Maiko Horisawa is seen in the studio with her TELEFUNKEN ELA M251E large diaphragm condenser microphone.
South Windsor, CT, May 2020 – Popular Japanese singer Maiko Horisawa has been touring for years with her trusty TELEFUNKEN M80 dynamic mic, and recently acquired the company’s flagship ELA M251E studio microphone for her successful album and TV soundtrack work.
“We’re extremely excited to be working with our ELA M251E for Maiko’s newest TV project,” commented her producer Koyo Sonae, “It’s a 44-episode, historical fiction TV series appearing on the Japanese NHK national broadcasting network.
Since the show, “Kirin Ga Kuru”, launched in January, it has earned a top TV rating of 25%. She is singing on the score and for original songs as a featured artist. The show has been a huge hit and the audience has been enjoying her singing every week.”
A graduate of Japan’s Kunitachi College of Music vocal music department, Horisawa has also studied traditional vocal styles in Italy and gospel music in the United States. Her first album, “Sol Aura Vita-Sun-Wind-Life”, won the # 1 spot in regional charts. In 2012, she ventured to the United States to work with prominent producer/songwriter Steve Dorff, who has written hits for such artists as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Judy Collins, and Cher.
Dorff produced Horisawa’s third album “Kindred Spirits” with Leland Sklar on bass and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, along with full orchestral sessions. Released as a major debut album from Yamaha Music Communications, it landed at #1 in the Amazon New Age category. Her distinctive singing abilities are prized in the film industry, and she has contributed to such films as “Kingsglaive Final Fantasy XV” and the Japanese-dubbed version of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride”.
Steve Dorff commented on his composition, “Kindred Spirits”, “I’ve been looking for a singer who could sing this song for a long time.” See the making of Maiko Horisawa’s “Kindred Spirits”: https://vimeo.com/101141031
Horisawa has been invited to perform the national anthem for the opening of the 2020 baseball season opening ceremony for the Chunichi Dragons (https://bit.ly/2uBi1Or), which will be broadcasted on TV and radio. The team is based in Horisawa’s hometown of Nagoya.
Horisawa has released her new album Kalanchoe on April 29, which utilized her ELA M251E for all tracks and will be released worldwide on April 29.