Kaori Maeda is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Fukuoka Prefecture, born on April 25, 1996. She is affiliated with the talent agency Amuse. Her journey to becoming a voice actor began after she won the grand prize in the 2016 "Voice Artist Development Program Selection" audition. This success led to her debut in the anime industry the following year, with her first role being in the television anime series 100% Pascal-sensei in 2017.

Maeda's early career saw her take on a variety of roles, building her experience and recognition. A significant early role was as Mari Tachibana in the Girls, which is noted as one of her first main character roles. The same year, she also voiced Selka Zuberg in Sword Art Online: Alicization. She continued to expand her repertoire in 2019 with roles such as Giant Panda in Kemono Friends 2 and Yuzu Midorikawa in Kandagawa Jet Girls.

The year 2020 marked a major milestone as Maeda landed her first leading role, voicing the protagonist Yomi Takeda in the baseball anime Tamayomi. This same year, she began voicing one of her most prominent and enduring characters, Shizuku Osaka, in the popular multimedia franchise Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club. Her association with the Love Live! series would continue across multiple projects, including the Nijiyon Animation shorts and the feature film Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club Next Sky.

In 2021, Maeda's career continued to flourish with roles in a wide array of series. She voiced Cristoseles Tillis Grace in Combatants Will Be Dispatched!, Shōko Futami in Night Head 2041, and Mimimi Yamada in Platinum End. She also took on the role of Nice Nature in the second season of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, a character that has become another staple in her filmography. Additionally, she voiced the lead character Ohana Ka'aihue in the animated film Hula Fulla Dance.

The following year, she starred as the titular character Tōka Kuroitsu in Miss Kuroitsu From the Monster Development Department and as Momozono-Momo in Onipan!. In recognition of her roots and contributions, she was appointed as a "Kita-Kyushu Ambassador" (tourism ambassador) for her hometown in 2022.

Beyond acting, Kaori Maeda expanded her artistic endeavors by making her solo singer debut in 2023 under the Amuse label. Her debut single, "Hikatta Koin ga Shimesu Hou," was used as the opening theme song for the anime Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement, in which she also voiced the character Sabine. In 2023, she was also part of the Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club group that won the Singing Award at the 17th Seiyu Awards.

Her recent roles demonstrate her continued presence across various genres. In 2024, she voiced Nashiko Jippensha in the麻将-themed anime Pon no Michi, Haruka Hanabishi in Gushing over Magical Girls, and Lycia Mercedes in The Most Notorious "Talker" Runs the World's Greatest Clan. She also voiced Lexia von Arselia in I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and will reprise the role in its second season. Her filmography also includes the role of Kanna Kusakabe in The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei and Jessie Nikotama in the TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You ~High School Days~ special. With a career spanning from comedic shorts to major franchise idols and action-oriented series, Kaori Maeda has established herself as a versatile and active voice actor in the contemporary anime industry.