Joined: 07 Feb 2007 {Posts: 1829 } Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
Posted: Thu 08 Feb 2007 21:01 Post subject: Crystal Kay
Crystal Kay Williams (born February 26, 1986 in Yokohama, Japan) is a J-pop singer. She mainly uses her first two names Crystal Kay as her stage name, although she is known by many fans as "Kuri." Crystal Kay is part of the Sony Music Entertainment Japan records label.
Crystal Kay was born to an African American father (a bassist from New Jersey) and a third-generation Zainichi (person of Korean descent born in Japan) mother who was a professional singer. Growing up with musicians as parents influenced Crystal to launch a musical career of her own, which she accomplished with her debut at age 13. Prior to this, she provided voiceover work for a television commercial at the age of six.
Crystal Kay was born and raised in Japan but she attended Kinnick High School when her father was stationed in Yokosuka. She now attends Sophia University, which is the same college Beni Arashiro currently attends; the two are reported to be good friends. She is fluent in both English and Japanese, and she has also studied French.
After the well-promoted collaboration with m-flo in 2003 and a #2 album, she became known to the public. She scored her first top 10 hit with "Motherland," which was used as the ending theme for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist in 2004.
Her best-selling single in her career so far is 2005's "Koi ni Ochitara (恋におちたら, Koi ni Ochitara?)" which was used in the drama Koi ni Ochitara: Boku no Seikō no Himitsu (恋におちたら～僕の成功の秘密～, Koi ni Ochitara: Boku no Seikō no Himitsu?) and peaked at #2 on the weekly charts, and became the 30th best selling single of 2005 with an estimated 288,629 sold. In 2006 Crystal released "Kirakuni;" her second single with a lead song that is sung in full English, the first being "Shadows of Desire". Soon after that Crystal Kay released a new album called Call me Miss... that peaked at #2 on the Weekly Oricon Album Charts.
Crystal is set to start off 2007 with a new single called "きっと永遠に" (Kitto Eien ni). The single will be released on January 17, 2007 and will be used as the theme song for the 2007 live-action movie of 僕は妹に恋をする (Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru). Crystal's official website has also recently released information on another single called "こんなに近くで..." (Konna ni Chikaku de...) which will be released February 28, 2007. It will be the ending to the anime のだめカンタービレ (Nodame Cantabile).
What do you mean her music is pseudo hip-hop?
(So what is true hip-hop?)
Yes, her music is poppish because its part of the J-pop genre.
She has a few similarities to Amerie an American hip-hop artist also of African-American and Korean descent.
Crystal Kay sings in a variety of styles: R&B, hip-hop, sentimental ballads with orchestras, and rock. She is musically versatile.
Amerie focuses mainly on Hip-Hop and R&B.
Their fanbase is different. Amerie's fanbase is mainly African-Americans and other ethnicities in urban cities. Crystal Kay's fanbase is primarily Japanese and other Asians in Asia.
Their presentation styles are very different. Amerie's is more Western/U.S. American it comes across as very hard and bold with an overt sexuality.
(Amerie in that video alludes to her Asianness/Koreaness when there is a closeup of her face, the Korean script in the wallpaper background and the teapot and sushi on the table. Then you see her dancing again with the other scantily clad dancers in the primeval jungle. Yet the props to her Koreaness and then the jungle dance just screams to me-EXOTIC!
I'm not sure if she is choosing to market herself that way or the producers are.)
Crystal Kay's presentation style is more flirty, girly, sweet and cute.
Joined: 07 Feb 2007 {Posts: 1829 } Location: Lookin DC Metro, Feelin Geneva
Posted: Tue 13 Feb 2007 23:37 Post subject:
Quote:
It is very Kawaii (cute) which Japanese youth like alot. The cute subculture is very popular in Japan.
Yeah I know I used to live there.
I honestly don't think Crystal Kay can sing that well, but for a "Japanese act" she is pretty good I guess. There are Japanese girls who can out sing her though...such as ol skool chicks like Miwa Yoshida for starters and other people such as Misia, Sugar Soul...been out of the loop for awhile but I was very into the Japanese hiphop/R&B seen a few years ago.
I just thought Crystal Kay was interesting because she is "hafu".
Thanks for the reply. I've only discovered J-pop, though for the longest time I've been into to anime.
By the way I'm one of those U.S. born Asians.
Anyhow, regarding Crystal Kay and Amerie who are both "hafu", I think Crystal Kay just appeals to me more probably because her body language and mannerisms just come across as more "Asian", whereas Amerie's body language is more American/Western.
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