Emi Meyer

Emi Meyer

Emi Meyer is a jazz singer, pianist and songwriter from Kyoto, Japan, who moves to Seattle, Washington before the age of one. Her music draws on her cross-border upbringing and spans jazz, folk, anti-folk, rock and pop. She first begins piano lessons at the age of six and later studies jazz as a way of working collaboratively and extending the connection between piano, voice and ear. She also studies ethnomusicology at college in California.

Early development and style

While still in Seattle, Meyer is selected as one of five students taught by an accomplished classical pianist. Friends and fellow musicians encourage her to develop her voice after hearing her distinctive imagery and style. She generally composes for piano and voice, but also works with bass and drums on her demo Magnolias. Her songs include “Crafted Tone,” “Magnolias” and “Sunrise.”

Performances and recordings

Meyer performs at venues in Hollywood including The Hotel Café, The Tangier and Room 5. In Seattle, she appears at The Pink Door, Tula’s and Dimitrio’s Jazz Alley, and in New York she performs at Sidewalk Café. Her recordings from Magnolias and Live @ The Hotel Café are played on KEXP 90.3 and The End 107.7 in Seattle, KSPC 88.7 in Los Angeles, and KGRL.fm.

Festivals and recognition

She appears at the Kahoutek Music Festival, Kobe Jazz Festival and Northwest Folklife Festival. Her song “Sunrise” premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival with West 32nd, a film by Michael Kang. In 2007, Meyer is the only solo and singer-songwriter semi-finalist in the Experience Music Project’s Sound Off! competition, and she wins the adult division of the Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Competition. She is also noted in local music coverage as a jazz artist to watch.

Associated acts

Meyer is associated with ALKAMIRE.