Maiko Horisawa
Latest Release
Movies
Artist Profile
Maiko HorisawaAfter graduating from the Vocal Music Department of Kunitachi College of Music, she studied bel canto singing in Italy and gospel in the United States. When vocal polyps temporarily took away her voice, she developed her own vocal method rooted in kobujutsu, Japan's traditional martial arts, and made a full comeback as a singer. Her first album, Sol Aura Vita ~Sun, Wind, Life~, reached No. 1 on the Kansai Healing Chart.
In 2012, she moved to the United States on her own to make music with world-class producers. There she met Steve Dorff, known for his work with Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, who was captivated by her voice. With a Hollywood orchestra, she recorded her third album, Kindred Spirits. It was released on June 25, 2014 by Yamaha Music Communications as her major-label debut and reached No. 1 in Amazon's New Age category. To date, she has released four solo albums and three duo albums.
Recognized for her exceptional vocal ability, she has lent her voice to the Netflix series THE DAYS, the Disney+ series Gannibal, the anime Eureka Seven, the films Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Japanese version), and The Polar Express (Japanese version), and the video game Zone of the Enders.
In 2020, she was selected as a vocalist for NHK's historical drama (Taiga drama) Awaiting Kirin. She sang on the score composed by John Graham, including the songs "Mino no Sato" and "When It's Gone" and the "Taiga Drama Kiko" segment. Her wordless vocalise for Kiko brought a sense of peace to scenes of Japan's Warring States period. "Mino no Sato," for which she wrote lyrics expressing the hope that the era's great warriors might find a moment of rest, drew wide attention.
She performs across Japan, including at Blue Note, and abroad in New York, Los Angeles, the UK, and Taiwan. She has also offered sacred song dedications at ten shrines across Japan, including Ise Jingu, Izumo Taisha, Suwa Taisha, and Izanagi Jingu.
Drawing on her own experience of losing her voice, she created a groundbreaking vocal method based on kobujutsu-style tanden (core) breathing that places no strain on the throat. Her lessons address breathing, physical imbalances, and habits of thought. They have spread by word of mouth and draw students from across Japan and overseas.
In 2007, she founded the voice and mental training school Amato musica. In 2023, she received the Higashikuni-no-miya Peace Award in recognition of her peace-themed work as a musician, entrepreneur, and author.
In 2025, she was again selected as a vocalist for an NHK Taiga drama, UNBOUND, singing "Seven Star Dragons," part of the score by John Graham.
In 2026, she recorded "My Home Town," composed by Michiru Oshima, in Berlin, Germany.
Genre: Pop, J-PopActive Area: Japan, Los AngelesStart Year: 1983
Amato Musica, Yamaha Music Communications