Miyavi was born in Konohana-ku, Osaka, Japan, to a Japanese mother and second-generation Zainichi Korean father. While young, he moved to Kawanishi in Hyōgo Prefecture.

Miyavi says that as a child, he was a good student and enjoyed playing soccer. At 15, Miyavi bought his first guitar (though he initially planned to buy a bass guitar) and a multi-effector from money he had saved up himself and began writing music after a soccer injury left him unable to play.

In 1999, at the age of 17, Miyavi joined the visual kei band Dué le Quartz where he was credited under the name, Miyabi. Upon Dué le Quartz's dissolution in 2002, he announced that his plan to initiate a solo career and changing his name to Miyavi, releasing his debut album Gagaku soon after. He later signed a contract with PS Company, and eventually with Universal Music Group, becoming a major label artist. Miyavi's significant change in music and visual styles after leaving Dué le Quartz caused much of his original audience to disperse, but attracted a new audience.

Prior to starring as himself in the 2003 film Oresama, Miyavi also starred alongside his former band mate Sakito, from Dué le Quartz, in Ryomano Tsumato Sono Ottoto Aijin.

Miyavi has been regularly featured in various Japanese rock magazines every month, such as Fools Mate, Arena 37c, and Shoxx. In the past he has also modeled in the Gothic & Lolita Bible and for various brands such as the clothing line Fotus.

In 2004 Miyavi was scheduled to perform at various conventions in the United States, but was forced to cancel at the last minute due to staff issues. One of the planned events had been a show at Pacific Media Expo, where the Japanese band Psycho le Cému acted as a substitute, while another was at Anime Central, where then-indies band Sid was booked as a replacement. He was also scheduled for Megacon, but no replacement was provided.

In 2004 the maxi-single "Ashita, Genki ni Naare" hit the number one spot on the Oricon indies chart.

Following his signing with Universal Music Group in October 2004, Miyavi released his first major single "Rock no gyakushū -Superstar no jōken-/21 Seikigata Koushinkyoku" and began to credit himself in the song writing credits in his liner notes as MYV. His first major album, Miyavizm, was released in June 2005.

In late 2005 and for most of 2006, Miyavi shifted to an acoustic/pop sound reflected in his second and third albums, MYV Pops and Miyaviuta -Dokusou-, released in August and September 2006, respectively. Reflecting on MYV Pops, he had stated "it's like putting all the songs that I created, presenting my own attitude towards "popularity", into one album." About Miyaviuta: Dokusou Miyavi said "...for the album I wanted to fit in with the quality of the songs themselves and absorb myself into my performance, playing acoustic guitar alone."

Miyavi showcased his new acoustic stylings for the first time in his 25 Shūnen Kinen Koen Tokyo Geijutsu Gekijo 5 Days -Dokuso- concert series held at Tokyo Geijutsu Gekijo for five days around his 25th birthday in September 2006.