Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2009

Where are you from and where do you live now?
I am originally from Japan, but I’ve lived in New York for three years and Germany for one year. Now I live in Yokohama.

How did you learn English?

I learned it when I lived in New York and I kept it up by attending an international school in Yokohama.

How did you get into singing?

I picked up the violin when I was three, so singing and songwriting came naturally to me. Even if I had no instrument to play with, I would come up with songs. Since there was no one else to sing the melodies in my head, I started singing on my own.

Who are some of your influences?

My father listened to a lot of world music, so that got me listening to bands like the Gipsy Kings. Also, my guitarist quitting the band I used to be in inspired me to play the guitar and be a solo artist. That’s how I got my job writing songs for TV commercials as well—by playing solo.

Where do you usually write your music?

I get inspiration from little things I feel or see and gather my thoughts at home, where it’s quiet and I can focus on expressing what I feel.

Where do you like to hang out?
A British bar called The Tavern in Yokohama (www.the-tavern.com). I go there too much. I’m quite the regular now. I love the welcoming atmosphere and, of course, drinking!

What kind of music have you been working on recently?

I’ve been exploring different genres, but rock and folk are my two favorites. Some of my songs are on TV at the moment, and they are mostly acoustic/folk as well.

It’s the end of the world, we’re all being evacuated to Mars, and we can only bring one item with us.

What would you take with you? My guitar. It’s the one thing I can never quit, no matter how competitive and hard it may be to be a musician. A trip to Mars will definitely be a new inspiration!

Find out more about Miyu at www.myspace.com/mewandmusic.