It was late 2008, December I believe. Momusu had just released Pepper Keibu and previews for Naichau Kamo were out. These nine ladies had completely enamored me and I was in love. I remember I thought I was so lucky that I had found them. They were my nine Jpop princesses, just as Girls' Generation were my nine Kpop princesses.
Girls' Generation are still my girl group love of Kpop. Morning Musume....not so much anymore.
This is Morning Musume now. They still look fierce...they're still a group. They're still here.
So why don't I care?
I honestly thought I would be a Morning Musume fan for life. It's been about five years since I first became a fan...but something was lost over that five years.
I hear fans who were fans during the "Golden Age" complain about how the Platinum Era was boring and how they missed the old days. I can finally understand how they feel, but the Platinum Era was my Golden Age, and this "Colorful Era" is what is frustrating me.
I still like the music, Tsunku is still doing a good job. Their choreography is still good...but after watching countless videos and reading over their blog posts, I finally found it.
The heart is completely gone.
Let me explain. Whenever I watched the Platinum Era Musumes, I always was so amazed by how much heart they put into their performances. They were a unit, an ensemble, and they were all giving the same energy and it's like they were healing me. I was filled with so much passion I felt like something great was bubbling up inside of me. Now, whenever I watch a performance, they're still a great ensemble, but I feel as though they aren't connected in their spirits. They're like machines. They're in synch and they dance really well, but that's all they can do.
If I want machine precision performance, that's when I go over to Kpop. Jpop idols for me are all about the girls, all about the heart and the energy they give back to their audience, and I feel that Morning Musume doesn't give me that energy anymore.
People may argue with me that they're more commercially successful now than in the Platinum Era, and yes, they are selling more. But so are the majority of idols in the market right now. It's an idol boom in the music industry in Japan, and they're riding the wave. Japan wants idols, and they're one of the groups to cater to the market.
Honestly I feel like the only reason I'm still paying attention to them anymore is because Sayumi is still there. When she leaves...will I stay with the group? I honestly don't know.
I've been feeling this way about Hello!Project in general recently, and it's scaring me. H!P used to be my ultimate number one. Now I feel like the only group that's really getting it is C-ute. They're the ones who give me the energy and the passion that I'm looking for. The Berryz girls are going in different directions, S/mileage is cute, but I still feel a split between Dawa and Kanon and the rest of the girls, and while Juice=Juice is good, I still get the machine vibe from them.
Aside from C-ute, I don't think I like this direction that H!P is going in. Like I said, I still like the music. Tsunku is a good musician and I will listen to his work. But now I can get that with Backstage and Afilia Saga.
There are more and more idols (and artists in general) that are catching my attention better than the H!P sphere right now, and I'm giving them my love and support.
I feel like I'm mourning over a dead person right now. I've been listening to all of the H!P music from 2007-2010 and staying in nostalgia mode.
I seriously listened to all of the Mano Erina singles and felt like I was gonna cry.
I may sound like a butthurt fan right now, but I really do miss that time in H!P.
We'll see how the future in H!P unfolds, and I'll keep tabs on it, but it's clear to me that they won't be my main focus anymore...
Does anyone else feel this way? What do you think of the state of H!P right now? Let me know!
Now before I continue, I must warn you: my opinions about the boys have changed since I wrote that post 5 or so months ago.
Anyway, in that post, I made a prediction that the interesting combination of young schoolboys and tough rappers would make the bank (no matter how silly I thought it was personally).
And BOY have they! These guys have EXPLODED into the Kpop scene, and shortly after releasing their first mini album, they came back with a full album, O!RUL8,2?, in mere months (well, some say it's a mini album, but it's 10 tracks, and that's a full album dammit)! I honestly don't remember the last time a rookie group came out with their first full album so fast after their debut.
I see you Big Hit, I see you.
The title track off of O!RUL8,2?, "N.O",portrays the same tough image that "No More Dream" had, but much more successfully in my opinion. "No More Dream" tried a bit too hard, and I think that the guys are more relaxed and confident after a successful debut, so that may have been a contributing factor to their improvement.
I won't explain the entire plot of the video to you, but there is a strong theme of rebellion against conformity and the mundane, and standing up for oneself. These themes fit with both sides of their image: young people have tendencies to question everything and rebel when they think it's right. Rappers have also been known to call out injustices through their lyrics, and use their power as artists to convey their opinions about it to the masses.
One thing that usually bothers me about Kpop rappers is the fact that THEY DON'T WRITE THEIR OWN RAPS. The core of rap is in the MESSAGE it presents, and if you didn't write the message...why are you the one rapping? But that's another post entirely.
The good thing about these guys is that members Rap Monster, Suga, and J-Hope write the lyrics for all of their songs, and lend a hand in the composition as well. Nicely done boys.
BTS is definitely a group to watch, as they write about things that they can relate to. Instead of all of this lovey dovey crap that most Kpop artists sing about (with no prior experience), these guys take what they know and share their experiences with their audience. With their main audience being young people, I think it's a message that their audience can relate to as well. It'll definitely be interesting to see how they grow as songwriters as they go through different chapters of their lives, and we'll see if their fans grow with them.
As for the significance and controversy of the message of this song, I think PAT over at Seoulbeats does a better job of explaining it than I would. Click here to give it a read!
Overall I'm happy that these guys have improved so much, and that I can actually see what the Kpop industry is luring me in with instead blindly enjoying what is put in front of me.
Did you like BTS when they first debuted? If not, what do you think of N.O? Are you impressed by their songwriting abilities?
Okay. So I know this is like two months late, but I feel like I can finally talk about Reina's graduation.
