Today we’d like to introduce you to Aika.
Hi Aika, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a singer/songwriter and saxophone player. I am originally from Tokyo, Japan.
I grew up in a musical family. My father was a saxophone/woodwind player, and I always loved what he was doing, so I studied piano at the age of five and I studied saxophone when I was in junior high and learned classical music at high school and went to Jazz school in college (in Japan, Senzoku Gakuen Jazz Course) and I’ve got a scholarship and went to Berklee college of music in Boston.
I was always loving saxophone, but I had a passion for singing. After I graduated from Berklee College of Music, I went back to Japan for a little while and did background vocals and played saxophone for a major artist and manager at that time found me, and I started to make demos with NicoTheOwl, and I got signed to EMI Japan.
The album was a big success and had tours and radio shows and performed at Osaka Castle Hall etc. But somehow felt limited to being in Japan. I think it’s because I studied in the States and experienced something new every day. I really like the music here and there’s so many more to learn and I wanted to absorb something new more and more. Also, the culture is different too. So I decided to come back to the States. I booked some gigs in New York and Boston and it was fun and amazing.
And I moved to Los Angeles after I spent a long time in Boston and the New York area.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a rough road for me.
I learned a lot and see how people act and how the music business works from the beginning of my career. People get really, really greedy, and it was so sad to see that, and my feelings were hurt. But the truth always comes out and wins.
My motto is to be honest. It was great that I experienced it in my early career.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Released the Album “Ai-Wo” from EMI Japan and it reached the top 10 Japanese chart. I co-wrote “Path of Independence” with NicoTheOwl for Ayaka Hirahara and it turned to Gold Disk.
My song “Dancing Arrows” became the official theme song of the Hollywood movie “Ironclad” featuring academy nominee and golden globe winner Paul Giamatti, Kate Mara, Brian Cox, and James Purefoy.
I released my album called “No Mo Games” and “No Mo Games” got nominated for Grammy.
I sang on Tina Fey’s “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” the song was called “solé”.
I co-wrote “Live Out Loud” featuring Kelsie Watts and Mi$HNRZ for the Tokyo Skytree Tower presenting it for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
I collaborated with legendary photographer Leslie Kee for “Gap” Campaign. For this campaign, I co-wrote “This is Me -Rainbow-“ and collaborated with Rachel West, Kelsie Watts, Ayaka Hirahara, Lokana, Will Jay, Sam Creighton, Sadye, Rioske, Sumire, Gray Adkins, Cozi, Joshua Vincent Ogg, Irina Lazareanu.
After four years of hiatus from making my own music, I came back with my song called “Daddy”. “Daddy” is a song written for my dad, legendary saxophone player Makoto Hirahara, which unfortunately passed away in 2021.
It was very hard for me to accept his passing since he gave me so much inspiration and love. My sincere feeling is in this song.
Most recently, I released “white noise”. This song is about my personal struggle.
And I am very excited to release more music this year.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My dad was definitely my mentor. He taught me so much about music, saxophone, and how to tell a story by playing saxophone. And my mother is a huge supporter. NicoTheOwl is also my mentor. I’ve been making a lot of music with him all these years, and I always learn something from him.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aikaofficial.com
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/aikaofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/aikamusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlKg3CGdjzt7rZsp1UbD6g
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7oP2Hj45USp8sASQ0rtvgE
