is a Japanese Shibuya-kei musician. As of 2015, she has released 10 studio albums, 3 extended plays and several singles. Her music has been featured in multiple movies and television commercials. In the west, she is best known for her songs , which was featured in a North American Nintendo commercial for the Game Boy Advance and the video game Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, and , which was used as the opening theme song of the anime Ghost Hound.
Life and career Mayumi Kojima was born in Tokyo. When she was in high school, she heard some music by Rosemary Clooney and suddenly became captivated by American 50s music. But English lyrics were troublesome, so she decided to make her own music. In childhood, influenced by her brother, she enjoyed listening to classical music, but with the new influence of 50s and 60s pop, she wanted to cross jazzy rhythms with different musical genres like the old pop artists did. At the age of 18, she wrote her first song, , and the demo tape was noticed by a record company. From then on, her life as a musician started. She made her debut release on July 21, 1995, with the single , and in 1998, having released 3 albums and 6 singles since her debut, she went on her first national tour.
Kojima's music was licensed by companies for use in commercials, the first of which were Calbee. This was followed by other commercials and use in other television media. In 1999, Kojima provided the song for the NHK TV program Minna no Uta. In addition, she was also in charge of animation for the song using her characteristic illustration style often seen on her album covers. In 2001, Nintendo aired a commercial in Japan for the Game Boy Advance which was later edited as a commercial for the video game Super Mario Advance 4 in the United States, in which Kojima's song, , was featured. The original commercial was on air from 2001 to 2002 with the Super Mario Advance 4 variant being one of the first times non-Japanese people were exposed to her music. In 2005, Kojima's song was used as the opening theme song of Production I.G.'s 20th anniversary project, the anime Ghost Hound.
In 2015, as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of her debut, she collaborated with Israeli surf rock band Boom Pam to create the album With Boom Pam, which consists of new interpretations of some of her earlier songs in a new style influenced by Mediterranean surf rock. The album was released on July 22, 2015. On the same day, the limited edition commemorative album compilation was also released. It includes her three first albums, also called the Cécile trilogy, in new remastered UHQCD format with previously unreleased demos, instrumentals and alternate takes/mixes. Furthermore, the unfinished album is included.
Discography
Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN Released: August 19, 1995 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download — (L'Amour à 20ans) Released: September 20, 1996 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download 90 (Adieu, la saison de Cécile) Released: June 17, 1998 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download 19 My Name Is Blue Released: September 5, 2001 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download 14 (Ai no Poltergeist: Sounds of Kojima Mayumi) Released: January 16, 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download 17 Released: September 15, 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, digital download 47 Released: March 15, 2006 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 77 Released: February 3, 2010 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, LP, digital download 42 Released: December 3, 2014 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, LP, digital download Note: Instrumental album was also released 86 With Boom Pam Released: July 22, 2015 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, digital download 138 Cover Songs Released: December 2, 2015 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, digital download 118 Alternative titles in parentheses
Extended plays + List of extended plays, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN Released: November 19, 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 84 Kojima Mayumi's Paperback Released: September 21, 2005 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: Book/CD — Released: July 9, 2014 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, digital download 71
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Single details Peak positionsJPN Released: July 21, 1995 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: November 17, 1995 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: February 12, 1996 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: June 5, 1996 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: June 18, 1997 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 95 Released: May 20, 1998 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: December 2, 1998 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 94 ("Ballon à Jouer") Released: March 3, 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 92 Released: September 1, 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download — Released: April 18, 2001 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 48 Released: August 1, 2001 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 73 Released: April 17, 2002 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 40 Released: September 19, 2002 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 73 Released: September 1, 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 94 Released: September 1, 2009 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, digital download 71 Released: November 11, 2009 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: CD, digital download 83 Released: July 9, 2014 Label: AWDR/LR2 Formats: LP — Released: August 2, 2014 Label: HMV Formats: LP Note: HMV Exclusive, 200 Pressings Limited Edition — Alternative titles in parentheses
Live albums + List of live albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN Songs for Gentlemen Released: February 17, 2000 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 44
Compilations + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN Me and My Monkey on the Moon Released: December 6, 2000 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 44 A Musical Biography 2001-2007 Released: September 5, 2007 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 87 Released: July 22, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD 109
DVDs Title Details Released: March 19, 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: VHS, DVD Type: Music video GALACTiKA 07 Released: November 3, 2004 Label: Albatros / Dub Formats: DVD Type: Live, interview Blue Rondo Live! Released: November 24, 2010 Label: Uplink Formats: DVD, CD Type: Live
References
External links
Mayumi Kojima at Space Shower Music Mayumi Kojima Discography Mayumi Kojima Discography at Pony Canyon