I haven't watched the full concert yet (is it even out?), but from the footage I've seen, I feel satisfied.
Y'all didn't expect that, did you?
Neither did I. Honestly, when I clicked one of the YouTube videos of the footage, I thought I was going to cry. I was sniffly during Koha's graduation, bawling like a baby for Eri/Jun/Lin, sobbing for Ai-chan, and had silent tears for Gaki and Aika.
But not one tear was shed for Reina.
In their place was a feeling of pride. I was so proud of the work that Reina did in Morning Musume, and I was excited for her future.
And it was just like: "Oh. This is what Morning Musume does." Sometimes I forget that Morning Musume is really a training ground for entertainers. That's what being an idol is. Morning Musume is a place where a girl can figure out if a career in the entertainment world is right for her, and if so, what she wants to do with it. Many use it as a springboard for acting (like Ai and Risa), some use it to get in to the modeling world (like Koha). Reina has chosen to continue with singing, and has moved on into the next chapter in her life.
It was with Reina's graduation that I remembered this, and I am so happy for this reminder. It's kind of like a performing arts school in a way.
I myself made a change in my path around the time Reina graduated, so I guess these feelings about her graduation are slightly related to my own choices since I feel like we did a similar thing. I was getting a theatre degree at University, but I was really unsatisfied with my classes, and I was worried that I was going to regret my degree when I graduated. So I decided to change my major to Music Business. Music has always been a huge passion of mine, although I had been doing theatre for 10 years (like Reina in MM), so I was scared to leave. But, I finally decided to go after what I wanted and I'll be starting my music classes this semester.
And I am really freaking excited about it. I'm actually looking forward to going back to school! I'm going to be learning things that I'm passionate about, and I'll be surrounding myself with the things that I love.
Watching Reina in her graduation footage, I feel like the same thoughts were going through her head. Yes, she was a bit scared to leave something that had been her home for so long, but she had to think of herself now, and follow her own passion. As she took that last step offstage, you could tell she was thinking: Bring it On.
Watching her after her graduation in her activities with LovendoR, she has made the transition from idol to rocker so smoothly. She looks genuinely happy, and is expressing herself more freely. I'm hoping that she continues to be happy in her work, and I'm hoping that my transition into Music Business will have similar success.
Everyone in my life has been very supportive of my decision, so I'm optimistic about it.
I wish I could thank Reina personally for setting a great example for me, but for now this post will have to do.
So I was derping around on tumblr today, and I stumbled upon a group I didn't expect: BTS. They're also called the Bangtan Boys or Bulletproof Boy Scouts.
Yeah you read that right. Bulletproof Boy Scouts. Oy.
These boys are set to release their debut single "2 COOL 4 SKOOL" (another Oy) on June 12th, which is today!
The video above I'm guessing is their title track, since it's their only music video, and it's called "No More Dream."
Anyway, this group is a part of Big Hit Entertainment, which is a subset of JYP, and their labelmates are 2AM and GLAM. Their age range is 15-20 years old. I was a bit shocked to see how young these guys were, but these entertainment companies like to pick 'em young...anyway, as I was looking through their profiles, I noticed that 4 out of the 7 members are labeled as rappers (some also have dancer or visual along with the rapper title, but all of the members dance anyway, and the visual tag is just for promotion sooo....). Usually, groups have more vocal members than rap members because kpop is very melody heavy, and there's always some catchy hook to sing along with. I kind of sat there for a minute, and read over the profiles again. There is only one main vocal in this group, as the other vocals are also labeled dancer/visual/rapper/whatever. Big Hit is trying to pull off a rap group...with high school boys.
The only other super rap heavy Kpop group I can think of at the moment is B.A.P. (let me know if y'all know more than I do), but they have two lead vocals to pull off the catchy hooks so there is some melody to stick in your head, and they also have some older members so the tough, masculine image is more convincing. Looking at these guys, no matter how you dress 'em up and how much make up you put on 'em, they still look like babies. It's hard for me to take them seriously as masculine rappers when most of the group looks like they belong in a classroom tapping beats on their desks with pencils. That, and the fact that in most of the video, they're rapping in front of a fucking school bus. Go look at it! It's a bright yellow school bus. When was the last time y'all ever saw a school bus in a rap video? NEVER. They're also break dancing in some broken down classroom...which definitely reinforces the school boy image. Like...what? I'm just confused at the juxtaposition of this group...was this done on purpose?
The song itself is quite catchy. I'm a rap/hip-hop fan myself, and I like the beat behind it. Also, DAYUM that maknae (Jung Kook I think) can rap.
Y'all. It's BAD when the 15 year old can show up the rest of you. Step up your game, boys!
Compared to him, the rest of the members are just kind of...blah. The only other member I noticed without looking back at the profiles was some fool named Suga who was rapping about cars, rings, and no big dream, wearing a bandana that was nearly twice the circumference of his head...dude, you're an okay rapper but you look stupid.
The leader of the group, whose stage name is Rap Monster (don't even get me started) doesn't even rap much in this at all...he's just yelling at us repeatedly. What did I ever do to you, man?
This group certainly has an interesting concept...when you think about it, it's actually a tactful marketing angle. By marketing these young schoolboys as masculine rappers, I do believe Big Hit is aiming for two target audiences:
1) The schoolgirls - Y'all are probably saying "well duh, Kaya," but it's still important to point out! These girls are stuck with their classmates all day, who they probably find boring and unattractive, and when they see these guys, the fantasy of a cool, super hot rapper who could be in your school comes to life. These guys, if they do become successful, will serve an important market, since the rappers of most Kpop groups are much older than these middle/high school girls, making them seem more out of reach. BTS's younger age makes them seem more attainable (even though they really aren't), therefore, Big Hit can expect to make some money off of these girls.
