Don't ask us how the concert went; we didn't make it to Otakon this year. (Frowny face.) But prior to the convention, Sony Music Entertainment of Japan was gracious enough to offer us a review copy of Kanon Wakeshima's album, as well as an interview with this unique talent.

Named Kanon by her music-loving parents, Wakeshima began her cello education at age three. Before she was even out of junior high, she was writing her own music, organizing ensembles, and playing the baroque-style cello in classical ensembles.

Her first performance where she both sang and played cello was in high school, at sixteen years old. She was discovered at an audition hosted by Sony Music Entertainment, and signed by the label DefStar Records (a subsidiary of Sony).

Kanon's first single, "Still Doll", debuted on May 28th last year, and rose to 33rd place on the Oricon chart. The single was also used as the ending theme to the anime series "Vampire Knight," a shoujo title based on the manga by Matsuri Hino.

Her second single was also made into an ending theme — "Suna no Oshiro" appeared in "Vampire Knight Guilty," the show's second season.

Both singles were produced and written by Mana, the enigmatic Visual Kei artist who co-founded Malice Mizer, started the Gothic Lolita fashion movement, and who currently plays guitar and handles all artistic aspects of the Visual Kei group, Moi dix Mois.

"Mana-sama is very professional towards music. He is always trying to create something better, and I’m learning so much from him," Wakeshima told us. While Mana wrote the Vampire Knight singles and B-sides, it was Wakeshima herself who wrote the lyrics she would perform.

Her debut album, "Shinshoku Dolce" (also produced by Mana), was released on February 18th in Japan, and is also on sale in the US, courtesy of Maru Music.

Kanon Wakeshima's talent doesn't end with music. She enjoys drawing, and many of her visual artworks are quite captivating. She even sold a few of them in Los Angeles, recently! Be sure to check out her official web site, as many of her drawings are featured, there.

Dolled up in Mana's fashions, Wakeshima has performed three shows in the States; aside from her Otakon appearance, she did shows at San Francisco's Amoeba Music, and LA's Royal T Café, where her artwork was also on display.

If you missed our review of Shinshoku Dolce, it's conveniently linked below. Also linked below is the interview. Her answers to our questions are fantastic, so don't miss it!