Miki Matsubara

Japanese singer Miki Matsubara was born on November 28, 1959, in Kishiwada, Osaka. Japan and spent her childhood in Hiraoka Town, Nishi-ku, Sakai. Her mother was a jazz singer who sang with the Crazy Cats jazz band, which led to Miki Matsubara learning how to play the piano at just 3 years old. In her teenage years, she joined rock bands and played at local venues. 1979 marked the beginning of her career with her debut song, "Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me)," which became a hit, peaking at number 28 on the Oricon chart and selling over 300,000 copies. Her song "Neat na gogo san-ji" also became famous, featuring in a commercial by Japanese company Shiseido. Throughout her career, Miki Matsubara achieved several milestones, and she formed her own band, Dr. Woo. Her international collaborations included working with the Motown jazz fusion group Dr. Strut in Los Angeles. She released several notable albums such as Pocket Park (1980), Myself (1982), and Lady Bounce (1985). In 1984, she released a jazz cover album titled BLUE EYES where she covered popular songs, including "You've Got a Friend" by Carole King. Later in the 21st century, particularly in 2020, Miki Matsubara's "Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me)" witnessed a resurgence in popularity worldwide, notably on social media platforms, where it became part of a viral trend.