Mayuka Thaïs

Mayuka here! I'm a CREATIVE EDUTAINER who loves to imagine, create and create again! Some may know me as the girl on the bilingual TV program Shimajiro in Tokyo, Japan. Some may know me as one of the finalist on Skin Wars: Fresh Paint. Some know me from my animal activism songs. Some may know me as an art specialist on magazines, a music specialist for youth or you may be one of my wonderful former students. If you don't know me yet, feel free to look around, read, listen and follow my blogs. And do stop by my YouTube Channel to enjoy some songs, art, music and tips that you may find useful (New content coming soon so stay tuned :)). And always remember to keep creating. For my extended bio please read below :)

Mayuka Thais is an award winning multi-faceted singer-songwriter, artist, 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 her songs, "Song Without You", "Let the Wind Blow" & "Don't Say Forever" has been used in 3 Hollywood films.

Mayuka believes that in order to create change, every individual must take action to become one with the change, and 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. More recently, 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, thus providing them with a voice to communicate with adults and bring deeper understanding to how adults “hear” their youth.

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.

Her most recent album "Tusks & Horns", was produced by Geoff Levin (former member of the group "People!"

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"のプロデューサーとしてアルバムに参加をしてくれました。