Mai Kuraki

Mai Kuraki (倉木麻衣) is a Japanese singer-songwriter from Funabashi, Chiba, known for her polished vocals and her blend of J-pop, contemporary R&B, and pop soul. Born on October 28, 1982, she was influenced early on by Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, and while still in junior high school she sent a demo tape to Giza Studio, where she later secured a recording contract. She first appeared in the United States in 1999 as Mai K. with "Baby I Like," then made her Japanese debut later that same year with "Love, Day After Tomorrow." Songs such as "Stay by my side," "Secret of my heart," and "Never Gonna Give You Up" established her as one of the defining voices of early-2000s Japanese pop. Kuraki is also closely tied to Detective Conan: "Winter Bells" served as the series’ 10th opening theme, "Secret of my heart" became her first tie-in with the franchise at age 17, and recent coverage has again highlighted her long-running Conan connection, including her role in the anime’s 30th-anniversary ending-theme project. She has also recorded songs such as "Feel fine!" for commercial campaigns, balancing mainstream success with a durable presence in anime music.