Jpop, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, was first coined by a Japanese radio station, J-WAVE. While it first merely differentiated classical and folk genres from new stars, the Jpop category has now outgrown itself. In Japan today, punk, rock, rap, and an eclectic array of mainstream stars can all fall under the Jpop category. A distinctive strain within Jpop is undoubtedly the unique, international flavor of several top female vocalists such as Utada Hikaru, Crystal Kay, MISIA, and Namie Amuro. Their public images are notably distinctive from other popular artists and their music is considered R&B, gospel, or hip-hop esque (though an American listener may disagree). Practically any Westerner who comes to Japan or studies it is intrigued by these artists in particular, but left at a loss as to how to understand them.

Utada Hikaru

Bio: Born in New York City, Utada Hikaru is the only child of sophisticated Japanese musical heavyweights. Her mother is a former top Japanese vocalist and her father a top music producer. In fact, it was her father that produced most of her albums. Hikaru or “Hikki” (her nickname) debuted at age 16 with the album First Love in 1999 that was a gigantic hit with the album’s title single (First Love). The song was a surprisingly mature and honest love ballad that is still a popular choice in karaoke clubs today across Japan. The album’s enormous popularity as well as her general commercial success caused Utada to become ranked on Japan’s highest tax payers list. Unlike most pop artists in any country, she writes all the lyrics to her songs (including her first album) as well as being part of the production process. Superbly bi-lingual, her English lyrics always make sense (in contrast to the popularity of random English phrases in Jpop that do not). Utada was never considered cute, sexy, or flashy, from her debut to today, she is distinctive for her relatively average looks, down-to-earth personality, and intelligence (she was after all accepted to America’s Columbia University). Utada’s songs when performed live or in videos never incorporate dance choreography or sultry moves. She is simply known for rather serious ballads and her unique singing that ranges from very low to very high, but is by no means a trained vocalist. Her voice comes across as someone’s exceptional, but simply natural singing ability and is never full-fledged belting out.

The Inside Scoop: Her American album, Exodus, is a very disappointing creation. Her lyrics’ power and integrity drop many levels, whether it’s due to an affinity for writing in Japanese, poor producing, or a lack of effort is unknown. Utada had actually gotten producers from America before this, for example on her second album Distance, a track was produced by the hip-hop label Dark Angel. Utada has somewhat faded from the public eye after she moved to America to attend Columbia University. At school students heard the Japanese Britney Spears was in attendance, a comparison that is an apt correlation to convey her status and fame, but certainly misleading in relation to her style. The comparison drifted into media, and the international edition of TIMES magazine also dubbed her this. Utada ultimately left Columbia her freshman year, married a Japanese photographer 10 years her senior, and also underwent operation for ovarian cysts. Despite her tumultuous personal life and unmatched success since her debut, Utada is still undeniably one of the top three Jpop stars in Japan. Her music continues to gross as much as, if not more, than pop stars who are far more active and present in the Japanese music scene.

Crystal Kay

Bio: A half African-American and half Korean who was brought up on an American base in Japan, Crystal Kay seems a highly unlikely possibility to be a Jpop star. Whether it is her genuine talent (of which she has plenty) or the fetishes of the Japanese music scene for black artists, Crystal Kay’s success has made her the IT girl of current Jpop. Since the age of 16 Crystal Kay has had a record deal with a Japanese music label. Though she does not write her own music her debut album Almost Seventeen featured the usual Japanese lyrics with random English words and phrases that she sings flawlessly. Her music is more heavily R&B sounding but the lyrics are generally formulaic and typical of the Jpop teen star. Known for her light-hearted and sweet demeanor, Crystal Kay’s smile is ubiquitous in Tokyo in cell phone advertisements and Sony commercials. Her incredible looks and trendy styles lend well to teen pop stardom. The Almost Seventeen album was met with commercial and critical success, and Japan’s HMV store ranked her album amongst the top releases for that year. Her subsequent albums have only cemented her position as a veritable vocalist and non-gimmick status. She is undoubtedly the first non-Japanese artist to be received on equal footing as any other J-pop star and a pioneer in international music.

