Mao Abe

is a Japanese singer-songwriter.

Biography Abe started learning the piano from age three, and from junior high school, she wanted to be a singer. She gave up the piano in favour of the guitar, wanting to be an acoustic pop singer/songwriter in the style of Canadian pop musician Avril Lavigne. While in high school, she frequently busked and attended music auditions. In February 2006, on a morning when she had truanted from school, she wrote her first song, "My Baby".

Since the album, she has released three singles, the first two reaching the top 20 on the Oricon single charts. The third, "Itsu no Hi mo", reached #2 on the Japan Hot 100 chart, a week before the physical release of the single. The single was followed by her second album, Pop, which was her first top 5 album on the Oricon albums chart.

Personal life

In January 2015, Mao Abe married Keisuke Iizuka, a former member of the band CORE OF SOUL who had worked as staff during her national tour. Later that year, in September 2015, the couple welcomed their first son. On March 1, 2018, Abe announced on her official website that she and Iizuka had divorced, describing the decision as one reached through mutual understanding.

Discography Studio albums

+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN) JPN TWN East Asian Free Released: January 21, 2009 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 17 15 21,000 Pop Released: January 27, 2010 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 5 — 54,000 Released: June 1, 2011 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 6 — 41,000 Released: June 6, 2012 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 6 — 28,000 Released: August 28, 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 7 — 17,000 Released: February 18, 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 7 — 14,000 Babe. Released: February 15, 2017 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 14 — YOU Released: March 7, 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 18 — Released: January 22, 2020 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, CD/DVD, digital download 14 — 4,300 Not Unusual Released: February 15, 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download 22 — 2,130 "—" denotes items that did not chart.

Compilation albums

+ List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN) Label: Pony Canyon Formats: rental CD — Released: September 16, 2015 "Tsutaetai Koto" 2009 19 11 13,300 Pop "I Wanna See You" 39 "Anata no Koibito ni Naritai no Desu" 19 5 8,800 RIAJ (streaming): Gold "Itsu no Hi mo" 2010 12 2 9,200 RIAJ (cellphone): Gold "Lonely" 22 5 9,500 Su. "19-sai no Uta" 20 8 6,000 2011 20 9 7,800 — 22 18 7,800 Tatakai wa Owaranai 2012 22 11 6,600 2013 20 34 6,200 Anata o Suki na Watashi 28 35 3,500 "Boyfriend" — "Believe in Yourself" 2014 20 23 5,500 Single Collection 19—24 / Oppajime! 29 24 3,500 Oppajime! "You Changed My Life" 2015 37 — 2,000 Non-album singles "Kimi no Uta"/"Kotae" 2019 35 — 1,200 "—" denotes items that did not chart.

As a featured artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumJPN Hot 100 Oppajime! —"—" denotes items that did not chart.

Video albums + List of media, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPN DVD JPN Blu-ray Released: July 27, 2011 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD 33 — Released: December 5, 2012 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 18 35 Released: March 19, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 45 41 Released: March 19, 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, Blu-ray 26 24

Tours Abe Mao Live No. 0 (2009) Abe Mao Live No. 0.7 (2009) Abe Mao Live No. 1 (2010) Abe Mao Live No. 2 (2010) Abe Mao Live Natsu no Jin (2011) Abe Mao Live No. 3: Zepp to Quattro Dake de Gomen ne Tour (2011) Abe Mao Live No. 4 (2012) Abe Mao Hikigatari Live 2012 Fuyu: Christmas da yo! Kuru desho? Kuru yo ne!? no Maki (2012) Abe Mao Hikigatari Live 2013 Natsu (2013) Abe Mao Live No. 5 (2013) 5th Anniversary Abe Mao Live "Ochikarazoe, Negaimasu." Tour 2014 (2014) 5th Anniversary Abe Mao Live 2014 @ Nippon Budōkan (2014)