May'n is a singer and actress affiliated with Horipro International. She voices Neo, and is the lead vocalist and music producer for Abyssmare[1].
Biography[]
Nakabayashi Mei (中林 芽依?) was born on October 21, 1989 in Nagoya, Japan and is the eldest of two sisters[2]. She was first inspired to become a singer at the age of three, after watching Amuro Namie perform on TV.[3] In 2003, she passed the "Love Music Audition" held by Horipro International and was offered a chance to make her debut as an artist. She did exactly that two years later, making three singles under Universal Music Japan.
In 2008, she began using the stage name May'n[4]. is based on not just her real name, but also the English word "main". Part of why she chose it is because she specializes in performing the main themes for anime shows, and would like to become the "main" performer for her fans.[5] That same year, she was cast as the singing voice of Sheryl Nome in the Macross Frontier anime series. This skyrocketed her career, as many of her songs became hits.
In 2010, she became the first female singer affiliated with Horipro in 30 years to perform a sold-out solo concert at the Budokan[6]. She has a worldwide fanbase as well, and has held several live performances overseas.
Trivia[]
- May'n names Britney Spears, Madonna, Janet Jackson and Amuro Namie as her idols and most influential performers. She also cites composer Yoko Kanno as the person who defined her career by discovering rock music for her.[7]
- When she is composing music, her instrument of choice is the piano.[8]
- Her parents named her after Kusakabe Mei from the movie "My Neighbor Totoro".[9]
- D4DJ costar Okada Mei has also cited this character as the inspiration for her name.
- Her favorite animals are hippos and penguins.
- Her favorite food is taiyaki, and she is a self-proclaimed "Taiyaki Ambassador".[10]
- She has a cat named Muu (むぅ?).
- May'n has collaborated with D4DJ costar Takagi Miyu in the past, as the latter was a member of the idol unit "Wake Up, Girls!"
- May'n speaks English, often importing English into her lyrics and occasionally posting on social media in English.
References[]