Mayuka Thais is an award winning multi-faceted singer-songwriter, artist, 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 believes that in order to create change, every individual must take action to become one with the change. She also believes that human beings must find creative solutions to co-exist with all of the beautiful species on the planet. Her love and concern for elephants was the basis for her first music video, "When Elephants Cry," released in 2007 on Youtube. The positive reaction to this song prompted worldwide organizations to contact Mayuka and request her help in advocating for elephant rescue. She was asked to perform this song at the L.A. Comedy Store for a recognition dinner of high profile celebrities including Jorja Fox (CSI), comedian Lily Tomlin and Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas (currently Congressman), all of whom were concerned with elephants in captivity. Expanding her role as an advocate for elephants, Mayuka has served as a speaker and vocalist at Town Hall Meetings, for radio stations, newspaper interviews, at schools and volunteer training centers. To gain first-hand experience and increase her knowledge of the plight of Asian elephants, she volunteered at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. While in Tokyo, Mayuka and her band were chosen to perform her original songs for endangered animals on Tokyo Tower’s observation deck for "Chikyu no Nakamatachi,” an event aimed at increasing the awareness of endangered species.
Mayuka’s gift as a songwriter is evident in her music; a true artist, she paints lush soundscapes with words and creates melodic, emotional songs that linger in the hearts of all who hear them. Pouring her heart into her original music, Mayuka uses her voice and guitar to connect with her listeners. Helping disadvantaged youth find their own voices, Mayuka worked with Youth Speak Collective students to cultivate their songwriting skills for Rockband 101. Her methods empowered students to use their voices to positively communicate with adults which in turn, helped to create a deeper understanding to how adults “hear” their youth. Her friend and musician Billy Hawn helped instruct, inspire, and arrange the music the students created.
Mayuka’s gift for painting translates directly to the canvas as well. A 2007 graduate of Otis College of Art and Design with Honors, Mayuka is also a talented painter and art educator. Her ability to use art, music, creative expression to make lasting emotional connections makes her a force to be reckoned with in the educational world, and an asset to the arts community. She has taught at International Schools in Tokyo, Japan, Public & Charter schools in California and at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.
Mayuka was asked to write a song "The Yamayuri Song (Mountain Lillies)" to help commemorate the 70th war memorial in Hiroshima in 2015. She collaborated with poet Arthur Bernard, children of Hiroshima, and pianist Scott Nagatani.
Mayuka was one of two finalists on the popular TV show SKIN WARS: FRESH PAINT hosted by RuPaul in 2016.
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。ロサンジェ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。