Kaya

Kaya is a Japanese visual kei artist from Naruto, Japan, born in 1980. He is associated with Sherow Artist Society and has performed as a solo artist and as part of several projects, including Schwarz Stein, Femme Fatale, Rudolf Steiner and Node of Scherzo.

Career

Kaya begins his career in 1999 as the vocalist of the Shikoku-based band Meties, where he performs under the name Hime. The group records a two-song demo tape. In 2001, he meets keyboardist Hora at a Velvet Eden concert, and the two form Rudolf Steiner, with Hime again handling vocals and lyrics. The project is unusual within visual kei at the time because its music is fully electronic and does not use acoustic instruments.

Rudolf Steiner records two demo tapes, Perfect Garden and Queen of Decadence. In 2002, Mana signs the group to his label and renames them Schwarz Stein. Around the same time, Hime adopts the name Kaya. Schwarz Stein gains attention in both the visual kei and Japanese goth scenes and releases the singles Queen of Decadence and Current, along with the albums New Vogue Children and Artificial Halluciation. The group splits up in 2004 because of artistic differences.

After the split, Kaya and Hora continue to work together and release the one-off project ANOTHER CELL in 2006. Hora writes the music while Kaya contributes most of the lyrics, and the release includes new material as well as rearranged versions of songs from Rudolf Steiner and Hora’s solo work.

Solo work

Kaya’s solo debut single, Kaleidoscope, appears in 2006 and is composed and produced by Kalm, formerly of Velvet Eden. Later that year he releases Masquerade and his debut album Glitter. He also appears at the Winter Romantic festival alongside acts including Wizard, UnsraW, HIZAKI grace project and Sugar.

In 2007, he gives his first one-man concert at Shibuya O-West. He then releases Ouka Ryouran, appears at Shock Wave Vol.1, and issues the mini-album Hyakkiyakou and the single Carmilla. On Halloween he releases the latter single. In 2008, Chocolat is released as his fifth solo single, with music composed by Hora.

Stage work

Kaya also appears as one of the protagonists in the rock musical Node of Scherzo with Sherow Artist Society musicians Kamijo, HIZAKI and Juka.