Miliyah Kato

Biography

Miho Katō (加藤 美穂, Katō Miho; born June 22, 1988), known professionally as Miliyah Kato (加藤 ミリヤ, Katō Miriya), is a Japanese pop and urban singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and author. In 2003, Kato started her career as a singer when she provided vocal to Reggae Disco Rockers' song "Cherry Oh! Baby". Her hip-hop-influenced debut album, Rose (2005) was certified platinum in Japan. She gained further recognition when she was featured in M-Flo's track "One Day" (2005). Kato's second studio album Diamond Princess×Diamond Princess7 March 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Diamond1:062Eyes on you4:563Last Summer4:424このままずっと朝まで4:055LuvSong4:216FAMILY4:587Caught up4:098My Soul3:289Cry no more4:0910I Will4:5611ソツギョウ5:2112忘れないから4:5213So special3:5914Paradise3:5215Wonderful3:39 achieved minor commercial success, certified gold by the RIAJ and peaking at number five in Japan. Her third studio album, Tokyo Star×TOKYO STAR2 April 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1LALALA7:20219 Memories5:493Better days -sweet love side-4:414You go your way4:525Kiss4:516Love is...4:457最後のI LOVE YOU4:348Just Wanna Have Fun3:589TOUGH3:2510Young Lady5:1111サヨナラ4:2112U gatta understand4:5913愛は変わらず5:3914FUTURECHECKA4:3615Tokyo Star3:30 (2008) yielded her first top-ten single, "La La La", which was later certified double-platinum for its ringtone sales. Kato's first compilation album Best Destiny×BEST DESTINY5 November 2008 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1恋シテル Album Ver.4:122このままずっと朝まで4:063ディア ロンリーガール3:32419 Memories5:515ジョウネツ5:056愛が消えた日4:367Better days -sweet love side-4:438for so long4:529So gooood3:5110夜空3:5011ONE DAY -夜空Remix-5:2012for so long PARTII4:2313ミシェル -愛のテーマRemix-4:2314FUTURECHECKA4:37 (2008) became her first number-one album, certified platinum in Japan. Her fourth studio album Ring became her best-selling album, and yielded three top-ten singles: "Sayonara Baby", "20 -Cry-×20 -CRY-28 January 2009 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks120-CRY-4:122悲しみブルー4:283Let'em go5:04420-CRY- INSTRUMENTAL4:09", and "Love Forever×Love Forever13 May 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Love Forever5:142Looking your eyes5:213I’M YOUR ANGEL5:314Love Forever (INSTRUMENTAL)5:12", which was certified million in Japan. The song from the album, "Aitai" were certified triple-platinum despite being not released as a single. Her fifth studio album Heaven×HEAVEN28 July 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 29 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11BYE BYE4:462Last Love5:273I miss you5:124X.O.X.O.3:415HEAVEN5:346Baby I See You6:337空4:508WHY4:149FREE5:0710Endless Love4:4111Sweet Angel4:3412Destiny3:4713B.F.F.4:1014Don't wanna let go3:0915Silent Ocean5:1416終わりなき哀しみ3:53Disc 21WHY (Music Video)2Destiny (Music Video)3BYE BYE (Music Video)4SENSATION (Music Video)5Last Love (Music Video)6SAYONARAベイベー (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)7Medley (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO): Kiss〜TOUGH〜LALALA〜Love is...8Love for you (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)920-CRY- (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)10Time is Money (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)11Aitai (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)1219 Memories (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO)13Love Forever (From Ring Tour 2009@ZEPP TOKYO) (2010) debuted atop on the Oricon chart and has yielded two platinum singles, "Why" and "Last Love×Last Love9 June 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Last Love5:302Tomorrow4:483Fallin'3:564Last Love (Instrumental)5:27".
Kato's second compilation album M Best×M BEST3 August 2011 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 33 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11夜空3:502Never let go4:283ディア ロンリーガール3:314ジョウネツ5:035Love me, i love you5:066Beautiful4:507ソツギョウ5:218Last Summer4:459Eyes on you5:0010I WILL4:5711このままずっと朝まで4:0712Love is...4:4713LALALA7:1914FUTURECHECKA4:3815最後のI LOVE YOU4:371619 Memories5:50Disc 21SAYONARAベイベー4:292恋シテル Album Ver.4:123Love Forever5:134Aitai4:305WHY4:13620-CRY-4:107Destiny3:478BYE BYE4:479Last Love5:2810X.O.X.O.3:4011I miss you5:1312BELIEVE4:2013DESIRE6:3514BABY!BABY!BABY!3:4315RAINBOW4:4916Me4:0317勇者たち6:16 (2011) became her second consecutive number one album, selling over 300,000 copies nationwide. In 2011, Kato published her first novel, "Umareta mama no Watashi wo", which marked