Aoi Teshima

Aoi Teshima is a chart-topping, multilingual Japanese vocalist whose pop songs have appeared in Nintendo games and Gorō Miyazaki's anime films. Born in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, on June 21, 1987, she attended the C&S Music School as a teenager. At 17 years old, she attracted the attention of film director Gorō Miyazaki, who began employing Aoi Teshima as a singer and voice actress. Her first single, "Therru's Song," was featured in Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea, a 2006 film that doubled as her acting debut. The song charted at Number 5 in Japan, earning a gold certification along the way. Aoi Teshima performed two songs on the film's soundtrack, Gedo Senki Kashū, which was released that summer. She continued releasing original music with albums like 2007's Haru no Kashū and 2008's Niji no Kashū. Meanwhile, she began interpreting the music of other artists with a series of English-language cover albums, beginning with 2008's western-themed The Rose: I Love Cinemas and continuing with 2010's Christmas Songs. She also contributed to Gorō Miyazaki's second film, From Up on Poppy Hill, singing the movie's theme song, "Summer of Farewells," and appearing in the movie as a voice actress. "Summer of Farewells" was a significant hit, peaking at Number 13 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in 2011. Five years later, she scored the biggest hit of her career with 2016's "Asu e no Tegami," which climbed to Number 1 on both the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and the RIAJ Digital Tracks charts. Aoi Teshima's career continued with the 2021 single "Asu e no Tegami."