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Riri Arai (荒井梨里, Arai Riri, born November 5, 1999), known mononymously as Riri (stylized as RIRI or RiRi), is a Japanese singer-songwriter. After winning a talent contest and being scouted by The Mic-a-holics, the agency that represents Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, she released her debut extended play I Love to Sing in 2016. Her second EP Rush was released in 2017, debuting and peaking at number 70 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums Chart. Shortly after, Sony Music Entertainment Japan offered Riri a record contract and she soon was signed to Sony Music Associated Records. Her eponymous major label debut studio album was released in 2018, followed by her second studio album Neo later that year. Riri's fourth EP, the Summertime EP was released in May 2019, serving as her final release under Sony Music Japan.

Early life and career

Riri started singing at 4 years old, inspired by American R&B acts such as Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Whitney Houston. In 2011, she won the Next Generation Star singing competition hosted by David Foster. In 2012 she attended The Dream Support Project Award in New York City, making it her first performance in the US. In July 2016, she debuted officially as a singer under The Mic-a-holics Inc., which also manages singer-songwriter Ai, who produced her first official single, "Gold" and her debut extended play, I Love to Sing. In 2017, her second EP Rush was released.

In 2018, Riri signed with Sony Music Japan sublabel Sony Music Associated Records and released her eponymous major label debut studio album. The album was produced by American producers Brian Soko and Damon Sharpe, who also worked with Ariana Grande and Beyoncé. On November 28, 2018, RIRI released her second studio album Neo. It includes the single "Maybe One Day" and a Japanese cover of Zedd's song "Stay". A collaboration song with Japanese R&B singer Shimizu Shota and American rapper Saweetie are included on the album as well.

On May 22, 2019 Riri released the Summertime EP which includes the singles, "Summertime" a collaboration with Japanese rappers Keiju and Nariaki Obukuro, "Luv Luv" which features South Korean rapper Junoflo and a cover of "Dilemma" with Japanese rapper JP the Wavy. She also recorded a Japanese version of "Circle of Life" for the local release of The Lion King. She was featured in the Japanese dub of Cats as the voice of Bombalurina.

By the end of 2019, Riri's contract with Sony Music expired, leading to her independently releasing the single "Episode 0" in 2020.

On April 7, 2021, Riri released a single titled "Wheel of Fortune", which was composed by her and Uta. On May 26, an English version of the song was released with its own music video. In July 2021, Riri announced her next single, "Luv Déjà vu". It was released on July 21 together with Japanese version of the song.

On February 11, 2023, Riri announced a new single, "I Need U”.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Promotional singles

Notes

References

1. "RIRI（Singer） - CDJournal". artist.cdjournal.com (in Japanese). Retrieved June 14, 2022.
2. "プロフィール". Sony Music. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
3. "INTERVIEW - Get a Rush of R&B with RIRI". OneHallyu. September 12, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
4. "プロフィール". Sony Music. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
5. "RIRI new album "Neo" out on Nov 28th!". Melody Café. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
6. "新人RIRIが『ライオン・キング』日本版公式ソング シンバ役が絶賛「ビヨンセみたいだ」". Oricon. July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
7. "映画「キャッツ」に山寺宏一や宝田明が参加、日本語版の新キャスト発表". Natalie. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
8. ^ "RIRIのアルバム作品" [RIRI's Album Works | Oricon News]. ORICON NEWS. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
9. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
   • "Riri". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). February 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
   • "Neo (2018)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). December 5, 2018. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
10. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
    • "Rush". Billboard Japan. June 28, 2017. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
11. "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
    • "Luv Luv". Billboard Japan. March 27, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
    • "Summertime". Billboard Japan. April 24, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
    • "Dilemma". Billboard Japan. May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2022.

• 1999 births
• Living people
• Japanese women singer-songwriters
• Japanese rhythm and blues singers
• J-pop singers
• Contemporary R&B singers
• 21st-century Japanese singer-songwriters
• 21st-century Japanese women singers
• Singers from Gunma Prefecture
• Sony Music Entertainment Japan artists