Masa Takumi

Masa Takumi
Takumi at 2023 Grammys
Born
Masanori Takumi

(1978-11-14) November 14, 1978 (age 46)
Osaka, Japan
Occupations
  • Composer
  • musician
  • music producer
Years active2000–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Piano
  • guitar
  • bass
  • drums
  • shamisen
Labels
  • BMG
  • Domo Records
Japanese name
Kanji宅見将典
Hiraganaたくみ まさのり
Katakanaタクミ マサノリ
Websitemasa.world

Masanori Takumi (Japanese: 宅見将典, Hepburn: Takumi Masanori), better known as Masa Takumi, is a Japanese Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, and music producer. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2014 for Best Reggae Album, won a Best Global Music Album for his solo album, Sakura, in 2023, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2024 for "Kashira" for Best Global Music Performance.[1][2][3][4][5] His music video, Deep Down, was nominated for Best Independent Music Video at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in 2018.[6] He has written and produced songs for AAA, Da Pump, Eric Martin, and others.[7]

Takumi is an anime TV series composer, arranger, and musician who is known for composing theme songs, arranging music, and performing on Claymore, Genshiken, Witchblade, Peach Girl and Koi Kaze, among others.[8][9][10]

Early life and career

Masa Takumi (also known as Masanori Takumi) was born in Osaka, Japan.[11] He is the nephew of Hideki Saijo.[12] Takumi started playing the trumpet at eight years old in his elementary school's brass band and started playing the drums and composing music at twelve years old.[13] During his teen years he taught himself to play the guitar, bass, and piano. In 2000, Takumi joined the band, Siren where he was a songwriter, drummer, and sound producer. The group signed a record deal with BMG Japan but disbanded in 2004 and Takumi decided to pursue composing and producing full-time.[14]

Music career

Takumi is a composer and music producer, and plays the guitar, piano, bass, drums, and the shamisen.

In Asia, he has written and arranged songs for major recording artists Exile, Daigo, Da Pump, Cute, AAA,[15] Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku (Japan),[16] Kara, and FT Island (South Korea), among others.[17] Takumi also composes and produces music for numerous anime TV series such as Claymore, Witchblade, Peach Girl, Genshiken, and Koi Kaze.[18]

He has worked with US recording artists, writing and producing music for Eric Martin and Terry Bozzio.[19] In 2017, he wrote the song Let’s Make A Video for Poppy and wrote Reflection for Trey Songz in 2018.[20][21]

Takumi was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2014 for the album Reggae Connections, as a member of Sly and Robbie. He released Stars Falling in 2016, and his 2017 album Deep Down won a bronze medal for Best Contemporary Instrumental Music at the Global Music Awards 2018.[22] The music video for Deep Down was nominated for a Hollywood Music In Media Awards for Best Independent Music Video in 2018. In 2020, Takumi began working working with Domo Music Group and released, Heritage, which received favorable reviews.[7]

Takumi's 2021 album release, Sakura, won a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album in 2023.[1] He was an associate producer on Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej's 2023 album, Police Without Borders and was selected for Newsweek magazine's "100 Most Respected Japanese People in the World."[23][24] Also in 2023, Takumi was invited by the United States Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, where he performed live.[14]

In 2024, he was nominated for a Grammy award for "Kashir" for Best Global Music Performance.[25]

Awards

Year Nominated work Category Award Result
2024 Kashira Best Global Music Performance Grammy Award Nominated
2023 Sakura Best Global Music Album Grammy Award[1] Won
2023 World Music Best in Genre Hollywood Independent Music Awards[26] Nominated
2018 Deep Down Best Independent Music Video Hollywood Music in Media Award[6] Nominated
2018 Deep Down Best Contemporary Instrumental Music (Bronze) Global Music Award[27] Won
2014 Reggae Connection Best Reggae Album Grammy Award[4] Nominated

Discography

Year Album Artist Credit
2022 Sakura (album)[28] Masa Takumi Composer, musician
2020 Heritage (album) Masa Takumi Composer, musician, producer
2017 Deep Down (album) Masa Takumi Composer, musician, producer
2016 Stars Falling (album) Masa Takumi Composer, musician, producer
2012 Mr. Rock Vocalist (album)[29] Eric Martin Co-producer, music arranger

Music in TV, film and videos

Source[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c "The 2023 Grammy Awards winners list: Live updates". LA Times. February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "Masanori Takumi". Recording Academy.
  3. ^ "Artist Masanori Takumi". Grammy 3. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "56th Annual Grammy Awards". Grammy 1. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "65th Annual Grammy Awards". Grammy 2. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "2018 Visual Media Awards Nominees". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Masa Takumi". Domo Music Group. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Masanori Takumi". Anime Planet. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Manasori Takumi". CD Japan. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "Artist 855". VGMDB. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "Grammy-Nominated Musician Masa Takumi and His Move to the U.S. in 2018". Discover Nikkei. January 20, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Japanese musician Masanori Takumi wins Grammy for best global album". Kyodo News. February 6, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  13. ^ "Meet Masa (Masanori) Takumi". Bold Journey. March 8, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Magical Musicality - Masa Takumi". The Iroha. June 22, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  15. ^ Nikkan Sports (February 6, 2023). "グラミー賞獲得した宅見将典さん「日本の音楽業界、アメリカの音楽業界に感謝したい」喜び語る（日刊スポーツ）". Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "テレビ東京・あにてれ ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ シーズン2 デコロラアドベンチャー". ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ シーズン2 デコロラアドベンチャー. TV Tokyo. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
    "手をつなごうの歌詞 | 私立恵比寿中学". Oricon News. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  17. ^ "Japanese musician Takumi wins Grammy for best global album". Japan Today. February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  18. ^ "Masanori TAKUMI". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  19. ^ "Mr. Rock Vocalist". Amazon. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  20. ^ Poppy – Let's Make a Video, retrieved November 27, 2022
  21. ^ "Trey Songz - Reflection Lyrics | Lyrics.com". www.lyrics.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  22. ^ "Grammy Nominee Multi-Instrumentalist, MASA TAKUMI, Hosts First Live Music Event in U.S." Elicit Magazine. September 9, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  23. ^ "US: Stewart Copeland releases new album, Police Beyond Borders". BMG. August 25, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  24. ^ "Masa Takumi's single "Kashira" has been nominated for the 67th Grammy Awards!". Fuji Pacific. November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  25. ^ "Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees by Chris Willman". Variety. November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  26. ^ "HIMA 2023 Winners and Nominees". HIMA. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  27. ^ "Global Music Award Winners - 2018". Global Music Awards. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  28. ^ "Masa Takumi, Heritage". JW Vibe. March 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  29. ^ "Eric Martin - Mr. Rock Star". Genius. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  30. ^ "Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric: Sonic Jr and Hoopa DLC". Deviant Art. June 15, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  31. ^ "Manasori Takumi - Claymore". Sonic Hits. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  32. ^ Cavallaro, Dan (2018). Art in Anime: The Creative Quest for Theme and Metaphor. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-7864-6561-3.
  33. ^ "Suzuka Opening Song Lyrics". Anime Song Lyrics. Retrieved February 4, 2021.