Monday Michiru
Encyclopedia
Monday Michiru Sipiagin is a Japanese American
actress, singer, and songwriter whose music encompasses and fuses a wide variety of genres including jazz
, dance
, pop
, and soul
. She is arguably best known for being a pioneer of the acid jazz
movement in Japan in the early 1990s yet she has created her own unique style of music that transcends traditional definitions of the aforementioned genres.
Monday was born in Tokyo
, Japan
to jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi
and her then husband, jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano
. At an early age, she expressed an interest in music; she studied modern dance and ballet from age eight, and the classical flute for eight years. It wasn't until she went to the Interlochen Arts Academy that she discovered her true passion of singing.
In 1987, Monday appeared as a lead in the movie Hikaru Onna (Luminous Woman) in which she was credited as Michiru Akiyoshi. Monday's unintentional acting career took off as she won Best New Actress awards from Kinema Junpo, The Japan Academy, and the Yokohama Film Festival
. With all this success, Monday became somewhat of a celebrity and could be seen on commercial ads and as a “personality” on several major television networks.
In 1991, she re-focused her interests and released her debut solo album Mangetsu. Although she continued her solo work, she became a featured singer/songwriter for many other groups and artists including Basement Jaxx
(Always Be There), Mondo Grosso
, DJ Krush
, M-Flo
and numerous others.
Since her debut, she has released over twelve albums, many compilations and remix projects, and numerous singles. She is currently working with award-winning internet label ArtistShare
on her project Flow and has released several albums through ArtistShare.
Monday now lives in New York City
with her husband, jazz trumpeter Alex Sipiagin
and their son Nikita.
She is known in the music industry for releasing You Make Me as it was also released in Konami's beatmania
and Dance Dance Revolution
. It gained moderate airplay and has been a favorite easy listening song with its smooth jazz
house music
.
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
actress, singer, and songwriter whose music encompasses and fuses a wide variety of genres including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
. She is arguably best known for being a pioneer of the acid jazz
Acid jazz
Acid jazz is a musical genre that combines elements of jazz, funk and hip-hop, particularly looped beats. It developed in the UK over the 1980s and 1990s and could be seen as tacking the sound of jazz-funk onto electronic dance: jazz-funk musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are...
movement in Japan in the early 1990s yet she has created her own unique style of music that transcends traditional definitions of the aforementioned genres.
Monday was born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi
Toshiko Akiyoshi
is a Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger and bandleader. Among a very few successful female instrumentalists of her generation in jazz, she is also recognized as a major figure in jazz composition. She has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best...
and her then husband, jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano
Charlie Mariano
Carmine Ugo Mariano was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and died in Cologne, Germany.-Biography:Mariano was the son of Italian immigrants....
. At an early age, she expressed an interest in music; she studied modern dance and ballet from age eight, and the classical flute for eight years. It wasn't until she went to the Interlochen Arts Academy that she discovered her true passion of singing.
In 1987, Monday appeared as a lead in the movie Hikaru Onna (Luminous Woman) in which she was credited as Michiru Akiyoshi. Monday's unintentional acting career took off as she won Best New Actress awards from Kinema Junpo, The Japan Academy, and the Yokohama Film Festival
Yokohama Film Festival
The is a noticed yearly awards ceremony held in Japan. The festival was started as a small affair by fans and film critics, and first held on February 3, 1980. Ten films are chosen as the best of the year, and various awards are given to personnel...
. With all this success, Monday became somewhat of a celebrity and could be seen on commercial ads and as a “personality” on several major television networks.
In 1991, she re-focused her interests and released her debut solo album Mangetsu. Although she continued her solo work, she became a featured singer/songwriter for many other groups and artists including Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
(Always Be There), Mondo Grosso
Mondo Grosso
Shinichi Osawa , also known as Mondo Grosso, is an artist currently signed onto Avex Trax's "Rhythm Zone" label. Previously he was signed to Sony Music Japan's FEARLESS RECORDS division and released albums under the title of 'Mondo Grosso', which is Italian for "big world". He was born on February...
, DJ Krush
DJ Krush
, better known as DJ Krush, is a producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of jazz and soul samples.-Biography:...
, M-Flo
M-flo
is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of producer and DJ Taku Takahashi and emcee Verbal.Former member Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career, and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists for each song over three albums, including the...
and numerous others.
Since her debut, she has released over twelve albums, many compilations and remix projects, and numerous singles. She is currently working with award-winning internet label ArtistShare
ArtistShare
ArtistShare is a crowdfunding website and labelWharton Innovation and Entrepreneurship Consulted on 10/12/2011 for musicians and other creative artists which allows them to fund their projects utilizing a "fan-funding" model to allow the general public to directly finance, watch the creative...
on her project Flow and has released several albums through ArtistShare.
Monday now lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with her husband, jazz trumpeter Alex Sipiagin
Alex Sipiagin
Alex "Sasha" Sipiagin is a jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player.-Biography:Alex moved from Russia to the U.S. in 1991 and began his career shortly thereafter. His first gigs in the U.S. were with the Gil Evans Band and George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. He has played with Dave Holland, Mingus Big...
and their son Nikita.
She is known in the music industry for releasing You Make Me as it was also released in Konami's beatmania
Beatmania
is a rhythm video game developed and distributed by Japanese game developer Konami and first released in 1997. It contributed largely to the boom of music games in 1998, and the series expanded not only with arcade sequels, but also moved to home consoles and other portable devices, achieving a...
and Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
. It gained moderate airplay and has been a favorite easy listening song with its smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
.
Singles
| Year | Title | Record label Record label In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,... |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Baby Rachel | Shine On! Songs Tyler Foundation The Tyler Foundation is a charitable organization located in Tokyo, Japan that offers Psychosocial support to families and children with cancer. The organization has become internationally known since 2006 and has received support from international celebrities including Scott MacIntyre at the... |