Alisa Ueno facts for kids

Alisa Ueno (born December 21, 1989) is a talented Japanese artist from Tokyo. She is a singer, a DJ, a model, and a fashion designer. She also runs her own business and is well-known online. Many people know her for her part in the song "Best Friend" by Sofi Tukker, which also featured Nervo and The Knocks.

Early Life

Alisa Ueno always dreamed of traveling abroad since she was a child. Her father traveled often, which inspired her. She wanted to learn English from fifth grade after her family went to a Janet Jackson concert.

She went to a private middle and high school for girls in Tokyo. Unlike her classmates who liked Japanese pop stars, Alisa was inspired by American groups like Destiny's Child and celebrities like Paris Hilton.

A modeling agency found Alisa in downtown Tokyo. However, her school did not allow students to work in entertainment. So, she left her high school in her second year. She then moved to a different public high school.

In 2007, she started her modeling career by appearing on a magazine cover. While modeling, Alisa also studied hard at an English prep school. Her goal was to go to college. She later joined Seisen University, studying English Language and Literature.

Career Highlights

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 in charge of designing products and promoting them as the creative director.

Alisa has performed as a DJ at huge summer music festivals like Electric Zoo. She also played at big Japanese music festivals such as Electrox. She has performed in major nightclubs in Japan and other countries.

She has also been an opening act for famous DJs like Nervo, Afrojack, and Diplo. She even worked with well-known artists such as Steve Aoki and Charli XCX.

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

From 2016, Alisa was chosen as the Night Ambassador for Shibuya for three years in a row. This role showed her importance in the Japanese dance music scene.

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

Alisa Ueno joined Sofi Tukker's song "Best Friend." This song also featured Nervo and The Knocks. Alisa helped write the song and was a featured artist on it. "Best Friend" was on the Top 100 US Hot 100 single chart for five weeks. Alisa is the eighth Japanese person and third Japanese solo female artist to achieve this.

The song "Best Friend" was used in many popular ways. It was a global TV commercial song for Apple's iPhone X. It was also used for Triumph underwear commercials. The song was in the video game "FIFA 18" and the movie "Ocean's 8." It reached number one on the iTunes Dance chart in 26 countries. It was also number one on the Japanese Shazam chart.

Music Releases

Alisa Ueno has released several 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