Biography
Band-Maid emerged as an all-female Japanese rock outfit whose visual presentation draws directly from the aesthetic of maid cafés, those cosplay eateries concentrated in Japan where staff adopt French maid or anime attire and address patrons as masters or mistresses. The musicians themselves call their supporters “masters” and “princesses,” and they frame each concert as a “serving.” Their aggressive style spans hard rock and metal while incorporating punk edges and pop hooks.
Vocalist and guitarist Miku Kobato, formerly employed at a maid café, assembled the group that eventually solidified with guitarist Kanami Tōno, drummer Akane Hirose, bassist Misa, and co-vocalist Saiki Atsumi. The members’ maid-inspired look was deliberately juxtaposed against their intense rock delivery when the quintet made its live debut at Shibuya-AX in August 2013. In 2014 they secured a contract with Gump Records and released their first mini-album, Maid in Japan.
Their second mini-LP, New Beginning, reached number 64 on the Oricon weekly chart in 2015 and attracted the interest of Nippon Crown, which placed the band on its Crown Stones imprint the next year. That same year brought Band-Maid’s initial overseas engagement at Sakura-Con in Seattle, followed by a world tour encompassing Mexico, Europe, and China. Their Crown Stones debut, Brand New Maid, climbed to number 19 on the weekly albums chart.
The full-length Just Bring It appeared in 2017 and received international release through JPU Records. World Domination, issued in 2018, became their highest-charting effort at the time, landing at number nine on the strength of the singles “Domination,” “Daydreaming,” and “Dice.” Early in 2019 the group adopted a maiko image—an apprentice geisha—and issued the EP Band-Maiko, reworking selected Band-Maid songs with traditional Japanese instrumentation. Later that year Conqueror, their third album, featured a track produced by Grammy Award winner Tony Visconti, known for his work with David Bowie; the LP again reached number nine on the Oricon albums chart and registered on the U.K. listings.
Vocalist and guitarist Miku Kobato, formerly employed at a maid café, assembled the group that eventually solidified with guitarist Kanami Tōno, drummer Akane Hirose, bassist Misa, and co-vocalist Saiki Atsumi. The members’ maid-inspired look was deliberately juxtaposed against their intense rock delivery when the quintet made its live debut at Shibuya-AX in August 2013. In 2014 they secured a contract with Gump Records and released their first mini-album, Maid in Japan.
Their second mini-LP, New Beginning, reached number 64 on the Oricon weekly chart in 2015 and attracted the interest of Nippon Crown, which placed the band on its Crown Stones imprint the next year. That same year brought Band-Maid’s initial overseas engagement at Sakura-Con in Seattle, followed by a world tour encompassing Mexico, Europe, and China. Their Crown Stones debut, Brand New Maid, climbed to number 19 on the weekly albums chart.
The full-length Just Bring It appeared in 2017 and received international release through JPU Records. World Domination, issued in 2018, became their highest-charting effort at the time, landing at number nine on the strength of the singles “Domination,” “Daydreaming,” and “Dice.” Early in 2019 the group adopted a maiko image—an apprentice geisha—and issued the EP Band-Maiko, reworking selected Band-Maid songs with traditional Japanese instrumentation. Later that year Conqueror, their third album, featured a track produced by Grammy Award winner Tony Visconti, known for his work with David Bowie; the LP again reached number nine on the Oricon albums chart and registered on the U.K. listings.
Albums
10th Anniversary Best Vol.1
2023
10th Anniversary Best Vol.2
2023
CONQUEROR
2019
WORLD DOMINATION
2018
Just Bring It
2017
YOLO
2016
Brand New MAID
2016
Singles
