Misono

Misono is the former lead singer of J-pop trio Day After Tomorrow. Since Day After Tomorrow split in 2005, Misono has pursued a solo career with mixed success. Musically, Misono's rockier direction, not to mention a radical change in image — from cutesy girl next door to guitar-wielding rock chick — might have alienated some of her previous band's fan base. After Day After Tomorrow's breakup, Misono appeared in a short-running dieting reality TV show broadcast on MTV Japan. It was rumored that Misono's weight gain was one of the reasons fickle — and image-obsessed — J-pop fans had deserted Day After Tomorrow after their initial success. Misono is the younger sister of J-pop superstar Kumi Koda.

Kyoto born Misono made her debut as a solo artist with the self-penned single "VS" in March 2006. To mark her coming out as a solo artist, Misono played at the now defunct Tokyo dance club Velfarre — owned by her record label Avex Trax. The song went Top Five and remains Misono's most successful single to date, spending more than two months on the charts and selling 40,000 copies. "VS" was also the theme song to the Nintendo DS role-playing game Tales of the Tempest. Since then Misono has released a string of singles, including the Top 10 hit "Lovely Cat's Eye," a spunky guitar pop number that is more representative of her sound than the dance-oriented "VS," and her debut album never+land. Like "VS," whose video borrowed themes from Snow White, fairy tales inspired many of the songs on never+land.

Citing the likes of Avril Lavigne, Krystal Meyers, the Offspring, and Linkin Park as influences, Misono has turned to a variety of musical collaborators. The 2007 singles "Zasetsu Chiten" and "Jyunin Toiro" were produced by Hidekazu Hinata of pop-punk band Straightener, and alternative rockers Go!Go!7188 produce, respectively. 2008's "Mugen Kigen" was produced by rock band Onsoku Line. In 2007, Misono also starred in the comedy movie Obachan Chips.