Mayuka Thaïs
Mayuka Thais is an award winning multi-faceted singer-songwriter, artist, actor, voice over actor, art educator, and motivational speaker for youth. The product of two cultures, Mayuka was born in San Francisco to a Japanese father and a Caucasian American mother and raised in Tokyo and California. As a "Californian Tokyoite", at 5, she started her entertainment career on stage and as a voiceover and recording artist in the edutainment industry (education + multi-media entertainment). Some of her clients include Nippon Columbia, NHK Software and Polygon Records. For 13 years she honed her acting skills while studying at Aoyama Theatre in the round, bilingual Performing Arts Group (P.A.G), at the National Children's Castle. A charming and charismatic force in children’s edutainment, she appeared as a personality on Shimajiro’s Kodomo Challenge and as main vocalist on countless children's bilingual singles and albums. Recently three of her songs were featured in independent films: "Song Without You" in "Half Way To Hell", "Let the Wind Blow" in "Liberation", and "Don't Say Forever" in "On Georgia's Mind". Her most recent album "Tusks & Horns", was produced by Geoff Levin (former member of the group "People!").
Mayuka Thais believes that real change begins with individual action—each person must become one with the change they hope to see. She is especially passionate about advocating for coexistence between humans and the many beautiful species we share the planet with.
Her deep concern for elephants inspired her first music video, "When Elephants Cry," released on YouTube in 2007. The song struck a chord with global audiences, prompting conservation organizations to reach out and collaborate with her on elephant rescue advocacy. She was invited to perform the piece at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles during a recognition dinner attended by high-profile supporters of animal rights, including CSI’s Jorja Fox, comedian Lily Tomlin, and then–L.A. City Councilman (now Congressman) Tony Cárdenas.
Mayuka expanded her role as an elephant advocate by speaking and performing at town hall meetings, schools, volunteer training centers, radio stations, and in newspaper interviews. Seeking firsthand knowledge, she volunteered at Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, where she worked directly with rescued Asian elephants.
In Tokyo, she and her band were selected to perform her original songs for endangered species atop Tokyo Tower’s observation deck for Chikyū no Nakamatachi (“Friends of the Earth”), an event raising awareness about the urgent need to protect wildlife.
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Mayuka's gift as a songwriter shines through every note she sings. A true artist, she paints lush soundscapes with her words and crafts melodic, emotionally resonant songs that linger long after the music ends. With only her voice and guitar, Mayuka creates an intimate connection with her listeners—offering authenticity, vulnerability, and hope.
Deeply committed to youth empowerment through the arts, Mayuka has worked with underserved and disadvantaged students to help them find and develop their own creative voices. Through a program called Rockband 101 with Youth Speak Collective, she taught songwriting as a tool for self-expression and intergenerational communication. Her approach encouraged students not only to write music, but to use their voices to bridge understanding with adults—helping both sides “hear” each other more clearly and empathetically.
Musician and close collaborator Billy Hawn joined her in this work, helping arrange and elevate the students' original compositions, while inspiring them with his own musical insights.
Mayuka’s gift for painting extends beyond the stage and into the visual arts. A 2007 honors graduate of Otis College of Art and Design, she is a skilled painter and dedicated art educator. Her ability to fuse art, music, and creative expression into emotionally resonant experiences makes her a powerful presence in both the classroom and the arts community.
Mayuka Thais has taught at international schools in Tokyo, public and charter schools across California, and currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design and a Humanities Instructor at Stanford’s Online High School (OHS). Whether working with young children or college students, she brings a unique blend of artistic excellence, cross-cultural perspective, and heartfelt empathy to her teaching. Through hands-on, immersive learning, Mayuka empowers students to explore their creativity, develop their voices, and engage meaningfully with the world around them.
In 2015, Mayuka Thais was invited to write an original song, “The Yamayuri Song (Mountain Lilies),” to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima War Memorial. This deeply moving project brought together voices across generations and cultures. Mayuka collaborated with poet Arthur Bernard, the children of Hiroshima, and pianist Scott Nagatani to create a song that honored the memory of the past while offering a message of peace, resilience, and hope for the future.
In 2016, Mayuka Thais was selected as one of only two finalists on the popular television series Skin Wars: Fresh Paint, hosted by RuPaul. The show, which challenged fine artists to adapt their skills to the world of body painting, showcased Mayuka’s versatility, creativity under pressure, and ability to push artistic boundaries in a new medium.
Notable Exhibitions
2018 ASIA/LA ← → LA/ASIA, Ara Art Center, Seoul, Korea, curated by Marlena Donohue
2015 The HUD, Ventura California
2014 The HUD, Ventura California
2012 FEAR, Imperial Valley Artist Collective
2008-2007 The Circus Comes to Town, Palos Verdes Art Center
2007 Exit Vision, Otis College of Art and Design
2006 Pretty/Dirty, Otis College of Art and Design
Something Hidden, Something Shown
Anxiety of the Moment
2005 Detours to Resonance, Otis College of Art and Design
マユカ・タイス Mayuka Thais サンフランシスコ生まれのシンガー・ソングライター。日米（母アメリカ人、父日本人）の双方の文化と言語に精通し美術教師とミュージシャンの顔を持つ。5 歳の時に日本コロムビアにて最初のレコーディングを経験、以来幼児のための音楽など多数のイベントに参加。元ベネッセ子どもチャレンジしまじろうのえいご のうたのおねえさ ん。ロサンゼルス にある有名なオーティス芸術デザイン大学卒。自身の絵画と歌で綴る象の保護について歌うPVがYouTubeに公開され世界中から注目 を集める。2009年のロサ ンジェルス公演は全米で高い評価を受けている。今は、ロスで活躍中、２０１３年と２０１４年にハリウッドのインディーズ映画に曲が流されて、高く評価を受 けている。２０１３年 の映画、"Half Way to Hell" に マユカが書いた"Song Without You"が出ている。２０１４年１０月４日に世界中で行われる象とサイの保護のグローバルマーチで象とサイの保護の曲"Tusks & Horns"をサンフランシスコのマーチで歌う。２０１４年五月にGeoff Levin（元７０年代のヒットグループPeople! のメンバー）が "Tusks & Horns"のがマユカの "Tusks & Horns"のアルバムをプロヂュース。