This article is about the singer-songwriter. For the software vocal synthesis character, see
Vocaloid. For the computer company, see
Meiko Scientific.
Meiko (pronounced MEE-ko), born on February 25, 1982) is an American singer/songwriter, born and raised in Roberta, Georgia and currently residing in Los Angeles, California. She independently released a self-titled album on September 1, 2007. Several tracks have been featured in primetime TV shows.
Biography
Early life
Raised by her father in the small town of Roberta, Georgia, Meiko first stepped in front of an audience at the age of eight, singing “White Christmas” for parishioners of a Southern Baptist church. In the years that followed she performed everywhere from talent shows to Little League baseball parks. When she wasn't performing, she was practicing - spending countless hours singing into the family's clothes dryer. "Great acoustics," she insists.[cite this quote] She soon developed an interest in writing songs and enlisted the help of her dad, who taught her how to play guitar on his old Gibson six-string. When she was thirteen, he bought her one of her own. A flood of songs followed. "As soon as I learned a new chord," she says, "I wrote a new song."[cite this quote]
Music career
At eighteen, Meiko left her hometown to showcase her talents to a wider audience. After a brief stop in Miami, she set down in Los Angeles and began her career in earnest, playing venues all over Southern California and writing at a prolific pace. She performed at Hollywood's Hotel Café (where she still performs regularly).
In early 2007, Meiko performed at the Sundance Film Festival and caught the ear of Paste Magazine editor Josh Jackson, who declared her a "big success story" waiting to happen, predicting it was "only a matter of time" before she found her way onto Nic Harcourt's influential “Morning Becomes Eclectic” radio program on KCRW.[1]
In September 2007, she toured nationally with Brett Dennen and in October, toured the U.S. as the opener for Mat Kearney.[2]
In 2008, Meiko performed at the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW, and participated in the nationwide Hotel Café Tour, which also included Rachael Yamagata, Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers, and Sara Bareilles.
In June 2008 Meiko signed a recording deal with MySpace Records/DGC, who released her album in partnership with Lucky Ear Music (Meiko's own indie label). The Lucky Ear/MySpace/DGC release has been remixed, remastered and includes re-recorded versions and a new track, "Boys with Girlfriends". The digital album re-release was August 5, 2008.
Also in August, she played four dates (three in Southern California) with Joe Purdy, Chris Seefried and Jay Nash.[3] In the fall of 2008, Meiko joined another Hotel Cafe Tour - this time around the trek featured an all-female lineup. Meiko was the only artist performing all dates of the tour.[citation needed] From February–March 2009, Meiko performed on a string of U.S. dates in support of Joshua Radin.[citation needed] In May 2009, she embarked on her first-ever headlining U.S. tour.[4] In June 2009, Meiko hit the road with Eric Hutchinson,[5] and in July 2009, she performed a string of shows in the UK.[citation needed] In October and November 2009 Meiko toured the U.S. with Jewel.[6]
Meiko's album was digitally released in Australia on October 9, 2009 and reached #2 on the iTunes Australia Singer-Songwriter Albums chart. The album was physically released October 23, 2009.[citation needed]
Origins of name
Meiko is one-quarter Japanese, on her maternal grandmother's side; in an attempt to get in touch with their Japanese heritage, she and her sister, designer Kelly Nishimoto, adopted the nicknames Meiko and Keiko.
Discography
Albums
Singles
- "X-Mas Song" (2007, self-released)
- "Boys with Girlfriends" (2008, Lucky Ear/MySpace/DGC)
- "Under My Bed" (2009, Lucky Ear/MySpace/DGC)
- "All of Me" (2009, Lucky Ear/MySpace/DGC)
Guest appearances
Compilation appearances
- Penelope soundtrack (2008, Lakeshore) (song: "Piano Song")
- Hotel Cafe Presents: Winter Songs (2008, Sony), (song: "Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)")
Music videos
- "Boys with Girlfriends"
- "Under My Bed"
Television performances
Television song appearances
- Grey's Anatomy - Season 4, Episode 1 (song: "Reasons to Love You")[16]
- Grey's Anatomy - Season 4, Episode 4 (song: "Hawaii")[17]
- Moonlight - Season 1, Episode 5 (song: “Sleep”)[18]
- Kyle XY - Season 2, Episode 17 (song: "Heard It All Before")[19]
- Good Morning America Weekend Edition - December 8, 2007 (song: "Reasons to Love You")
- The Cleaner - Season 1, Episode 3 (song: "Said and Done")[20]
- One Tree Hill - Season 6, Episode 4 (song: "Said and Done")[21]
- The Hills - Season 4, Episode 10 (song: "Boys with Girlfriends")[22]
- Knight Rider - Season 1, Episode 7 (song: "Reasons to Love You")
- Privileged - Season 1, Episode 10 (song: "Under My Bed")[23]
- Grey's Anatomy - Season 5, Episode 9 (song: "Boys with Girlfriends")[24]
- One Tree Hill - Season 6, Episode 13 (song: "Hawaii")[25]
- 90210 - Season 1, Episode 13 (song: "Under My Bed")[26]
- Kyle XY - Season 3, Episode 8 (song: "Reasons to Love You")[27]
- Kyle XY - Season 3, Episode 10 (song: "Hiding")[28]
- Ghost Whisperer - Season 4, Episode 19 (song: "Reasons to Love You")[29]
- My Fake Fiance (song: "You Can't Hurry Love")[30]
- So You Think You Can Dance - Season 6, Episode 1 (song: "Reasons to Love You")
References
External links
