Alisa Ueno facts for kids

Alisa Ueno (Japanese: 植野有砂, born on December 21, 1989) is a Japanese singer, DJ, model, and fashion designer. She is also a businesswoman and an internet personality who lives in Tokyo. Many people know her for being featured on the popular song "Best Friend" by Sofi Tukker. She worked on this song with other artists like Nervo and the Knocks.

Early Life

Alisa Ueno always dreamed of traveling abroad since she was a child. Her father traveled a lot, which inspired her. When she was in fifth grade, her family went to a Janet Jackson concert. This made her want to learn English.

She moved from a public elementary school to a private middle and high school for girls. Unlike her classmates who liked Japanese idols, Alisa was inspired by groups like Destiny's Child and celebrities like Paris Hilton.

A modeling agency found her in downtown Tokyo. However, her school did not allow students to work in entertainment. So, Alisa left high school in her second year. She then moved to a different high school in the city. In 2007, she started her modeling career by appearing on a magazine cover. While modeling, Alisa also went to an English school. Her goal was to go to college. She later studied English Language and Literature at Seisen University.

Career

While Alisa was a university student, she began working as a DJ. She also continued her modeling career. In 2011, she started her own clothing brand called FIG & VIPER. She was the creative director, which meant she planned and promoted all the products.

Alisa has performed as a DJ at huge music festivals. These include Electric Zoo and Electrox in Japan. She has also played music at big nightclubs in Japan and other countries. She has opened shows for famous DJs like Nervo, Afrojack, Diplo, and Lil Jon. She also worked with well-known artists such as Steve Aoki and Charli XCX.

In 2015, Alisa became a featured artist on Nervo's song "Hey Ricky." This was her worldwide debut as a singer.

From 2016, she was chosen as the Night Ambassador for Shibuya for three years in a row. This showed her important role in Japan's dance music scene.

In 2017, Alisa joined the world-famous samurai guitarist Miyavi on his tour as his back DJ. She performed at many music festivals and parties. She also played music at events for global fashion brands like Fendi and beauty brands like Yves Saint Laurent Beaute. She performs more than 120 times each year.

Alisa Ueno also joined the song "Best Friend" by Sofi Tukker. She helped write the song and was a featured artist on it. This song also featured Nervo and The Knocks. "Best Friend" was on the Top 100 US (Hot 100) single chart for five weeks in a row. Alisa was the 8th Japanese person and 3rd Japanese solo female artist ever to achieve this.

The song "Best Friend" was used in many places. It became a global TV commercial song for Apple's "iPhone X". It was also used in a TV commercial for the underwear brand Triumph. You can also hear it in the video game "FIFA 18" and the movie "Ocean's 8". The song reached number 1 on the iTunes Dance chart in 26 countries. It was also number 1 on the Japanese Shazam chart.

Discography

Alisa Ueno has released several songs. Here are some of her notable singles:

• "Hey Ricky" (with Nervo, Kreayshawn, and Dev) - 2015
• "Best Friend" (with Sofi Tukker, Nervo, and The Knocks) - 2017
• "Is That It" (with Vigiletti) - 2018