2) The noonas - This is always a target market for boy groups, isn't it? Although instead of using the cute tactic that most boy groups use when looking to snatch some noona cash, they pull the juxtaposition of being masculine with being young. By rapping in front of a goddamn school bus, these women might think: "oh how cute! They're trying to be so tough!" or something along those lines.
If these guys were to debut in the US, they'd be ripped to shreds. Although in South Korea, this combination may make the bank! We'll just have to wait and see what happens. They didn't impress me right off the bat, but they managed to pull enough interest for me to follow their fyeah tumblr blog and wait 'till they pop up on my dashboard again...
Do you like the image BTS is putting forward? What do you think of the stage name Rap Monster? Would you rap in front of a school bus?
Let me know!
Oh! And since I mentioned tumblr a few times in this post, mine is KayaKiraKira. I do post jpop and kpop idol photos and gifs as well as anime and food. If you like that stuff, give me a follow! ;)
Sistar is finally back with their second album, "Give It To Me!" If you know me well enough, you know that I am obsessed with both Kpop and Showgirls. So to have both combined in one video for me is HEAVEN.
So as far as the video is concerned, we have all of the Showgirl basics: beautiful women, sparkles, fringe, tulle, a rain curtain, chair dancing, tophats, canes, and a giant hoop on which to sit. It seems though, that the director mixed two different showgirl eras together. It was released in a statement before the video was released that this video would have a Moulin Rouge concept, and I can see that in the red set with the clock and chairs, but the set with the rain curtain reminds me more of a Broadway or Vegas showgirl. There are more modern influences with the costumes, and the microphone that appears in the beginning of the video. There is also a set with bright blue curtains, and while it does look nice, I'm not quite sure where it fits in with the rest of the video. It's mainly used for close up shots anyway. The only other time the video screams Moulin Rouge is during the long line of ladies at the end.
AND HOLY SHIT WAS THAT EFFECTIVE. Like, DAYUM. It's been a dream of mine to have a long line of showgirls on a stage that I've directed...and to be in one...so whenever I see one I go nuts. I actually started clapping when that shot came up. Don't judge me.
Looking at the other choreography, the choreographer definitely used the most effective showgirl trick in the book: guiding the eyes of your audience with your hands. There are lots of hand flicks and twists in the choreography along with the standard Kpop sexy dropping and rubbing. If you watch closely, you can see the girls doing their hand flicks near various places on their bodies: their chests, legs, faces, etc. Wherever their hands are, that's where your eyes look, and I think it's cool that the choreographer did their homework on that (and I'm sure that their fans will be happy with the effects this trick has XD).
As for the girls themselves, they all look fabulous! The costumes are super sparkly and fun. The only complaint I can come up with for the costumes is that some of them look too modern. The cuts of the pieces themselves look like you can buy them in either a fashion house or a party costume shop. Most showgirl pieces are handmade by the costumer of a particular company, or by the performer herself. I know it would've been much more costly to have the costumes done that way, but at least try and find something not so...cheap looking. Anyway, Hyorin in particular looks STUNNING. She's sporting a sleeker look than usual with the black, pin straight hair. I love it paired with the red lace costume. In combination, the whole look is killer! Also, Dasom's bit with the tophat made me die. Multiple times. She's werkin' that ponytail too! My favorite outfit of hers though is that white dress with the tulle train. Very follies, and it looks great on her. Soyu's red hair is very eye catching, although I think a different cut would flatter her better. It's very blunt, and since she already has an angular face, I think some softening up is in order. Showgirls are usually soft. xD Lastly, Bora's purple streak is fun! It's a bit more modern so it doesn't quite fit in with the showgirl theme, but it looks great on her so I guess I can let it go. Her rap in this is flawless. I always enjoy her raps, but in this song it blended really well.
Speaking of the song, let's move on to that! When not considering the concept, the song is fantastic! It's dynamic, catchy, and the girls sound great. Hyorin and Soyu pull off some really silky high notes, and it's a great contrast to the low vamp of the piano, and like I said, Bora's rap blends with the whole song very well. Although the song itself is great, I think if they really wanted to push the showgirl concept, they could've added some brass to it, since brass bands are a big component of showgirl culture. The beat sounds almost disco-y, and that feel is pulled through with the string instruments in the background. I think the most showgirly part of the song itself is Dasom's part, since she's pulling a breathy-talky thing a-la Marilyn Monroe.
Lastly, after the actual music video is over, there's some cool behind the scenes footage of the girls with the Director and Choreographer I believe, and it's fun to watch! I'm also pretty sure that those two are fabulously gay (but you didn't hear it from me).
Overall, even with continuity issues, this is a great release, and I hope Sistar does well! I'd give the song 3.5/5 stars, and the video 4/5 stars.
What do y'all think of the song and video?
I had originally wanted to screencap this video, but with a new computer with Windows 8, I don't have paint anymore, but some bullshit called "Fresh Paint." If anyone can help a girl out, let me know!
This is an issue that has been on my mind for some time, and I feel like I should talk about it before I continue with my regular idol blogging.
So if you don't already know, there is a large community of teenage girls on YouTube who upload covers of Jpop and Kpop songs and dances. I happen to be one of those people. It's fun! It's a cool little hobby and you can meet people with similar interests! That's how I first met Chiima of Okay Musume Time! Making covers of songs on YouTube isn't the problem here. Many popular singers now have been "discovered" through their YouTube channels (Justin Bieber being a good example).
