Kawada Mami, also known as 川田まみ, is a former Japanese anisong singer and current lyricist. She made her debut in 2005 and retired from singing in 2016, but continued to work in the entertainment industry as a lyricist. In 2018, Kawada announced that she was married to former I’ve Sound member Nakazawa Tomoyuki and had a two-year-old child at the time.
Who’s Kawada Mami?
Kawada Mami, a J-pop singer, is currently a member of Geneon Entertainment Inc. and is also a member of the band I’ve Sound, often performing soundtracks for eroge and anime. Mami is often paired with I’ve Sound member KOTOKO when making anime soundtracks.
Examples of this are anime such as Onegai Teacher, Onegai Twins, Starship Operators, Shakugan no Shana, BALDR Force EXE Resolution and Hayate no Gotoku, in which one person performs the opening theme song while the other performs the ending theme song. ending, or similar arrangements. Her first debut single was radiance, released on 23 February 2005 and used as the opening theme for Starship Operators, while her most successful single was JOINT, which was released on 31 May. October 2007 and is the first opening theme for Shakugan no Shana Second.
Fast facts about Kawada Mami
- Name: Kawada Mami (川田まみ)
- Nickname: MamiMami (まみまみ)
- Birthday: February 13, 1980 (age 43)
- Birthplace: Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Zodiac: Aquarius Aquarius
- Image Color: Blue
- Height: 159cm
- Blood Type: O
- Facebook: Mami Kawada
Kawada Mami’s Music Career
Kawada Mami’s vocal abilities were first discovered by Eiko Shimamiya, who was her teacher at a vocal school in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Shimamiya introduced her to I’ve Sound, a music production group that she was a part of. Kawada joined I’ve Sound in 2001 and released her debut song titled “Kaze to Kimi o Daite” (Embrace You and the Wind), which was used as the opening theme to the eroge Miss You. The song was later included on I’ve Sound’s fifth compilation album Out Flow in 2003.
In 2002, Kawada released her first song associated with an anime, “Sora no Mori de” (In the Forest of Sky), which was the ending theme to the anime Please Teacher!. The song was released in a split single with singer Kotoko, who performed the series’ opening theme “Shooting Star”. That same year, Kawada and Shimamiya performed theme songs for visual novels as the unit Healing Leaf, although only one of those songs, “Ame ni Utau Ballad” (A Ballad Sung in the Rain), was featured in an I’ve Sound Compilation. In mid-2003, she performed the ending theme to the anime Please Twins!, “Asu e no Namida” (Tears for Tomorrow), which was also released in a split single with Kotoko.
In 2005 – 2006
In 2005, Kawada signed a contract with Geneon Entertainment (now NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan) and released her first major single “Radiance”, which was used as the opening theme to the anime Starship Operators. Later that year, she released her second single “Hishoku no Sora”, which was used as the opening theme to the anime series Shakugan no Shana.
In March 2006, Kawada and Kotoko released a split single for the OVA adaptation of the game Baldr Force. Four weeks later, Kawada released her debut album Seed. The album reached number 12 in the Oricon weekly charts and charted for five weeks, selling more than 25,000 copies. Later that year, Kawada held her first live tour, where she distributed a pamphlet CD containing the first instance of a song that she both performed and composed herself, “Carpe Diem”.
In 2007
In 2007, following the success of “Hishoku no Sora”, Kawada released “Akai Namida / Beehive”, a single that included the song “Akai Namida” used as an insert song in the Shakugan no Shana movie. She also sang “Tenjō o Kakeru Monotachi” with other singers under the name Love Planet Five, which was the movie’s ending theme.
Kawada Mami performed “Get My Way!”, the second ending theme to the series Hayate the Combat Butler, three months later. Her next single, “Joint”, was released in October 2007 and marked her first Top 10 hit on the Oricon weekly charts as it reached number 9 in its first week.
It was used as the opening theme to the series Shakugan no Shana Second. In 2008, Kawada performed her first live concert outside Japan in Taiwan and released her second album Savia, which includes “Sense”, “Akai Namida”, and “Get My Way!”. The album also includes “Hisui”, used as the ending theme to the 2008 Japanese theatrical film OneeChan Bara.