The Inside Scoop: Crystal Kay’s ability to speak herself in Japanese is not scrutinized much (and perhaps not even relevant as a pop star) but is a controversial point. While some journalists and concert-goers report fluency and ease with the language (outside of her vocal performances), her background at military base schools and the international campus at Sophia University in Tokyo are typically one of non-Japanese individuals who do not speak Japanese well. Crystal Kay offers few interviews to the public and rarely appears on mainstream Japanese tv shows. Her singing ability continues to grow and has evolved from solid pop to sensitive, distinctive music. Her music nevertheless is some of the best Jpop and her singing ability in Japanese (and of course her native English) are always smooth and believable (despite the usual pop music corniness).

MISIA

Bio: She hails from a small-town where she played tuba in the school band, she had no connections in the music industry, rail thin with a tiny, mouse-like speaking voice, she has an unimpressive physical presence, but at age 22, in 1998, MISIA blasted onto the music scene with her album Mother Father Brother Sister. No one in Japan had ever heard anything like her, a voice with the strength and range of Whitney Houston, impressive lyrics, and a gospel drive to her sound. Like Utada, she also writes nearly all her own lyrics. Misia’s sense of fashion and style are often puzzling, usually she dresses in space-age, futuristic designs or ultra-trendy clothing that seems more whimsical than attractive or fashionable. Like Utada, her popularity is mainly driven by her songs alone rather than a glamorous appearance or sex appeal. Misia is even more so associated with her talents, and known for her shyness. Her live performances are possibly better than her recorded ones, a testimony to her raw voice talent and ability. In fact, the live recordings included on her best hits album became more popular in airplay than the original singles. Misia is truly an oddball artist whose celebrity status seems to have confused and troubled her, resulting in some poor choices for new music ventures in her latest music. Still, Misia’s voice is undoubtedly among the best in Japan.

The Inside Scoop: She is largely considered the first artist in Jpop to take on an American R&B style and the person that paved the way for artists like Utada Hikaru and Crystal Kay. Some of her songs are unfiltered from her influences, for example the song I Believe could certainly pass for a regular gospel song that has merely been translated into Japanese. Misia’s speaking voice (as mentioned) is characteristic of her quirkiness, after belting out an incredible ballad with a stunningly deep and emotional voice, she will thank the crowd for their applause with the tiniest, highest voice imaginable.

Namie Amuro

Bio: Accenting her quarter Italian roots, Namie’s appearance is breathtakingly exotic and glamorous. A huge 90s star, her fame exulted her to idol status and her mainstream popularity surpasses any of the above mentioned stars. Though her music may lack the vocal talents of this group, she is highly notable as an “R&B” type artist whose fame reaches incredible heights. Born in 1977, Namie has been on the track for stardom since age 12, performing in local singing competitions, and eventually she enrolled in Okinawa’s performing arts school (an establishment of respectability in Japan that has turned out many other pop stars). Known for tough-girl attitude and a husky voice, Namie is a huge hit in the conventional sex and glamour pop mold. Her dedication to being at the forefront of dance has garnered her intense following and booming concert sales. Her singles are basically composed to showcase such dancing skills (which are derived from American hip-hop) but her voice is distinctive in its deep, sultry sound that distinguishes her from many other pop artists. She is by no means a cutesy, conventional star, and is considered to be a sort of bad-girl on the music scene.

The Inside Scoop: Namie’s ascent to stardom follows the traditional route of many cookie cutter, here today gone tomorrow stars. Similar to such stars, she appears on many Japanese variety shows and her appeal is not restricted to those with a taste for more serious music. However, Namie is distinct among these other stars in the mainstream due to her signature pout, believable tough-girl voice, and her seriousness for dancing. Her songs never come off as sugary bubble-gum pop, but the melodies are not anywhere near American R&B style. Her mature, almost monotone voice evokes a sense of depth and sex appeal achieved rarely by other artists and her beauty comes across as far more than average cuteness. Much copied, Namie’s influence on trends such as platforms, mini-skirts, and tinted hair make her a veritable cultural force in Japanese youth.

Cultural Significance

Some might suggest that the American influenced J-pop is a shallow derivative of the original source, however these artists are not trying to be American and certainly not trying to be the next hip-hop star. Japanese pop continues to make original and ground-breaking music that uses a multitude of influences, just like any other music industry in the world. The international infusion into these pop stars’ music does make it somewhat more accessible to Americans, and they make an excellent starting point for listening to Jpop.

External Links:

• Jpop Music Store - Online source to purchase Jpop cds
• J-Fan - Artist Directory with links to informational fan sites