The problem arises when these young (mostly Caucasian) girls believe that because they upload covers of Jpop/Kpop songs on YouTube, that they can go and be idols in Japan or Korea. "If Beckii Cruel can do it, so can I!" If these girls want to be singers, dancers, entertainers, whatever, that's fine. It's good to have a big dream, and to go for it with full force! But when a dream you have is so immersed in a foreign country and culture...it can get a little tricky.
Here are the main reasons why I think it doesn't work:
1) Relatability
So let's say one of these girls does get a record deal with an office in Japan or Korea. Wahoo! But do you speak the language? Do you know the common courtesies of the country? Manners? Do's and Don'ts of social situations? There are a lot of new things to learn in this situation, and it can be overwhelming (not to mention costly) for both the company and the idol to learn everything. Without knowing all of these things mentioned above, these girls can't relate to their audience. While, yes, there are international fans of Jpop and Kpop, the main consumers of the material are Japanese and Korean people. Idols stand as role models for young people in these countries, and if these young people look at their TV screen and see some foreign girl standing there, they won't have the same connection as they would if it were a Japanese or Korean idol.
As a counter point to my own argument, some people may say that "Hey, music is a universal language. It doesn't matter what language a song is in for people to enjoy it." And I agree with that whole heartedly. If I didn't, I wouldn't have this blog. But there is a difference between different languages and different ethnicity. For example, artists like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have held concerts in Japan and Korea, and have been on variety shows there. The concerts are always packed and the fans sing along in English even though they may not always know what they are singing. But Gaga and Perry made it in the music industry of their home country first. They are sharing their music to a global audience, and aren't trying to force themselves into the Japanese idol culture which they don't understand.
Bringing back the whole Beckii Cruel thing, I think this point was a HUGE reason of why it didn't work out for her. She wasn't fluent in the language when she went to Japan, she didn't know all of the customs, and it was painfully obvious that she had no clue what she was doing. She was cute, and people liked to look at her, but that can only last someone for so long in the entertainment industry. Her 15 seconds of "fame" in Japan have come and gone, and last time I checked, no one in Japan gives a damn about her anymore.
She recently announced that she would be recording another Japanese single independently, and as some of you may know, she co-founded Oishii Project. One of the main goals of Oishii Project is for their girls to make it in Japan. But if you look at their YouTube videos, Facebook Page, and Tumblr Blog, most of their comments and fans are other girls who want to be in Oishii Project, or want to be idols in Japan themselves. Their main market is these teenage girls, not their target audience of Japanese people.
2) The importance of Asian musicians in the global music scene
You may disagree with me on this point, but I think one of the great things about Jpop and (more so) Kpop's global reach is that it debunks stereotypes about Asian people. In many Western countries, Asian people are seen as awkward, submissive, unattractive, among other things. Asian music artists are kicking those stereotypes in the face and are showing the world that yes, Asian people can be sexy, can be talented, and have a whole lot to offer to the entertainment industry. In Western countries (and the United States in particular), it's very difficult for Asian people to make it big in the music industry because of the aforementioned stereotypes. There are plenty of Jpop and Kpop stars that are mixed race, or Asian-American (Canadian, European, etc.) that have gone to Japan or Korea because they couldn't make it in their home country (for example: Kevin and Eli from U-Kiss, Tiffany and Jessica from SNSD, Amber and Krystal from f(x), etc). Because of the Jpop and Kpop industries, they have the chance to follow their dreams and show off their own talents.
As a foreigner of no Asian ethnic background, if you were to go and take a spot in an office in Japan or Korea, you'd be taking away a spot for a talented Asian person who would have a difficult time making it elsewhere. (And for the record, I'm not saying it's impossible for Asian people to make it in the Western music industry, hey, look at Far East Movement, but I'm saying that it's much less likely and it would take a hell of a lot more work).
I'm not trying to discourage those who have dreams of performing. Being a singer is one of my dreams too, and I am also a fan of Jpop and Kpop. But I do think it's best for Caucasian people to find success in their own country before going overseas. And there are definitely pros to doing this!
1) You speak the language. No language courses required!
2) You know the proper manners and customs
3) Your audience can relate to you!
And plus, if you don't like the music your country is producing, YOU CAN CHANGE IT. I'm not saying it will be easy, but the entertainment industry is a constantly evolving thing, and you can be a part of that evolution. You can take inspiration from your favorite Jpop and Kpop artists, and make music about things you care about, and people of a similar mindset will catch on. And if you want to perform overseas, talk to your agent/record company/producer to see where you can go! Travel and learn. You don't need a Japanese/Korean management company to perform there. You and your company just have to talk to the right people.
If you think YouTube covers are a fun thing to do, please keep doing them! I plan on it! It's a great hobby! Go perform at anime conventions like I do with my company, people there will have a great time! But if you really want to make music, write it in your own language, and have it speak from your own personal experience.
Trust me, you will find it so much more creatively fulfilling then trying to act cute in a language you don't understand.
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WHEW! I was really worried about writing that, but I decided to take the plunge! Let me know what your thoughts are on this issue, I'd love to hear them!
Also, just letting you know, once I have more original music to show y'all, I'll be posting it here as well as your regularly scheduled idol-fangirling.
I'm back after my month long hiatus, so please expect some cool stuff coming this Summer!
So I was having some computer troubles for a while, and I ended up having to get a new computer, and when new computers happen, iTunes libraries have to be re-stocked. With PCs, only the things purchased in iTunes will still be there...which means a lot of my idol music is on CDs back home in Texas (or out on the internet waiting to be re-downloaded....)
