May J.'s Iranian mother refused to acknowledge her Persian roots due to perceived negativity towards Iranians in Japan and May J. grew up forbidden to speak the Persian language. Believing she was American, she discovered her true identity on a chance overhearing of a conversation between her mother and grandmother. During her formative middle school years she began listening to Iranian singers Googoosh and Afshin and has later said she hopes to debut in Iran. In the 2013.06.23 J-MELO in Turkey Part 2 episode she said, that she is a part Turkish.