is a Japanese singer-songwriter.
Biography Abe started learning the piano from age three, and from junior high school, she wanted to be a singer. She gave up the piano in favour of the guitar, wanting to be an acoustic pop singer/songwriter in the style of Canadian pop musician Avril Lavigne. While in high school, she frequently busked and attended music auditions. In February 2006, on a morning when she had truanted from school, she wrote her first song, "My Baby". Late in mid-2006, she entered the Yamaha Teens' Music Festival's Ōita regional contest on the recommendation of a musical instrument store manager, and performed "My Baby". She won the grand prize, and later entered the country-wide version, where she won an honourable mention prize after performing .
After finishing high school, she moved to Tokyo and was signed to the record label Pony Canyon. Abe performed at many live events, including some high-profile events like the Rock in Japan Festival. From August until November, four acoustic demos of Abe songs were released on iTunes. The third of these, "My Baby", was chosen as the October iTunes Single of the Week free download song.
Abe released her first album Free in January 2009. The eponymous title track was released as a radio single, and did extremely well on radio stations: Abe reached #1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, despite only the airplay component counting towards her ranking (as opposed to airplay and physical sales, like most other releases).
Since the album, she has released three singles, the first two reaching the top 20 on the Oricon single charts. The third, "Itsu no Hi mo", reached #2 on the Japan Hot 100 chart, a week before the physical release of the single. The single was followed by her second album, Pop, which was her first top 5 album on the Oricon albums chart. (subscription only)
Personal life
In January 2015, Mao Abe married Keisuke Iizuka, a former member of the band CORE OF SOUL who had worked as staff during her national tour.https://aramajapan.com/news/mao-abe-announces-her-divorce/55546/ Later that year, in September 2015, the couple welcomed their first son. On March 1, 2018, Abe announced on her official website that she and Iizuka had divorced, describing the decision as one reached through mutual understanding.https://abemao.com/news/detail/116
Discography Studio albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPNTWN East Asian Free Released: January 21, 2009 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 17 15 21,000 Pop Released: January 27, 2010 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 5 — 54,000 Released: June 1, 2011 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 6 — 41,000 Released: June 6, 2012 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 6 — 28,000 Released: August 28, 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 7 — 17,000 Released: February 18, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 7 — 14,000 Babe. Released: February 15, 2017 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 14 — YOU Released: March 7, 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 18 — Released: January 22, 2020 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 14 — 4,300 Not Unusual Released: February 15, 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 22 — 2,130"—" denotes items that did not chart.
Compilation albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPN Released: August 20, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 7 13,000 Released: September 16, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: rental CD — Released: September 16, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: rental CD —
Live albums
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)JPN Released: March 11, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 159 1,000
Singles As a lead artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Sales (JPN) Certifications AlbumJPN OriconJPN Hot 100 "Tsutaetai Koto" 2009 19 11 13,300Pop "I Wanna See You" 39 "Anata no Koibito ni Naritai no Desu" 19 5 8,800 RIAJ (streaming): Gold "Itsu no Hi mo" 2010 12 2 9,200RIAJ (cellphone): Gold "Lonely" 22 5 9,500Su. "19-sai no Uta" 20 8 6,000 2011 20 9 7,800 — 22 18 7,800Tatakai wa Owaranai 2012 22 11 6,600 2013 20 34 6,200 Anata o Suki na Watashi 28 35 3,500 "Boyfriend" — "Believe in Yourself" 2014 20 23 5,500 Single Collection 19—24 / Oppajime! 29 24 3,500 Oppajime! "You Changed My Life" 2015 37 — 2,000 Non-album singles "Kimi no Uta"/"Kotae" 2019 35 — 1,200"—" denotes items that did not chart.
As a featured artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumJPN Hot 100 (Kreva featuring Mao Abe) 2011 97 Go
Promotional singles Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumBillboard Japan Hot 100 2008 —Free "My Baby" — "Free" 1 2010 23 Pop "Tatakai wa Owaranai" 2012 27 Tatakai wa Owaranai 2013 83 Anata o Suki na Watashi 2015 —Oppajime! —"—" denotes items that did not chart.
Video albums + List of media, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN DVDJPN Blu-ray Released: July 27, 2011 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD 33 — Released: December 5, 2012 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 18 35 Released: March 19, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 45 41 Released: March 19, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 26 24
Tours Abe Mao Live No. 0 (2009) Abe Mao Live No. 0.7 (2009) Abe Mao Live No. 1 (2010) Abe Mao Live No. 2 (2010) Abe Mao Live Natsu no Jin (2011) Abe Mao Live No. 3: Zepp to Quattro Dake de Gomen ne Tour (2011) Abe Mao Live No. 4 (2012) Abe Mao Hikigatari Live 2012 Fuyu: Christmas da yo! Kuru desho? Kuru yo ne!? no Maki (2012) Abe Mao Hikigatari Live 2013 Natsu (2013) Abe Mao Live No. 5 (2013) 5th Anniversary Abe Mao Live "Ochikarazoe, Negaimasu." Tour 2014 (2014) 5th Anniversary Abe Mao Live 2014 @ Nippon Budōkan (2014)
Notes
References
External links Mao Abe Official Site Pony Canyon Official Label Site