I. Introduction
melody. is a model, TV Host, video game voice actress and singer. She began working in entertainment as a model in April 1998 and debuted as a singer in 2003 with "Dreamin' Away" but wasn't majorly recognized until later that year when she became a part of m-flo's "loves..." project. Since then, most of her releases have charted within the top twenty on the Oricon charts. On October 22nd, 2008, she announced that she would retire from entertainment beginning in January 2009. However, as of 2023, she has returned to performing as a member of Melody&Christine, an duo that also features her sister Christine who goes by the stage name KURIS and has had an hand in writing multiple charting J-Pop hits. In 2024, she would also return to performing on stage as a member of m-flo. She also is very active in attending her husband Miyavi's activities.
She is most notably known in the west as the voice of Yumi Yamamoto in Need for Speed: Carbon as well as participating in the OST's production along side her previously mentioned sister. Her solo works are currently not available on streaming for some reason, unlike many other Toy's Factory's artists who have moved their music onto streaming.
II. Career
When Melody was 16, she started working as a model for numerous Japanese commercials and productions. Despite modeling jobs leading to a lot of opportunities, her intention was never to be a model. Melody remained focused on her passion for music and dance and saw that that modeling would help get her closer to her dream of becoming a professional singer.
After her sophomore year in high school, she spent her first summer living alone in Tokyo with a management company which specialized in acting. There she spent two months training and auditioning for roles, but ultimately realized that the timing was not right and decided to go back to Hawaii to graduate from high school before pursuing anything more in Japan. Melody continued working with Japanese commercials and productions in Hawaii throughout her remaining high school years while singing at public competitions and gaining recognition within the local Japanese community.
During her last year in high school, Melody took the top spot at a secret audition with renowned record producer Tetsuya Komuro who at the time was forming an international unit. Upon graduating, Melody spent some time in Los Angeles with her new management company to receive further dance and vocal training while recording multiple songs in studios across LA and Miami. She then finally moved to Japan at the age of 19 to pursue her music career. After some time with Komuro's company, where she was allocated to various groups in development, she eventually left and signed with prominent Japanese record label, Toy's Factory which would see her through her days as a J-Pop idol.
Her fourth album Lei Aloha was released on April 9th, 2008 and had one preceding single, "Haruka: Haruka". In September 2008 it was announced that Melody would no longer be the host of J-Melo. Japanese singers May J. and Shanti would take her place. On October 8th, 2008, Melody released her first compilation album The Best of melody. ~Timeline~. On October 22nd, she announced on her blog that she would be retiring as a J-pop singer in January 2009 and would be pursuing a career in fashion design.
In 2012, she announced a children's music project Gold Belle, with sister Christine Saimo. She found it difficult to teach her kids English while living in Japan so they put together the project to give children a fun way to learn. Saimo produced the music and they released the album Kid's Melodies in December 19, under their own record label, EverDream.
As of March 2023, an new Instagram and website was started by her sister which also included Melody's name, and roughly a week later they released their debut single as the J-Pop duo Melody&Christine, titled "Halcyon". They would follow it up with "If I" months later.
III. Discography
IIII. Solo Discography
IIIII. Albums
[2004.01.21] Sincerely
[2006.04.12] Be as one
[2007.07.04] READY TO GO!
[2008.04.09] Lei Aloha
IIIIII. Best of... Albums
[2008.10.08] The Best of melody. ~Timeline~
IIIIIII. Singles
[2003.02.19] Dreamin' Away
[2003.06.18] Simple As That / Over The Rainbow
[2003.11.27] Crystal Love
[2004.06.09] Believe me
[2005.01.12] Next to You
[2005.08.17] realize / Take a Chance
[2006.02.15] see you...
[2006.11.08] Lovin' U
[2007.02.14] Finding My Road
[2007.05.30] Love Story
[2008.02.13] Haruka (遥花〜はるか〜)
IIIII. As Part of Gold Belle
IIIIII. Albums
[2012.12.19] Kid's Melodies
IIIIII. As Part of Melody&Christine
IIIIIII. Singles
[2023.03.17] Halcyon
[2023.04.21] Halcyon - Piano Ballad Version
[2023.06.02] In the End
[2023.11.10] If I
