Takamasa Ishihara (石原 崇雅, Ishihara Takamasa, born September
14, 1981), better known by his stage name Miyavi (stylized as MIYAVI),
is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer and actor
known for his finger-slapping style of playing a guitar.He has been
active since 1999, first as guitarist for the now defunct visual kei
rock band Dué le quartz and then as a solo artist starting in 2002.
In 2007, he became a member of the rock supergroup S.K.I.N. and in
2009 founded his own company, J-glam. He toured worldwide several
times, with over 250 shows in 30 countries as of 2015. As of 2016, he
released ten solo albums and 27 singles.In 2014, Miyavi appeared in
the motion picture Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie and went on to
undertake smaller roles in American productions such as Kong: Skull
Island and Stray. Since 2013, Miyavi has been a volunteer at UNHCR,
visiting refugee camps around the world. In November 2017, he was
appointed an official Goodwill Ambassador.Miyavi was born in the
NishikujÅ district in Konohana-ku ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, to a
Japanese mother and a Korean Japanese father. After the first grade,
he moved to Kawanishi. His father's family, surnamed Lee, came from
Jeju Island. Miyavi says that as a child he was a good student and
enjoyed playing football. He was accepted into the junior team of
Cerezo Osaka, a J-League team. In the second year of junior high
school, a sports injury prevented him from pursuing a professional
career in sports. Instead, at the age of fifteen, he learned to play
the guitar. He bought a guitar and began covering songs by Ray
Charles.
14, 1981), better known by his stage name Miyavi (stylized as MIYAVI),
is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer and actor
known for his finger-slapping style of playing a guitar.He has been
active since 1999, first as guitarist for the now defunct visual kei
rock band Dué le quartz and then as a solo artist starting in 2002.
In 2007, he became a member of the rock supergroup S.K.I.N. and in
2009 founded his own company, J-glam. He toured worldwide several
times, with over 250 shows in 30 countries as of 2015. As of 2016, he
released ten solo albums and 27 singles.In 2014, Miyavi appeared in
the motion picture Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie and went on to
undertake smaller roles in American productions such as Kong: Skull
Island and Stray. Since 2013, Miyavi has been a volunteer at UNHCR,
visiting refugee camps around the world. In November 2017, he was
appointed an official Goodwill Ambassador.Miyavi was born in the
NishikujÅ district in Konohana-ku ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, to a
Japanese mother and a Korean Japanese father. After the first grade,
he moved to Kawanishi. His father's family, surnamed Lee, came from
Jeju Island. Miyavi says that as a child he was a good student and
enjoyed playing football. He was accepted into the junior team of
Cerezo Osaka, a J-League team. In the second year of junior high
school, a sports injury prevented him from pursuing a professional
career in sports. Instead, at the age of fifteen, he learned to play
the guitar. He bought a guitar and began covering songs by Ray
Charles.
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