In 2008
In 2008, Kawada Mami released “PSI-Missing” and “Masterpiece”, which were used as opening theme songs to the anime series A Certain Magical Index. She opened her official website and fan club M.A.L.L. (Mami Artist Lasting Live) later that year. In 2009, Kawada released the single “L’Oiseau bleu” and performed the opening and ending themes to the original video animation series Shakugan no Shana S. She released her third album Linkage in March 2010, which includes “PSI-Missing”, “Masterpiece”, and “Prophecy”. She also wrote lyrics for other I’ve singers, starting with “Piece of My Heart” used in the eroge Love, Election and Chocolate.
In 2010 – 2012
In 2010, Kawada performed “No Buts!”, the opening theme to the second season of A Certain Magical Index, which became her highest charting single to date, reaching number 6 on the Oricon weekly charts. She released “See Visions”, the second opening theme to the same series, in February 2011. In 2012, she performed three songs for the third Shana series Shakugan no Shana Final and released “Borderland”, the opening theme to the anime television series Jormungand. She also released her fourth album Square the Circle in August 2012.
In 2013 – 2016
Kawada wrote “Recall”, used as the ending theme to the 2013 anime television series Amnesia, and released a greatest hits album titled Mami Kawada Best: Birth in February 2013. The album peaked at number 4 on the Oricon daily charts and at 15 on the Oricon weekly charts.
She released “Break a Spell”, the second ending theme to the anime television series Tokyo Ravens, in February 2014 and made appearances at various events in Thailand, China, and Malaysia. She released her fifth album Parablepsia in September 2015, which includes her singles “Borderland” and “Break a Spell”, as well as songs used in the pachinko game Black Lagoon 2. She released “Contrail (Kiseki)”, the opening theme to the 2016 anime television series adaptation of Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue, in January 2016.
Mami Kawada’s Retirement and Legacy
During the LisAni anime concert on January 24, 2016, Mami Kawada announced her retirement from the music industry. Her final concert was held on May 21, 2016, at the Tokyo Dome City Hall. Despite her retirement, she continued to contribute to the industry as a lyricist and occasional composer. Her song “Believe in the sky” was used as the theme song for the 2016 smartphone game Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm: Eternal Sky.
On November 22, 2016, a final compilation album titled Mami Kawada Best “F” was released, including three Blu-ray discs featuring her music videos, a video recording of her final concert, and a documentary on her career and final concert. The limited edition of the album was released with additional content. A video recording of her final concert was also made available for streaming on D Anime Store’s website.
Mami Kawada made an appearance at NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan’s 25th anniversary concert on February 3, 2018, where she announced her marriage to long-time producer Tomoyuki Nakazawa. She also wrote the lyrics for “Gravitation”, the opening theme to the anime series A Certain Magical Index III, which was performed by Maon Kurosaki. Despite her retirement from professional singing, Mami Kawada’s contributions to the industry continue to be celebrated by fans and fellow musicians alike.
Mami Kawada’s Musical Style and Creative Process
Mami Kawada’s musical style is a fusion of rock and trance. Her producer Tomoyuki Nakazawa played a significant role in shaping her sound and concept for her first three albums. However, in 2010, Kawada began to collaborate with other producers and work more in Tokyo.
Kawada’s creative process includes reading the source material of every anime before writing lyrics for its theme songs. She also considers her visual image and stage persona when creating albums. For her album Parablepsia, Kawada had a clear concept in mind, which she described as “Electric. Mami Kawada. Rock” or “E.M.R.” The album includes several songs that convey the theme of not losing oneself in a society that moves in circles, such as “Parablepsia” and “Fly Blind”.
Kawada Mami’s song “Joint” was written with the theme of characters Shana and Yūji Sakai fighting together in mind. She named the song after this theme. When asked about her varied vocal expressions, Kawada stated that she simply sings with the music in the way that she enjoys most.
Throughout her career, Kawada felt that she was a beginner for the first ten years, but this changed when younger singers treated her as an older sister. Despite her initial hesitation towards making a major debut, Kawada’s contributions to the anime music industry have earned her widespread recognition and a dedicated fanbase.
In conclusion, Kawada Mami’s contributions to the anime music industry have left a lasting impact on fans and fellow musicians alike. Her fusion of rock and trance, combined with her creative process and attention to detail, has earned her widespread recognition and a dedicated fanbase. Though retired from professional singing, her legacy as a singer-songwriter and lyricist continues to be celebrated. Mami Kawada’s music will remain a beloved part of the anime music industry for years to come.
