May_J.

May J.

Musical artist

May Jamileh Hashimoto (橋本芽生, Hashimoto Mei), better known by her stage name May J., is a Japanese pop and R&B singer who made her major label debut under Sony Music Japan on July 12, 2006, with her first mini-album All My Girls. She was born to an Iranian mother and Japanese father.^[1]

Quick Facts 橋本芽生, Background information ...

May J. 橋本芽生
May J. performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name	May Jamileh Hashimoto
Also known as	May J.
Born	(1988-06-20) June 20, 1988 (age 35) Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Genres	Pop R&B Urban
Occupation(s)	Singer Television host
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Neosite Discs (2006–2009) Rhythm Zone (2009–present)
Spouse(s)	Shogen (m. 2022)

Website	http://www.may-j.com

Early life

May J. was born as May Hashimoto on June 20, 1988, in Yokohama, Japan. The "J" in her name comes from the Persian name "Jamileh" (Persian: جمیله), meaning "beautiful".^[1] She knows how to speak four languages, including Persian, Japanese, English and Spanish.^[2]

May J.'s Iranian mother refused to acknowledge her Persian roots due to perceived negativity towards Iranians in Japan and May J. grew up forbidden to speak the Persian language. Believing she was American, she discovered her true heritage on a chance overhearing of a conversation between her mother and grandmother.^[1] During her formative middle school years she began listening to Iranian singers Googoosh and Afshin and has later said she hopes to debut in Iran.^[1]

At the age of 14, May J. was successful at a Sony Music Japan audition and soon signed onto Sony Music. While waiting to make her major label debut, May J. was a dancer for Aaron Carter's Japanese concert and was featured on the track Luyva: Another Episode from Sphere of Influence's album Big Deal, credited simply as May.

A childhood fan of Christina Aguilera and Whitney Houston she then came to admire Canadian rock singer Avril Lavigne, winning a MTV lookalike contest as Avril.^[1] She began listening to R&B while studying at the American School in Japan, from which she graduated in 2007 following a period of balancing her studies and her singing career.

Career

2006–2009: Debut and development

Released July 12, 2006, under Neosite Discs, the hip-hop division of Sony's Ki/oon Records, the music of her debut mini-album All My Girls was billed by her label as "Jennifer Lopez/Beyoncé style music which has never before existed in Japan."^[3]

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Neosite Discs, the single "I Say Yeah!" was released on October 4, 2006, as a collaboration by all 5 of the label's signed artists.^[4] The single marked May J.'s first appearance in the Oricon top 10.

May J. performed as the opening act for American R&B singer Cassie alongside Rōma Tanaka at Cassie's concert at Shibuya O-EAST on November 28, 2006.^[5] December 20, 2006, saw May J.'s first solo single release when "Here We Go feat. Verbal (M-Flo)" dropped and charted at #70 on the weekly charts.

Her follow-up single, "Dear…" was released on May 30, 2006, and was unlike most of her previous work. Despite the ballad being much more Japanese-friendly than her debut, the single charted at just #90. May J. was then featured on Hip-Hop artist Zeebra's new album World of Music on the track "Shinin' Like a Diamond". In October, it was announced that May J. would be releasing her 3rd single, "Do tha' Do tha'" on November 21, followed shortly by her first full-length studio album, Baby Girl on December 5.

In October 2008, she became the co-host of NHK's English-language weekly music program J-Melo, with Shanti Snyder, going out to 180 countries via NHK World. She became sole host in March 2010 and has remained ever since.

2009–present: Rise to prominence

On March 6, 2009, label Rhythm Zone opened a new official site for May J. confirming that she had left Sony to join the Avex imprint. On the May 23, 2009, her second album Family was announced, featuring the single Garden (featuring DJ Kaori, Diggy-MO', クレンチ＆ブリスタ).^[6] The album charted at #4 on the Oricon weekly chart.

Her third full album titled For You was released on February 17, 2010. Her first solo live tour, lasting ten weeks and including 40 shows followed, culminating at Tokyo's Shibuya AX venue on May 23, 2010.^[1]

On November 24, 2010, she released a mini-album titled Believin... as a prelude to her fourth full album Colors, released on January 26, 2011.^[6]

In 2012, May J. recorded the song "Back to Your Heart" with Canadian singer Daniel Powter.

May J. sang the end roll version of the title song "Let It Go" in Disney's Japanese release of the Frozen animated movie which hit No. 8 on the Japan Hot 100 after the film's Japanese release in March 2014.^[7] In 2018, she performed the song live in the finale of the touring ice show Fantasy on Ice in Makuhari and Kanazawa.^[8]

May J. has appeared on the variety show Kanjani8 no Shiwake Eight since 2012, as part of a karaoke contest segment, winning 26 straight contests before losing to Sarah Àlainn with the Idina Menzel version of "Let It Go", on the May 3, 2014, edition.^[9]

Personal life

On June 20, 2022, May J. announced that she has married actor Shogen.^[10] In May 13, 2023, May J announced that she and her husband are expecting their first child.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

More information Album information, Chart position ...

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and sales
Album information	Chart position	First week sales (Oricon)	Copies sold (Oricon)
Album information	JPN ^[12]	First week sales (Oricon)	Copies sold (Oricon)
Baby Girl Released: December 5, 2007	50	4,110	12,078
Family Released: May 27, 2009	4	26,662	94,848
For You Released: February 17, 2010	9	10,976	30,334
Colors Released: January 26, 2011	23	4,547	8,243
Secret Diary Released: January 25, 2012	35	3,105	5,140
Brave Released: December 5, 2012	57	2,585	3,331
Imperfection Released: October 1, 2014	3	16,799	39,917
Futuristic Released: October 25, 2017	24	3,128	3,984
Silver Lining Released: December 8, 2021	54
Bittersweet Song Covers Released: November 9, 2022	39	1,130^[13]