Kahimi Karie

Mari Hiki, known professionally as Kahimi Karie, was born on 15 March 1968 in Japan and emerged as a pop and Shibuya‑kei singer. She began her career in the mid‑1990s, releasing the single "ハミングがきこえる" in 1996, which marked her entry into the Japanese music scene. Kahimi Karie signed with Polydor and issued the album K.K.K.K.K. on 26 October 1999, followed by the album Tilt on 23 May 2000; both works positioned her within the cosmopolitan Shibuya‑kei movement. Her subsequent albums My Suitor (2002) and Trapeziste (2003) expanded her repertoire, featuring collaborations with artists such as Momus and Cornelius and incorporating English, French, and occasional Italian lyrics. Kahimi Karie also contributed vocals to jazz concerts led by Yoshihide Otomo and appeared on various compilation releases. While her commercial chart performance remained modest, her distinct aesthetic and multilingual approach earned her recognition in niche circles and contributed to the broader international appeal of Shibuya‑kei. Kahimi Karie continued to release music into the mid‑2000s, with Trapeziste standing as a key milestone.