It seems like there’s always some Asian pop chaos going on at the various airports in the region…so it’s not surprising that when Korean group Super Junior visited Beijing recently (apparently related to the upcoming Olympics) and word got out..well let’s just say slight pandemonium broke loose..
Archive for the 'chinese music' Category
Asian companies seemingly know what’s good for them: rent-a-pop star for a day, pay them loads of money, and then sit back and watch business go through the roof. From BoA selling beer, to Ayumi Hamasaki (among others) pushing Tower Records, I’m on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what ads these companies dream-up next..
On November 30th, Alicia Keys gave a brief but spirited performance in Tokyo, mesmerizing those assembled with her heartfelt rendition of the hit song “No One”. The album has been doing extremely well across Asia, and Alicia has stated several times of how pleased she’s been with the albums success, but even more by it’s apparent Universal appeal.
It was a surprise to many, including Korean pop sensation Rain himself.. thousands of fans lining up in the early morning hours just to catch a glimpse of him? That was exactly what happened at Pu Dong International after the singer arrived in Shanghai an afternoon before an important show at Hongkou Stadium. He was so touched by the outpouring of support, that he quickly arranged for a fan meeting to take place immediately at a hotel nearby.
There’s a new study just out by Asian market research company Synovate, showing a surprising trend among music listeners across the region. According to the report, Asian music was the overwhelmingly preferred genre..and by a long shot. This came from a poll spanning several Asian countries, including China, Taiwan, and Korea among others. This is great news for Asian record companies, and confirms what has long been considered the obvious. Asian music is growing in popularity, not only internationally, but within the individual Asian populations as well.
Korean singer Lee Hyori has had a long history of being influential in Korea’s fashion scene over the years, but now reports show a growing influence in Chinese fashion as well. The country has been broadcasting Korean TV shows frequently during the last few years, and Lee Hyori’s exposure has been quite substantial during that time. Chinese women have responded strongly to her image, and just like their Korean counterparts, they’re copying her many fashion sensibilities–from hairstyle, clothing, to accessories, she’s fast becoming THE fashion icon of China. Thanks to her influence, it is now said that Korean fashion surpasses even that of American and Japanese at this current point in time.
Popular Japanese group Morning Musume, are mixing things up for the first time in their long illustrious history, by adding the first non-Japanese members to their lineup. This comes, after several semi-secret auditions were held throughout China, in which the entire Chinese countryside was scoured, looking for just the right girls that fit the Morning Musume mold. The two lucky girls, 16 year old Qian Lin, and 19 year old Li Chun were handpicked from the most promising of the lot, and both have been sent for intensive training in dance, singing, and the Japanese language. Producers are wanting them primed and ready as quickly as possible, as they’re gearing them up for a national Japanese debut sometime very soon.
With a voice that’s been mesmerizing TV audiences throughout China for quite awhile now, Chinese pop singer Zhang Liangying, is making many in Asian music take notice– in a slightly unexpected way. After winning 3rd place in China’s incredibly popular “Super Girl” contest, she is not only known for her beautiful voice, but for her preference for singing English language cover songs. This has caused many of her loyal audience members, intrigued by her command of the language, to inundate Chinese bookstores and language schools, scrambling for the most direct and effective tools to learning the language. Businesses are making claims that, because of her growing influence, they’re seeing shortages of some of the more popular titles, and are having to order significantly more just to keep pace with the demand she brings.
Although mainland China hasn’t been known as a center of extreme pop idol worship, that trend seems to be reversing, following the introduction of Taiwanese boyband Fahrenheit. Fans have been so enthusiastic about the group, that many in the bands management have been quite hard-pressed at keeping a productive schedule. On more than a few occasions, fan exuberance has interrupted important recording sessions, acceptance speeches, interviews, and pretty much everything else the band’s involved in. This has put Fahrenheit’s schedule in a constant flux, and may force Fahrenheit’s management to issue a special plea, letting fans know how much they appreciate the excitement, but to please realize that they’re finding it hard to get anything done!
Despite an earlier downpour of rain, Chinese artist Jolin Tsai, went on to give a mesmerizing performance in front of an estimated 15,000 fans assembled at Petaling Jaya stadium in Malaysia. Many behind the scenes insiders believed that, because of the massive flooding throughout the city earlier that day, that many fans would hesitate to make the trek to see the show. Those worries turned out to be unfounded as the stadium filled to near capacity quite quickly. Jolin went on to give one of her most spirited performances to date, as if to say to her fans, “I won’t forget this show of loyalty.”
