Kunimi Andrea

{{Short description|US singer, actress, voice over artist and edutainer (born 1977)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Kunimi Andrea

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|4|27}}

| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.

| module = {{infobox musical artist

| embed = yes

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|actress|voice over artist|edutainer}}

| instruments = Vocals

| genre = Children's music

| years_active = 1985–present

}}}}

Kunimi Andrea (born April 27, 1977) is an American singer, actress, voice over artist and edutainer. Andrea is known for her role as the main singer, actress on a popular children's television show Shimajiro for Playtime for Toddlers.{{cite web|title=Ehonya|url=http://www.ehon-ya.net/e_dtl/writer/400054/|website=Ehonya|accessdate=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Wakabayashi|first1=Lane|title='ENGLISH IN ACTION' Pioneer still speaking up and acting out|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2001/11/23/lifestyle/pioneer-still-speaking-up-and-acting-out/#.WEpiEJLzZSw|website=The Japan Times|date=November 23, 2001 |accessdate=November 23, 2001}}{{cite web |title=Behind the Voice Actors |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kunimi-Andrea/ |website=Behind the Voice Actors |access-date=19 July 2023}} She is the voice of Ryfia for the video game Arc Rise Fantasia 2010.{{cite web |title=Behind the Voice Actors |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Arc-Rise-Fantasia/ |website=Behind the Voice Actors |access-date=19 July 2023}}

Early life and career beginnings

Andrea was born in San Francisco, California to an American mother, Teri Suzanne, from Monrovia and a Japanese father. Her parents met while her mother was studying abroad in Japan.{{cite news|last1=Johnston|first1=George|title=INTO THE NEXT STAGE: Learning Japanese and the Shimajiro Connection|url=http://www.rafu.com/2017/06/into-the-next-stage-learning-japanese-and-the-shimajiro-connection/|accessdate=July 8, 2017|publisher=Rafu Shimpo}} She is the older sister of Mayuka Thaïs and have worked on numerous albums together.{{cite news|last1=Samuels|first1=Elliott|title=Artist Mayuka Thais: 'Remember to look at everything with wonder'|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2016/11/12/people/artist-mayuka-thais-remember-look-everything-wonder/|accessdate=January 11, 2017|date=November 12, 2016|work=Japan Times}} Andrea started her singing career at the age of 8 and recorded Minna De Merry Christmas from Nippon Columbia. In 2004, Andrea recorded Genki Genki Utaou Nontan's bilingual Christmas album for Nippon Columbia along with her sister Mayuka Thaïs, and her mother Teri Suzanne.{{cite web|title=Genki Genki Nontan|url=http://columbia.jp/nontan/cd.html|website=Nippon Columbia Japan|accessdate=January 7, 2017}} To date, Andrea has worked on countless albums and singles.

{{cite web|title=Tower Records Kunimi Andrea|url=http://tower.jp/item/485117/%E3%81%9F%E3%81%AE%E3%81%97%E3%81%8F%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B8~99(%E3%81%8F%E3%81%8F)%E3%81%AE%E3%81%86%E3%81%9F|website=tower.jp|accessdate=March 10, 2017}} She honed her acting skills for 13 years while studying at the Aoyama Theatre in the round, bilingual Performing Arts Group (P.A.G), at the National Children's Castle's Aoyama Theatre.{{cite news|last1=Samuels|first1=Elliot|title=Cut paper artist Teri Suzanne: 'a pair of scissors is the superhero of utensils'|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/04/22/people/cut-paper-artist-teri-suzanne-pair-scissors-superhero-utensils/#.WPvI_I61tSw|accessdate=April 22, 2017|date=April 23, 2017}}

Music

=Albums=

;Studio released:

Title	Year	Role	Labels
class="wikitable"
Minna De Merry Christmas	1988	Singer	Nippon Columbia
The Adventures of Shiny & Sparkle	1989	Singer	ALC
Ninjin Cha Cha Cha	1993	Singer	Nippon Columbia
Ahiru Samba	1994	Singer	Nippon Columbia
Mrs. Santa's Series: Thanks Santa!	1995	Singer	Nippon Columbia
All We Need	1998	Singer-songwriter, performer	Nippon Columbia
Doki Doki Family	1999	Singer	Meito
Teri's Happy Animals	2000	Singer	Nippon Columbia, Meito
Mama to Asobou: Eigo no Asobi uta	2000	Singer	Nippon Columbia, Akachan Honpo
Bring Santa To Me	2001	Singer	Dream Illumination
Action 8	2002	Singer	NHK software
Genki Genki Nontan Utaou! Christmas	2004	Singer	Nippon Columbia
Play Time for Toddlers	2005	Singer	Benesse
Christmas Songs Best of Best	2019	Singer	Nippon Columbia