As part of her winter tour, Emiko is playing for the World Winter Special Olympics in Sun Valley and Boise. She is a talented breath of fresh air from New York City's upper East side, and she will play her blend of rock 'n' roll, which includes a sensitive edge.
"The type of music I write is radio-friendly popular music," Emiko said. "The mental picture I relate to people about what I do is if Billy Joel and Alanis Morissette had a Japanese baby—that would be me."
Japanese-American artist Emiko is spunky and dear. She has recorded a number of CDs, including the popular "Here Lies Tinkerbell," and is working on a new CD, which she will highlight in her Sun Valley performance.
"I am really lucky because at the end of the day when people I know are out of work and can't make ends meet and are in a despondent place, I am getting paid to play the music I write," Emiko said. "And, people are also coming to see me perform."
Supporting Emiko is not just about the band and her performance; proceeds from the Sun Valley performances will go to the Special Olympics. In addition, Emiko is a large supporter of World Hunger Year's "Artists Against Hunger and Poverty" campaign and was the only unsigned artist on the tour for the last two years. She performed with Jackson Browne at the annual Steel Bridge Songfest in Wisconsin.
"I love to support something greater than me," Emiko said. "I am just a conduit for other people to get involved."
Emiko has also participated in the program "City Sessions," a similar program to VH-1's "Behind the Music." "City Sessions" was created for an upstart music cable and on-line television network, Your Music Channel (YMC-TV). The show features interviews and performances from Emiko and airs on PBS and RAVE, and will be on FUSE.
"I am a one-woman show because I write, play, sing, produce and own a recording studio and artist management and entertainment company," Emiko said. "I am very blessed because it is a rag-tag team of people with street smarts who help me and play in my band."
At 28, Emiko has been playing music her entire life. She began playing the piano at 2 and half, and by the time she was 5 she was performing as a classical pianist. She continued to perform as a pianist until she was 12, when she began to discover more independent rock 'n' roll expressions.
"I have spent most of life to get where I am," Emiko said. "I stuck to it, and the quote I give everyone is, 'If there is life on Mars, they will buy music.'"
Emiko will perform with her band the GeminiStation Project on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Boiler Room in Sun Valley at 9 p.m. There is a $10 cover charge. For details, call 622-2148.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Emiko is a singer and songwriter from New York City touring the West, in part with the Special Olympics.
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