by RuPaul. A spin-off of the popular TV series Skin Wars specifically for artists who have never body painted before.[39]

Television

Children's television and programs personality

Children's television and programs

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011Kids Station UtabakoHerselfSKY PerfecTV!
2003–2005ShimajiroMayukaBenesse
2002Action 8HerselfNHK Software
1998Mrs. Santa's Doki Doki FamilyReindeerSKY PerfecTV!

Discography

Songs for films

Year Film Role Directed by Song
2013 Half Way to Hell Songwriter, performer, writer Richard Friedman Song Without You
2014 Liberation Songwriter, performer, writerSiglia Diniz Let the Wind Blow
2014 On Georgia's Mind Songwriter, performer, writerMontana Mann Don't Say Forever

Albums

Independently released:
Studio released:
TitleYear Role Labels
Minna De Merry Christmas 1988 Singer Nippon Columbia
The Adventures of Shiny & Sparkle 1989 Singer ALC
Ninjin Cha Cha Cha 1993 Singer Nippon Columbia
Ahiru No Samba 1994 Singer Nippon Columbia
Mrs. Santa's Series: Thanks Santa! 1995 Singer Nippon Columbia
All We Need 1998 Singer-songwriter, performer Nippon Columbia
Doki Doki Family 1999 Singer Meito
Teri's Happy Animals 2000 Singer Nippon Columbia, Meito
Mama to Asobou: Eigo no Asobi uta 2000 Singer Nippon Columbia, Akachan Honpo
Bring Santa To Me 2001 Singer Dream Illumination
Action 8 2002 Singer NHK software
Genki Genki Nontan Utaou! Christmas 2004 Singer Nippon Columbia
Play Time for Toddlers 2005 Singer Benesse
Let's Play with Alphabets 2009 Singer Nippon Columbia
Let's Sing English Songs Together 2012 Singer Nippon Columbia
Toku Toku Eigo no Uta 50 songs 2013 Singer Nippon Columbia
Maniatta! Series (6) Christmas & New Years 2013 Singer Nippon Columbia
Columbia Kids! HopStep! JumpEigo no Uta Tsume Awase 2015 Singer Nippon Columbia
Santa to Utaou Christmas 2016 Singer Nippon Columbia
Eigo no Uta 2017 Singer Nippon Columbia
Christmas Song 2018 Singer Nippon Columbia
Christmas Songs Best of Best 2019 Singer Nippon Columbia
Let's Enjoy Christmas 2020 Singer Nippon Columbia
ABC Utatte Minitsuku Eigo 2022 Singer Nippon Columbia

Singles

Singles released independently:
Released Nippon Columbia:

Music videos

Awards

Music

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2012Eco Arts AwardsMusic VideoAll We Gotta Give
2013Eco Arts AwardsSongTohorā He Waiata

