Mai Hoshimura is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and pianist who first gained attention for her piano-driven pop music and later became known for her contributions to anime theme songs. Born on April 18, 1981, in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, she began learning to play the piano at the age of four and later graduated from a music university with a focus on piano. Hoshimura was discovered by Sony Music while in high school and made her major debut in 2002 with the single "Stay With You." Throughout her career, she has been known for writing and composing the majority of her own material and has earned the nickname "Barefoot Piano Girl" for her distinctive performance style, often playing the piano without shoes. Her early work included the 2003 single "Get Happy," which served as a theme song for the Fuji Television drama "Marusa!!"

Hoshimura is most widely recognized for her contributions to popular anime franchises. Her song "Merry Go Round" was used as the fifth ending theme for the anime "Yakitate!! Japan." One of her most successful singles, "Sakura Biyori," released in 2007, was the tenth ending theme for the long-running series "Bleach." Following this, her single "Regret" was featured as the seventh ending theme for the anime "D. Gray-man." Another track, "Kakegae no Nai Hito e," was used as the first ending theme for the anime "Jūshin Enbu" (also known as "Hero Tales")

Beyond her solo work, Hoshimura was involved with the rock band High and Mighty Color. Sony Music assigned her to the newly formed band to play keyboards and assist with their musical arrangements. She performed on every one of their releases from 2004 until the band left the label at the end of 2008, though she was never considered an official member of the group and did not participate in their live concerts

Hoshimura released four full-length studio albums under the Sony label. Her debut album "Soup" was released in July 2003 and peaked at number 30 on the Oricon charts. She followed this with "Joyful" in January 2006 and "My Life" in September 2008, which became her highest-charting album, reaching number 20. A greatest hits album titled "Piano & Best" was released in March 2009. Her contract with Sony Music ended on May 31, 2009. She continued her career by founding her own label, Heart-Voice Records, and released her fourth album "Evergreen" in April 2012, followed by "MH" in 2018. Her musical identity is centered on her skills as a pianist and her ability to compose emotionally resonant pop songs, which made her a fitting creator for anime theme music. While she was active in the mainstream industry primarily in the 2000s, her work remains significant for its connection to several major anime series of that era