Anyway, whenever I start restocking my iTunes library, songs that I used to listen to a bunch but had gone out of my mind for a while always pop up. One in particular brought back some memories.
MBLAQ's "Cry" is a pivotal song for me. Before I tell you why, I'll give y'all a little back story.
2008 was the year I became an avid fan of Jpop, and while I continued to find more and more of it, I eventually found some Kpop. The first video of Kpop I saw was the Wonder Girls's "Tell Me," followed by "So Hot." Next I found Girls' Generation, and I pretty much stopped there. I had found a couple of groups I enjoyed and for some reason I didn't feel like exploring any further.
Although New Year's 2011, I was working at a convention with KKMS, and I went to the J-pop room, hoping to hear something familiar. Although instead of hearing Jpop, I heard Kpop. I saw some videos from 2PM, Rain (who I knew because I liked Rainism a lot), Big Bang, Orange Caramel (I knew the dance to Magic Girl 'cause it was cute), among others. I was fascinated. They were still idols, but they were different from Jpop idols. There was some Koda Kumi and Ayumi Hamasaki thrown into the mix, but the large majority of the music played was Kpop.
One of the videos that particularly attracted my attention was MBLAQ's "Y."
I had a few days off after the convention to myself, so I decided to watch the video again. I liked their voices, I liked the beat. I thought they worked well together as a group. So I went and searched for more. At this point, I was still a casual listener, and MBLAQ was just another group to add to my list.
After hearing "Cry," that all changed. I liked the music a lot, but the visuals are really what pulled me into the Kpop fandom. Everything was just so....polished. I wasn't used to it! What impressed me the most were the shots filmed underwater. The whole concept was pulled off very well. Using the motif of water, without having the members actually cry was very clever. The dancing in the water reminded me of various styles of contemporary dance, a lot of which I was doing at the time. Also, the water in the dance room reminded me of Morning Musume's "Shabondama," and I liked that they pulled it out during the climax of the song.
After watching the MV for who knows how long, I thought to myself: "I wonder if other Kpop groups pull together concepts as well as MBLAQ does..." Thus began my transition from a casual listener of Kpop, to a full-fledged Kpop fan. Soon after, there was almost as much Kpop on my iPod as there was Jpop.
As I think back, it's interesting to remember how my transition into Kpop reflected the transition I was about to make in life. I was a senior in high school at the time, and I was applying to and auditioning for colleges all across the country. I have a distinct memory of being at the Palmer Hotel in Chicago, and I was auditioning for three colleges, and I had a callback for one more. I was preparing to go to my callback, and my mom was checking my iPod dock to make sure it worked to play my audition music. As she plugged it in, one line rang out: "Time is too slow for me baby, listen to me girl."
My mom looked up at me, perplexed. I had listened to "Cry" on repeat before going to sleep the night before. Even though the song is a sad one, because I don't understand Korean, the music and the vocals were soothing to me, so it helped me to relax. I felt as though I were melting while I listened to it, like I was sinking into the earth. It was grounding, and it made me feel more secure. I listened to it before I went in for each audition, blocking out the world and having MBLAQ help me get in the zone before I went into the room.
It's funny how one song can bring back a multitude of memories. Listening to it now reminds me how far I've come as a person. It helps me remember the me from the past, and reminds me how grateful I am to be who I am now, and how I can do a lot more than I could have two years ago. I guess it's not exactly the song itself, but the memories and emotions attached to it.
I'm glad I found this song, since it not only helped me journey into K-pop, it helped me continue on my journey as a person. I'm sure this song will stay with me for a very long time.
EDIT: Hey! This is my 50th post! 8D Thanks for staying with me this long, y'all! ^--^
So for the past week I've been hearing/reading lots of people complaining about the new Morning Musume single and how they want the techno sound to go away. I was reminded of during the Platinum era when people were complaining about "Emo-Musume" and how they wanted that style to go away.
Both times I got caught up in all of the negativity and became worried for Musume's future. There always seems to be this repeated message of "Morning Musume isn't as good as it used to be" in this fandom. It never fails to pop up during every single release...don't y'all ever get tired of complaining?
I mean, I understand that no matter how much a group works, someone out there isn't going to like a song. I get it. But these complaints are coming from the same people, over and over again. If y'all don't like the music, take a break from the group for a while. No one is forcing you to stay here.
Sometimes I just get so damn tired with this fandom I have to shut myself off from it for a few days...or a week. Or however long it takes for me to get all of the bad mojo away.
Even if I somehow start thinking those negative thoughts about Momusu, whenever I come back to them, my worries are always washed away instantly. I mean, it's Morning Musume we're talking about here. They've been around for 15 years. They've been charting for 15 years. They have 34 members on their roster.
For some reason, no matter if the girls change, no matter if the music style changes...I always am in awe of the group and how much heart they have. For me, it's always instalove with Momusu. There's not a Morning Musume song that I don't like. Seriously. I love every single one of their songs.
I'm not saying if you don't like some of their songs, you're not a fan or anything. That would be stupid. But for some reason I find myself loving everything that they (and therefore Tsunku) do. It's like magic. Some people may say I'm stupid for it, or I just sit here and take shit quality goods...but I really don't give a shit.
Y'all, I'm a die hard Momusu fan, and that's not gonna change for a long time. There may be times when I go and listen to other groups for a while, but I always come back to these ladies.
Maybe 'cause it's I'm a sucker for looking at process as well as product...'cause everything Morning Musume does is a process. So many changes happen all the time, and although it may get tiring at times, it's a great ride!
