After ZONE, Maiko joined up with members of Runtime band Redworker'z (Formerly known as Run'z) to form a six-woman band called MARIA:
The band featured two guitarists (Sacchin and Ayuka), two bassists (Maiko and Aika), keyboard and electric violin (Reina), and drums (Tattsu).
Their early publicity photos were very classic rock looking, and very elegant. Here is one example:
And yes, Maiko with long hair! She certainly managed to keep fans who knew her from ZONE interested.
Their first single was called Chiisana Uta ("Little Song" or "Little Poem", depending on who's translating). In some ways it resembled some of ZONE's more rocking style with a few fresh twists (it had a little more of a "metal" sound than ZONE).
The second single, Tsubomi, was almost progressive-rock sounding, and Reina's playing the violin added to that flavor. MARIA was about to undergo an image change, though, so it was to be the last time that we would get to see Maiko with her long hair:
Heart Beat was the third single from MARIA, and was a lighter kind of song, although there was still a lot of power pop edge to it. This single was also used as theme music for Deltora Quest. The new MARIA looked lighter, happier, and more like a fun band, instead of their previous power pop/metal image:
Some fans who grew up knowing Maiko from ZONE weren't sure that MARIA would allow Maiko to use her full potential. With six women instead of four, some fans were wondering if there would still be enough room for her to spread her wings. They needn't have worried.
MARIA released their album You Go! We Are MARIA! in spring of 2007, and besides including all three of their singles, there were many, songs on the album that featured enough of Maiko to assure her fans that she would be there for them for a long, long time!
MARIA's official website is
www.maria-6.com And in case anybody is wondering whether Maiko is as pretty now, as we remember her from ZONE, this is a very, very recent picture from the website's blog section, showing what a lovely woman she has become:
I hope they'll be with us forever.
Author
