Apart from being a seiyuu, she is also a J-pop singer.
Since her first album, with King Records, HEROINE (2004), she has switched to Lantis and has released two singles in January and June 2007, Junpaku Sanctuary (純白サンクチュアリィ) and Kimi ga Kureta Ano hi (君がくれたあの日) respectively, in which the latter reached the Top 20 on the ORICON charts. Her 1st Re-start album, Contact, released on October 24, 2007, peaking at #11.
In 2008, she had her 1st tour, held in three performances during the month of February 2008, with an additional three later announced in March. She released three singles: Melty tale storage on March 26, Ameagari no Hana yo Sake (雨上がりの花よ咲け) on August 6, and Paradise Lost on November 5, which was her first song used as an anime theme (喰霊-零-/Ga-rei zero). Her second album, Parade, released November 26.
In 2009, she had her 2nd tour with 10 venues. Her 6th single, Tomorrow's Chance, released June 3. She will hold her first outdoor live, "SUMMER CAMP", on August 1&2.
She has been a guest performer for Animelo Summer Live since 2006, however 2007 was the first time she performed as a solo artist, and has kept it that way since. Outside of Japan, she has performed in several other countries, including the US, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
Her hobbies include writing songs and playing on her guitar, having been influenced by her father. Her favorite artist is B'z and she is a member of their fanclub. She updates her blog, minorhythm daily, often including photos. The name of her blog came from her following of fans, known to be "Minorists", or followers of Minorism (which incidentally sounds like minorhythm in Japanese). Her official fanclub is called minori smile seasons.
傘の下
茅原実里 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
人混みの中 私の心は 立ち止まったまま
思い切り吸い込んだ 切なさに
あなたの名前を つけました
「どこにいますか」「元気ですか」
かき消されてゆく 淡い独り言
どうか雨よ やまないで
どうか今だけ 思い出させて
そっと目をとじてみる
終わらないこの片思い
雲が晴れるのは まだ先のこと…？
あなたの言葉 あなたの声も
遠くにみた笑顔も 最後の優しさも
色あせないまま ここにまだあるよ
どうか雨よ やまないで
あふれ出す涙 ぽつりぽつり
どうか今だけ この傘の下
あたたかい場所にかえて
どうか雨よ やまないで
あの日の二人を ぽつりぽつり
どうか今だけ 思い出させて
そっと目をとじてみる
あたたかい傘の下で
The lyrics to "傘の下" (Under the Umbrella) by 茅原実里 tell the story of a person standing alone in the rain with an unreliable umbrella. The singer's mind is stuck in a moment, unable to move on as they breathe in the weight of their sadness, attaching the name of the person who they long for to the emotions. The words "Where are you?" and "Are you well?" are drowned out by the sound of their own voice in the crowd. Suddenly, the singer pleads with the rain to keep pouring down, as it is their only connection to the memories they have with this person. The lyrics speak of an unrequited love, with the cloud of uncertainty surrounding whether or not the person the singer desires feels the same way.
The second verse dwells further on the idea of memories and, just like how the rain will eventually stop, the singer hopes that some day they will be able to move on from this one-sided love. However, the emotions they feel for this person and the moments they shared, both good and bad, remain vivid and colorful, like the day it first happened. The chorus repeats the pleas with the rain to keep falling, as tears flow down the singer's face in time with the raindrops. They long for the warmth and safety of being under the umbrella with the person they desire, but know deep inside that they are alone.
Overall, the lyrics of "傘の下" evoke a sense of longing, sadness, and bittersweet nostalgia for what once was and could have been. The lack of closure is palpable, with the singer's thoughts and feelings stuck in the moment of their unfulfilled desires.
Line by Line Meaning
突然降り出した雨の中に たよりない傘ひとつ
I'm caught in the pouring rain with nothing but a flimsy umbrella
人混みの中 私の心は 立ち止まったまま
My heart is frozen in the midst of a crowded street
思い切り吸い込んだ 切なさに
I breathe in my heartache deeply
あなたの名前を つけました
I gave it the name of my beloved
「どこにいますか」「元気ですか」
I whisper to myself, "Where are you? How are you?"
かき消されてゆく 淡い独り言
My soft murmurs are drowned out
どうか雨よ やまないで
Please rain, don't stop
あの日の二人を ぽつりぽつり
Let me recall those two from days gone by, one by one
どうか今だけ 思い出させて
Just for now, let me reminisce
そっと目をとじてみる
With closed eyes
終わらないこの片思い
This unrequited love that never ends
雲が晴れるのは まだ先のこと…？
Will the clouds ever clear? Or is it still far off?
あなたの言葉 あなたの声も
Your words, your voice
遠くにみた笑顔も 最後の優しさも
The smile I saw from afar, your last act of kindness
色あせないまま ここにまだあるよ
They remain vivid in my memory, still with me here
あふれ出す涙 ぽつりぽつり
My tears overflow, one by one
どうか今だけ この傘の下
Just for now, under this umbrella
あたたかい場所にかえて
Let me return to a warm place
あたたかい傘の下で
Under this warm umbrella
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.