Video interviews and appearances

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Johnston. George. INTO THE NEXT STAGE: Learning Japanese and the Shimajiro Connection. 8 July 2017. Rafu Shimpo.
  2. Web site: Mina Patel. Saya Hatton. Beyond the Zoo Gates: Mayuka Thais advocates for animal rights through art and music. bestofsno.com. April 30, 2017.
  3. Web site: Mayuka Thaïs IMDB. IMDB. January 6, 2017.
  4. Web site: Ehonya Mayuka Thais Voice Over Artist. Ehonya.com. Ehonya. March 12, 2017. Japan. English.
  5. Web site: Mina Patel. Saya Hatton. Beyond the Zoo Gates: Mayuka Thais advocates for animal rights through art and music. April 30, 2017.
  6. Web site: Mayuka Thais. Tower Records Japan. April 25, 2017.
  7. News: Samuels. Elliot. Cut paper artist Teri Suzanne: 'a pair of scissors is the superhero of utensils'. April 22, 2017. April 23, 2017.
  8. Web site: Mayuka Thaïs Debut Album Quest. Pledge Music. January 7, 2017.
  9. Web site: Mayuka Thais About. Mayuka Thais. January 7, 2017.
  10. Web site: Faculty bios. Otis College of Art and Design. April 19, 2017.
  11. News: 20 Questions: the best answers of 2016 . 11 July 2019 . The Japan Times.
  12. Web site: Mayuka Thais, Otis College Alum and Instructor, on Drawing Outside the Lines . www.Otis.edu . Otis College of Art and Design . 18 November 2019.
  13. Web site: Habitat Umbrellas . davisart.com . 10 December 2019.
  14. Web site: Nippon Columbia Christmas Albums. Nippon Columbia. January 7, 2017.
  15. Web site: Genki Genki Nontan. Nippon Columbia Japan. January 7, 2017.
  16. Web site: About. Mayuka Thaïs. January 6, 2017.
  17. Web site: 1/10 Japan Music Week, NZ Night/KIWIアーティストを応援しよう!. March 14, 2017.
  18. Web site: Animal Refuge Kansai ARK Fundraiser in Tokyo. March 14, 2017.
  19. Web site: LIVE. March 14, 2017.
  20. Web site: Mayuka Thais About. mayukathais.com. March 14, 2017.
  21. Web site: Mayuka Thais. iTunes US. April 25, 2017.
  22. Web site: Halfway to Hell Soundtrack (2013) . Banda Sonara . 16 July 2023.
  23. Web site: The Circus Comes to Town. ARTSLANT. January 8, 2017.
  24. News: The Circus Comes to Town. February 24, 2017. UNDO. June 12, 2007.
  25. Web site: Samuels. Elliott. Artist Mayuka Thais: 'Remember to look at everything with wonder'. The Japan Times. November 12, 2016 . March 11, 2017.
  26. Web site: Animal Activists Try To Remove Elephant From Los Angeles Zoo. Getty Images. January 7, 2017.
  27. Web site: Louise. Katia. My Elephant, An Artist's Journey. Endangered Stream Live. Wild For Life Foundation.
  28. News: Umano. Georja. 'We Animals' National Museum of Animals and Society Exhibit – Important Photography and a New National Treasure. February 22, 2017.
  29. Web site: Global March For Elephants & Rhinos 2014. Band in Town. January 7, 2017.
  30. News: Morris. Joan. Marching for elephants and rhinos. January 8, 2017. September 22, 2014.
  31. News: Mayuka Thaïs "Tusks & Horns" [Official Video] (song to save Elephants & Rhinoceros)]. January 8, 2017. The Dodo. July 31, 2014.
  32. Web site: Wright. Rosemary. And So We Marched. abeatingheart. October 5, 2014 . May 1, 2017.
  33. Web site: In Town. Bands. Tusks & Horns Tour 2015 Art Workshop + Music with Mayuka Thais. Bands in Town. August 5, 2015.
  34. Web site: Global March for Elephants, Rhinos, & Lions 2015!. Bands in Town. January 7, 2017.
  35. Web site: Akioota International Music Festival 2015. Bands in Town. January 7, 2017.
  36. Web site: Bunka. Hiroshima. 2015あきおおた国際音楽祭 with Bechstein. Hiroshima Culture. June 15, 2015.
  37. Web site: Mayuka Thais About. Mayuka Thais. March 14, 2017.
  38. Web site: Mayuka Thais, 'Life Size Baby Asian Elephant' painting 2013. elemotion.org. March 14, 2017.
  39. Web site: Samuels. Elliott. Artist Mayuka Thais: 'Remember to look at everything with wonder'. The Japan Times. November 12, 2016 . November 12, 2016.
  40. Web site: We all Japan #10 - Mayuka Thaïs. luixsilva. January 18, 2011. YouTube.
  41. Web site: Mayuka Thaïs Summer Songwriting Workshop for Youth Speak Collective 2011. Mayuka Thais. September 16, 2011. YouTube.
  42. Web site: GLOBAL MARCH FOR ELEPHANTS & RHINOS SF - Musical Medicine with Soleil Dakota. Soleil Dakota. January 19, 2015. YouTube.