Keep going Momusu, 'cause there's plenty of people like me who are here for ya. ;)
Here are some lives (Momusu's natural habitat) to remind y'all how awesome these ladies are, in any era.
Happy March y'all! And BOY have I got a blog post for y'all! 8D
So you know how after the Mii-chan 'scandal' I promised to find Jpop musicians other than idols? Yeah? No?
Anyway, I've found a new group and oh man y'all, I am so obsessed it's crazy.
AAA, or Triple A, or "Attack All Around" is a group under Avex. I've heard of Avex artists before like Ayumi Hamasaki and Dream5, but none of them really stuck with me. The only artist under Avex I really cared about was Gocchin but that's 'cause she started out in H!P.
I've known about this group since late 2009, since a friend of mine showed me a few of their songs, but I was so far into H!Pland that I didn't really care much to get into the fandom. Later in 2011, I heard their single "Charge and Go/Lights" and I thought it was pretty good, so I put it onto my iPod and listened to it occasionally. For some reason last month I thought of them again and checked out the short MV to their upcoming single, PARTY IT UP, and that hooked me into watching more videos. Needless to say I'm definitely a fan now. XD
Before I go any further, I'm not quite sure if this group is an idol group or not. They don't really fit well into one category or another. For one, they're a co-ed group, which is something you don't see too often, two, they have a variety of ages. Their youngest is 24, and their oldest just turned 30 in November. I've watched a few interviews and variety shows with them, and I've never heard them called idols, but I have heard "dance performance group" multiple times. I'll just take that. XD
The interesting thing about this group is that each of the members started out as a back up dancer for another act, and they were all put together by avex. Isn't that cool? That explains why they're all crazy talented, especially at dancing!
Y'all can look up more history on the group on your own. Check out tumblr, wikipedia, etc. for more information.
Let's go on to the members! 8D
Urata Naoya
Naoya is the leader of AAA, and the oldest member. He's one of the main vocals in the group, and rightfully so! He sounds the best live in my opinion. He has great vocal control, stays relaxed while singing, and has amazing stage presence. Naoya has done some solo work, releasing a solo album in 2009 with the lead track "Baby Bang." He also released a collaboration single with Ayumi Hamasaki in 2010 called "Dream On," and is featured on a track on her Number 5 mini album. He just released a digital single called "It's Just Love" on the 13th of last month (which is currently on repeat as I write this. It's so dreamy <3). He likes to use his falsetto in his solo work, and it sounds GOOD. Like, melting in a puddle on the floor good. He could serenade me any day. He has a great range in performance, going from tender and sweet, to naughty and sexy. He definitely sets a good example to his members performance wise. I haven't been able to watch him much on variety shows, so I'll have to get to know his personality more, but as far as I know, he's totally awesome! (And he's real easy on the eyes too...x3) Fun Fact: One of his nicknames is Urapapa, as he's like the father figure of AAA. His image color is green.
Nishijima Takahiro
Nishi is another main vocal in the group, and is the most popular male member of the group. He has a very warm, full voice, and it's pleasant to listen to. He sounds great live as well, although sometimes he gets a little overexcited/pushes a bit too much, and overshoots some of the notes. XD But onstage he's very fun to watch! You can tell he puts 110% into his performances and he loves what he does. As well as being a main vocal, he's the actor of the group. He's been in multiple stageplays and dramas, and a few of my friends who are into Jdramas say his performances are very well done. I like Nishi a lot, although I don't find myself fangirling over him. He's the overly in your face cutie pie, which is fun to watch, but it doesn't do much for me. If you're into the cutie pies though, you should definitely get to know Nishi! Honestly, he looks like Kudou Haruka's older brother. XDDD Does anyone else see the resemblance? Watch some lives, and you might see what I'm saying. Fun fact: apparently he'll go around kissing the members. I've found quite a few pictures on tumblr proving this fact....looks like I've found the Sayu of this group. XD His image color is orange.
Uno Misako
Misako is the most popular female member of the group. She's the third main vocal of the group as well. She's like...craaaaaaaaaaaaazy popular. XD I mean, she's cute and she has a nice voice...she's one of those plain Jane girls that's so popular in Japan. But she's sweet and sings well. She sounds nice live too....although while live, she has more...twang? I don't know, there's some element in her voice that's present in lives that isn't there in recordings. She's also really super thin. She's always been naturally thin, but nowadays she looks emaciated. Get some rest and eat a good meal, boo! Don't overwork yourself! Fun fact: Misako is a big fan of Peko-chan, and has been collecting her merchandise since grade school. She and Peko-chan went on a date together recently. Her image color is purple.
Ito Chiaki
Chiaki is the second female member of the group. She's very likable. ^--^ She has a cheerful personality, and her blog is fun to read. She's one of those people you find very endearing...you know? She also sings well. She and Misako blend really well together when they sing duets and such. Chiaki is the model of the group. She's released a few photobooks, and she's modeling for a certain brand at the moment. Before she auditioned for avex, her fashion snaps appeared in magazines. She's pretty fabulous y'all. And she's freakin' GORGEOUS. Go on tumblr and search the Chiaki Ito tag...it's wonderful. Fun Fact: She has a dog named Kiki so she has a companion while she lives alone in Tokyo. Her image color is red.