her debut as an author. Her sixth and seventh studio album True Lovers×TRUE LOVERS21 November 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1HEART BEAT5:432今夜はブギー・バック5:563LOVERS partII6:424眠れぬ夜のせいで5:045True5:056With U4:537Baby Love4:028Heartbreaker5:349AIAIAI4:3010All I Want Is You3:5011ROMAN (Album ver.)4:3612愛しい人4:5413勇者たち6:1614UGLY5:12 (2012) and Loveland×LOVELAND19 February 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Lonely Hearts4:532Shape of love5:273Love/Affection4:524UNIQUE5:015神様4:016The One3:397EMOTION4:538LOVER –Episode II–5:159PRIDE4:4310You’re Beautiful5:2911RUN FREE4:4312One Night Only3:4013冷静と情熱のあいだ4:4414Loveland4:36 (2014) reached top three in Japan. The former has yielded three gold-certified songs, "Yūsha Tach", "Lovers Part II", and "Konya wa Boogie Back". The Japanese version of The Twilight Saga: New Moon uses her song "Destiny" as its theme song. In 2014, Kato recorded a collaborative album, The Best×THE BEST2 April 2014 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Sakura Melody4:562Love Forever5:113My love goes on5:104BELIEVE4:175Jewelry4:576Looking your eyes5:157今夜はブギー・バック5:538ESCAPE5:369Still5:3110FOREVER LOVE5:4811You’re the only one for me5:1112I’M YOUR ANGEL5:2513LOVE STORY5:15Disc 21Love Forever <Music Video>5:152FOREVER LOVE <Music Video>5:573BELIEVE <Music Video>4:204今夜はブギー・バック6:175LOVE STORY <Music Video>5:256Sakura Melody <Music Video>5:097Behind the Scenes of Sakura Melody 〜 a trip to LOVE11:33, with a Japanese singer-songwriter Shota Shimizu. Her next albums, Liberty×LIBERTY2 March 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11LIBERTY3:222FUTURE LOVER‐未来恋人‐5:593Want You Back4:434うたかたの日々4:005WANNA BE4:096This is my party3:017MIRROR MIRROR3:448天国のドア3:569少年少女4:1010CLIMAX5:0611BABYLON4:0912FASHION3:0813女神の光3:4614Memories3:0015ピース オブ ケイク—愛を叫ぼう—3:4516H.I.K.A.R.I.5:3517リップスティック5:51Disc 21MILIYAH ALBUM SPECIAL INTERVIEW2少年少女 (Music Video)3ピース オブ ケイク—愛を叫ぼう— (Music Video)4リップスティック (Music Video)5FUTURE LOVER–未来恋人– (Music Video) (2016) and Utopia×Utopia17 March 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11どこまでも 〜How Far I’ll Go〜 (エンドソング)2:562旅人3:283Let Me In3:304最高なしあわせ4:555少女時代4:496Utopia3:167愛の国5:038MOON5:449永遠4:4710BE3:5611I AM4:0912Triangle3:5413幻4:5314素晴らしき人生5:23Disc 21どこまでも 〜How Far I’ll Go〜 (エンドソング) (Music Video)2最高なしあわせ (Music Video)3愛の国 (Music Video)4幻 (Music Video)5Behind the scenes of the Music Videos (2016), both reached top five in Japan. Her tenth studio album, Femme Fatale×Femme Fatale10 June 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Femme Fatale2:532I HATE YOU3:053私の名はイノセンス4:294貴方はまだ愛をしらない3:555Funny Love2:486あたしの細胞3:017新約ディアロンリーガール3:568顔も見たくない3:219KING/QUEEN3:0510オンリー・ロンリーマン3:1911Don’t Let Me Down4:1212BURN4:5613ROMANCE(Album Ver.)4:45 (2018) was released to a minor commercial success, only reaching number eight in Japan.
Kato is known for popularizing sampling in the J-pop scene, and has incorporated a wide range of tracks in her songs. Regarded as one of the biggest J-pop musicians in the late 2000s and the early 2010s, Kato has sold over 12.6 million records and ringtones.

History

In 2001, when she was around 13 years old, she passed a Sony audition. She began writing music and lyrics from the age of 14. Before her official debut she sang support vocals for other musicians and performed in commercials. Katō made her debut with the release of the single "Never Let Go/Yozora" (2004) and released her debut album Rose (2005) the next year. She is influenced by hip hop and R&B music, especially artists Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige. Her music also makes frequent use of sampling. Katō herself has said that her music uses hip hop and R&B as a base, and aims for a middle ground which is neither overly pop nor overly hardcore. Katō graduated from the Meiji Gakuin Senior High School in Tokyo. She grew up in a single-parent household, with her mother and brother. Her father operated a gem store before his death.
At the time of her debut in 2004 she was called the "post-Hikaru Utada" (ポスト宇多田ヒカル, posuto Utada Hikaru), referring to the two artists' similarities, from their lyrics to their shared "high school girl charisma". Around the time of her debut, the fact that she was still actually in high school was often emphasized. From participating in making the visuals for her CD jackets to producing her own fashion brand, she also has some influence in visual and fashion areas. Those who are influenced by her music, fashion and acts are called "Miliyers" (ミリヤー, miriyaa).