Miyavi
Miyavi
Takamasa Ishihara, better known by his stage name Miyavi, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actor. He has been active since 1999, first as guitarist for the now defunct visual kei rock band Dué le Quartz and then as a solo artist starting in 2002. In 2007, he became a member of the rock supergroup S.K.I.N., and in 2009 founded his own company, J-Glam. He toured worldwide several times, with over two hundred shows. After becoming a father...
NationalityJapanese
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth14 September 1981
CityOsaka, Japan
CountryJapan
Sometimes I just rely on technique on stage, but it's not about technique. It's about how much you want to deliver the message to the audience. That's all.
Every country has a dark side of their history.
There's nothing that everyone likes in the world. People have different opinions. It's just the way of living. I know that there will be differences.
Michael Jackson had a stable vision. He had a strong message, not only pop. People just fainted at his concert.
I didn't want to represent any negative side of the country where I was born and raised.
I find a similarity between performing music onstage and acting - a reality of emotion.
The reason I put make-up on or wear the costume is to try and find my own style. It's like my guitar style - I'm just trying to be an original artist.
It's really important to create something, like with my creations as a musician. Just let it flow. Focus on how to deliver message to audience. Don't get ego.
Usually I go to the studio to write lyrics and compose music. I try to be a dad as much as possible at home.
My philosophy is my learning process. Until you die, you must evolve and improve.
I really wanted to speak English because I started touring the world, and I wanted to communicate with people directly.
I'm trying to talk to my kids in Japanese, because I'm not a pro English speaker. My wife speaks to them in English. That's her first language. I don't want my kids to feel the same as me when I was studying English. It was so frustrating.
Then to deliver the message to the audience is our mission. I tried to imagine, if they killed my family, daughters, I would do anything to protect my family. It's insane but that's the situation everybody was in.
It feels like guitarists are samurais. You know, I'm playing a guitar, instead of a katana!