Atae Shinjiro
Shinjiro is the pretty boy of the group. XD He's obviously nice to look at. Unfortunately, he can't sing very well. He's the only one you can actually hear breathing on the recordings. And during lives it sounds like it's painful to sing. He's holding tension somewhere that's blocking airflow and it makes me worry for his voice. He has potential to be a good singer, but for some reason the vocal teachers over at avex (they do have vocal instructors, don't they?) have overlooked him. Which is dumb. Anyway, he's the quiet type, which makes him very interesting. He's also a smart cookie! He speaks English very well and loves to travel. He tweets in English sometimes (it's usually about how he skipped breakfast and is hungry...XD), and is very nice to all of his fans. Another thing that's interesting about him is that he's aware of his pretty boy image, and lets the fans know that he's aware of it. He's releasing another photobook soon, and apparently there was some kind of fan voting thing about what kind of pictures he would take. The cute pictures won, with some beachy pictures thrown in, and on his blog he told us all that those type of pictures made him uncomfortable and that he didn't like doing them, but he'd do them for the fans. He seems like a down to earth kind of guy, and it's refreshing to see this kind of genuine ...ness coming from someone in the entertainment industry. Keep it up, buddy! His image color is blue.
Sueyoshi Shuta
Shuta is the dance machine of the group, and also does really cool break dancing and gymnastics tricks. His voice is another voice in this group that will cause me to melt into a puddle. Lives with him depend on what kind of day he's having I guess. XD I've heard lives where he sounds fantastic, but I've also heard lives where it sounds like he's having trouble getting his voice out. But that's a common thing for those who were dancers before they were singers. They have a hard time untucking their gut to breathe properly so sometimes it's hard to sing. But watching concert videos, whenever he's in the shot, my eyes go directly to him. He has this crazy energy about him that's really cool to watch. That and the fact that he's SUPER ADORABLE.
Please excuse me while I go die. I mean who can resist that face!? Dude is PRETTY. And he has awesome fashion sense too. Oops my bias is showing. Anyway, I've watched some online streams with him on them, and he's really funny. He's funny in the sense that he can be kind of an airhead. XD He reminds me of Kamei Eri sometimes just by the sheer goofiness he has. And his smile and laugh are infectious. His image color is pink.
Hidaka Mitsuhiro aka SKY-HI
Hikada is the rapper of the group. He sings from time to time, and when he does it's very nice. But. Rapping is definitely where he feels most comfortable and you can tell. Dude is ELECTRIC. Onstage he just GOES. He has the biggest personality of the group and is so fun to watch. He's constantly on variety programs with various members, or by himself. He's HYSTERICAL. I watched like two hours of UNSUBBED material with this guy in it. He's that cool you guys. I can barely understand any Japanese and I watched him unsubbed! His rapper name SKY-HI is what he uses when he's doing solo work. He went on his first solo tour this year last month. He's also featured on a lot of different artists's work, like KLOOZY, KEN THE 390, Keita, etc. He's also a HUGE TEASE. Watch some lives (especially the live for I$M, and you'll see why). When I first saw a photo of him I wasn't attracted to him at all, but now that I've watched footage and heard him talk it's like DAYUM. *ahem* His image color is yellow.
Are y'all interested yet? XD I hope so! I've just fallen head over heels with this group!
I have their 777 Album and I'll talk about those songs in another post, but here are some of my favorites to start you off with:
Live!
LEADER Y U PUT YOUR FACE THERE!? *nosebleed* As titillating as that may be to us fans, that must've been HELLA AWKWARD to perform.
This song is perfection and their voices are sooooooooo sexy. Someone come mop me off the floor.
Hope y'all enjoyed this whirlwind intro to AAA! <3
EDIT: Ray mentioned I forgot Yukari Goto. She was the third female member of the group, but left in 2007 due to illness. She debuted in 2009 as a gravure model, and as far as I know that's what she's continuing in.
Sooooooo I saw Ray's Post about the idol fandom on Idolminded then I saw Chiima's post (which is very similar to my encounter with idols), and then Morningtime's post so I figured, what the hell, I'm sick at home so I may as well blog!
So when I was a young child I watched a lot of cartoons, Scooby Doo being my number one favorite. I loved cartoon network, and one Saturday morning on ABC. I was flipping channels one day and I found the coolest show ever:
POKEMON.
Seriously, I watched one episode of this and I was hooked. Every Saturday I plopped myself in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal to watch Pokemon. I was obsessed. I had the pokedex book, the pokemon gameboy color, pokemon yellow, a team rocket shirt (with which I coordinated a Team Rocket outfit, all red and black baby), and a big-ass binder full of cards. Yeah, I was that kid. Sometimes it would be on TV when I wasn't home, so my mom set up the VCR (woah) to tape it for me.
And she always set it to tape a few minutes before and after time so I wouldn't miss anything. And it was then that I noticed that there were two other awesome shows I had to watch. Before, Sailor Moon. After, Card Captors. Three of the most awesome cartoons EVER all in a row! I thought I was the luckiest kid in the whole world! I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something about these cartoons that made them different from Scooby Doo and the Smurfs. The drawings looked different, the stories had me holding my breath with suspense! I wanted to know where these cartoons came from!
It was when I turned eight years old that I found out what Japan was. My school had all of the second grade participate in a "Japanese Fair." We memorized the main islands of Japan, learned how to count to ten in Japanese, put on 'kimonos' (some kids wore bathrobes) and paraded around the hallways for the rest of the school. We even tried Japanese candy and rice crackers! I thought Japan was the coolest place ever! It was so different, so cool! I had that same feeling that I did when I watched Pokemon. I had found something different and awesome, and I wanted to immerse myself in it!
But for some reason I didn't make the connection between those cartoons and the Japanese fair until I was fourteen. I was in 8th grade Algebra one day and I saw my friend Anastasia reading a comic book backwards. I asked her why and she told me it was a manga, and that manga came from Japan. I'd never heard of it before! She had the book finished by the end of the day so she let me take it home.
