Beni Arashiro, better known by her mononym Beni, is a renowned Japanese R&B singer. Born on March 30, 1986, in Okinawa, Japan, Beni moved first to San Diego, California, and later to Yokohama. Throughout her youth, she was influenced by a blend of Japanese and American artists, such as Namie Amuro, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. From a young age, she expressed a desire to become a singer and pursued this dream by participating in the Kokuminteki Bishōjo Contest, the largest talent contest in Japan. She signed a record deal in 2004 and soon debuted with her first solo single, "Harmony." This song became the theme for the Japanese drama Reikan Bus Guide Jikenbo. Her popularity continued to rise throughout the year, leading to the release of the album Beni in 2005 and an accolade as the New Artist of the Year at the 19th Japan Gold Disc Awards. In 2008, she signed with Universal Music Japan and changed her stage name to BENI. During her tenure with Universal, she released singles such as "Mō Ichi do…," "Mō Nido to…," and "Kiss Kiss Kiss," all of which became major hits. Her 2009 album, Bitter & Sweet, was a significant success, earning gold certification. Her career took a new direction in 2012 with the release of an English cover album, Covers, which saw significant success. She continued this trend with Covers 2 later that year, and Covers 3 in 2013. Over the subsequent years, she released successful albums like CINEMATIC in 2018 and Made in Love in 2020. In 2023, she released the bilingual single "Candy '23," which showcased a laid-back, funk-pop style and reached Number 38 on the Japanese KKBox Top 50.