When I got home and opened my backpack, I saw this:
My mouth dropped open in surprise. They look like the characters from Pokemon! I rushed to my computer and lo and behold, both Marmalade Boy and Pokemon had come from Japan, as well as Sailor Moon and Cardcaptors (which I later learned was originally called Cardcaptor Sakura). I dove into Marmalade Boy and finished that first volume very quickly. The next day when I saw Anastasia I immediately asked her for more manga. I read my way through Chobits, and started to watch anime series after anime series...
I continued on as an anime and manga fan for the next year and a half, and in the middle of my fall semester as a sophomore in high school (holy shit you guys that was four years ago), I decided to watch a series called Shugo Chara. The storyline was super cute, the characters had little fairies with them, and I was super happy at the end of every episode because I got to hear this really awesome song!
This song was so happy! So catchy! I wanted to know who sang it. After searching for a bit, I found the music video:
I was shocked. "How could these great voices come from these teeny tiny awkward looking girls? They look like they're about my age!" But I thought their dancing was cute and I already loved the song so I favorited the video. On the sidebar I noticed a bright pink looking video, so I clicked on that.
"OMG! One of the Shugo Chara girls is in this video! OMG so much pink! The little one with the sunglasses is so funny!" I immediately favorited this video, and clicked on another video next to it.
"...ARE THESE THE SAME GIRLS!? WHAT HAPPENED!?" I was so excited that I had found this group. The dancing was kick ass, the song was dramatic...but where were the other two? I saw one Shugo Chara girl, but the others were nowhere to be found. I didn't know these other girls. Who where they? In the description box of the fan uploaded MV, I saw this group was "C-ute." I favorited this video too and reminded myself to look for more "C-ute" later.
Going back to the Honto no Jibun music video, I saw that the other two were from "Berryz Koubou." I scrolled down and found one of their videos in the sidebar. *click*
"There they are! I found them!" This song was catchy too! I favorited this video as well, and then clicked another related video which turned out to be Piriri to Yukou. I put all of the songs I had found onto my iPod and danced around the house for a few days. I was so happy, and a few days later I wanted to watch the music videos again. I went back to Tokkaiko Junjou, and when that finished, I saw a video in the sidebar that had a pink background, and girls in red hats and overalls.
The title didn't have "C-ute" or "Berryz Koubou" in it, but instead "Mor..." The title was too long for the tiny thumbnail, and I was curious, so I clicked on it.
"This is cute! OMG THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM! Holy crap that's too many girls...but this video is fun." I particularly liked the parts of the video where they're frozen in space. That was cool. "Morning Musume." "Huh." I thought they were good, but I was intimidated by the number of girls. I favorited this, but noticed a darker video on the side with "Morning Musume" also in the title. *click*
This, my friends, is when I went from casual listener, to totally hooked.
"SO FIERCE!" These girls were so different than the girls in the previous video. They were cool, mature, sexy even! The song was so well composed, and their vocals had such power! I needed to know who Morning Musume was and I needed to find all of their music right then and there! I found lots of promotional videos for Pepper Keibu, since that had just been released, and from then on I was an idol fan.
Oh but then, OH BUT THEN.
I found the Winter 2008 Concert that had been done that past January. I went MENTAL. "Morning Musume, C-ute, Berryz Koubou, ALL ON ONE STAGE TOGETHER?!!? WHAT IS THIS!?"
"Hello Project. ...Hello Project. I think I like Hello Project."
My life had changed forever.
I know it sounds schmaltzy, but it had! I had this newfound confidence and happiness that I had never felt before! Whatever these idols were, I liked 'em, and I've been happily liking them ever since. :P
And since this post is already HELLA LONG, I'll save my favorite idols journey for next time! 8D
So here is my group's debut single, Let's Live, which goes on sale March 8th! This is our dance version, and you get to hear the full song! 8D I'm so excited!!!
The members are:
Kaya--Pink
Mayu--Blue
Hazel--Green
The song and melody were written by me, the choreography was done by Mayu, and composition was done by Chris Escalante.
Just a note to y'all, this is not studio quality! We have no money! XD
I used my condenser mic to record everything, and mixed it together myself in audacity. I did the best I could with the current skillset I have, and the quality will continue to improve over the next few singles as I keep practicing!
I do hope you enjoy the song, we've been working hard! Anyway, please enjoy the Dance Version of Let's Live, and look out for the MV soon!
I love Valentine's Day! Even though I've never had a Valentine on Valentine's Day, I love sharing my love with others! <3
This year, I'm sharing it with all of you!
First, the World Maid Cafe community made a Valentine's Video!
I'm featured in this video, along with other KKMS members Nami, Ponnchi, and Hazel! Can you find them? Other really awesome cafes are also included, such as Animaid Cafe, Nana Cafe, MOE (Maids of England), At Your Service Cafe, and many others! Thanks to Venus from AniMaid Cafe for putting this together!
Second, we had a little game on the KKMS Facebook page to see who would get Valentines from KKMS members, and 10 lucky people get their special Valentine's videos today! Four people requested a video from me, and I'm so happy! Thank you so much to Michaela, Cookie, Rosio, and Michi for choosing me to be your Valentine! I hope you like the videos I made for you!
Ponnchi, Hazel, Mayu, Hotaru, Kaede, and Elila also got requests, so you'll see their videos too! Make sure to check out our YouTube channel (KiraKiraMaids) to see the videos! They're all sooooo cuuute! <3
Here are my videos if you'd like to see them:
I hope everyone has a really awesome Valentine's Day, whether you have a significant other or not. Remember, love comes in many different forms, not just romantically!
