May J is one of my favourite artists. After absent for 2 years, she came back with a new album, Family which filled with r&b and pop,which much different from her previous album. This album straight entered the top 10 album in Oricon charts and stayed for 2 weeks. My favourite songs are Moshi Kimi to feat Kimaguren and Garden. I would say this album is her greatest album ever. It filled with R&B,pop and some ballads songs, even with only 10 tracks in the album. So it’s a worth to listen to.
I have listen to European pop since watching Eurovision Song Contest in TV. So Alexander Rybak was the winner for 2009. He is so talented in singing and playing violin. And together combining singing with violin, makes him unique. Alexander Rybak is a Norwegian singer, composer and also an actor. But he is mostly famous as a singer. Since he was young, he has been exposed to classical music. At the age of 5, he already can play piano. His parents are both famous musicians. His mother is a classical pianist and father is a well known violinist. At 16 May 2009, he won the 54th Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow with a song, “Fairytale” which he composed by himself. After that his song has been number one in most European countries.
Fairytales album
I would certainly describe his album, “Fairytales” as an amazing album, with combines of pop, classical music and folk. It brings a relaxation and passionate feeling where you can listen whenever you are boring. Fairytale, Roll with the wind, Funny little world and Dolphin are worth to listen to and some favourite songs from the album. I would certainly recommend the album for people who are for the first time listen to European pop.
This past 2 weeks, I’ve discovered a new singer name Tsuji Shion. Her song was used for the ending of Bleach, the title is “SKy chord ~Otona ni Naru Kimi he~”. It was a good song, she did sound like YUI and the type of their music are the same. This supposed to be her second single, after her first single, “Candy Kicks”. She was born in 10th of January 1990 in Yokohama,Japan. I did not find so much about her, but her songs are really good to listen to.
Sometimes when I have my free time, the only music that can only makes me feel relaxed is JPop. So today, I will tell you all about my favourite JPop bands, well actually they are more JRock than JPop. But I just like to admit they are JPop. Aqua Timez is one of my favourite JPop bands.
Aqua Timez
The first time I knew about Aqua Timez was when I heard the song Sen no Yoru wo Koete used in the ending of Bleach Movie, Memories of Nobody. It was a mellow ballad song and the more you listened to it, you’ll become addicted to it. Aqua Timez consists of 5 people, Futoshi (the vocal), OKP-STAR (Bass), Daisuke (Guitar and Programming), Mayuko (the keyboard) and TASSHI (Drums). They first formed in 2000, with only two members. Then in 2003, they formed a band under the name of Aqua Times. The band later renamed as Aqua Timez and with the release of mini album, Sora Ippai ni Kanaderu Inori, charted very well in Oricon.
Since then their first single, Ketsu no Asa ni was used as a theme song in the anime movie, Brave Story and also providing a theme song f0r Bleach movie, they became famous. Sen no Yoru wo Koete entered no 5 in Oricon chart. After that they released their first album, Kaze wo Atsumete reached no 3 in Oricon chart and has sold as many as 200,000 copies.
In 2007, they released the third single, Shiori which was used as soft drink commercial, Mitsuya Cider and entered no 5 in Oricon chart. Then fourth single, Alones was used later as an opening on Bleach TV anime and climbed as no 3 in Oricon chart. One of my favourite song is Chiisana Tenohira which was a good song and their 5th single later debut at no 5 again on Oricon chart. Which later they released second album Dareka no Chijoue on 21 November 2007 and was on Oricon chart at no 2.
They will release their 3rd album soon, Utai Sarishi Hana on 11 March 2009 and their singles, Niji, Natsu no Kakera and Velonica are all included on the album. Here is their video, Velonica.
The first time I like Rain (Bi) was when I saw him the first time on MTV 2 years ago, and I thought his music was really good. Since then I like him. But recently because of Rain, I begin to like KPop singer, especially Son Ho Young. His song, I Know, keeps hearing it around my head. The song is a ballad up-beat dance song, even you listen to it many time, it is never boring.
Son Ho Young was born in New Jersey, USA at March 26 1980. He is known as the famous group from g.o.d. He was always the popular member among female fans. When he released his first album, “YES” already produced 3 hits. 운다” (Crying), “사랑은 이별을 데리고 오다” (Love Brings Separation), and also the album title song “Yes”. In 2007, he released single album called, Sweet Love, as his comeback special in July. On October 9, he released his second album, Returns.
Son Ho Young
His album, Returns was filled with amazing songs, one of them is of course, I Know. The track 6 from the album, Happy Day, is a happy go lucky song, with funny beat. This song is one my favourite song. Below is the link of song, I Know. I Know
Recently I bought so many Japanese dramas because if i bought one, I could get another one for free. Basically it means half the price of $18. So I bought four dramas in 1 weeks. Dramas such as Puzzle, Code Blue, Maou, and Honey and Clover. For a long time, I really want to watch Honey and Clover drama, because my friend said she wanted to download it, and hence I waited for it. But because yesterday was on half price, I bought it still even if the english subs is crap.
Code Blue Drama
I also bought Japanese movies, where it was the same thing, I bought L Change The World and Hero movies. But not Heroes, it was Hero, different from the Heroes TV series. I had been looking for L Change The World, but all of DVDs had no English subs, only Chinese sub. I can understand Chinese but then it is too difficult for me to read the Chinese characters.
L Change The World Movie
But because I had too many dramas, including Hotaru no Hikari and Stand Up, I absolutely has no time watching them. Maybe at the end of the year, I will be watching them like a hungry wolf. I have to watch all of them before all the Japanese dramas get expired with times because the new ones come out every season.
Tomorrow I will be going to Star City near Darling Harbour. I haven’t been there before, only my brother had gone there. I’m going to there tomorrow with my friends. We have been planning it since forever, I thought that we supposed to go to Star City last 2 weeks ago. But because everyone were busy, we didn’t have any time to go together. So after going to Star City, probably we go to Opera House and after that go shopping.
Anyway, last night I watched Hellboy II: The Golden Army with my sister. The movie is good, the action and story are interesting. But I wish the exploring of the underworld could have more deeper than that. So I think this is the lack in this movie. But overall, the characters and the backgrounds were good and there was some comedies. Tonight I will be watching Make It Happen, it was about dancing movie. I saw the trailer the other day at TV and I think it was quite interesting.
On Friday, I am planning to go to watch The Mummies 3 in the cinema together with my sister and brother. I heard many people said it is not that good, they said the first and second movues were more good than third one. So I’m really curious and it makes me want to watch more. Hopefully it is not bad as Harry Potter 5.
Ayaka is one my second favourite artist after Chemistry. I think her music and songs are so touching and good listen to. I also like her style clothing and her hair is what makes her unique with a certain hairstyle. I really like this kind of her hair style that put like a big bun at the top of her head.
Ayaka
Ayaka’s first singing is in her early young years through high school and she would sing song covers at the concerts. Before she was known, Ayaka had performed at various music venues and acted as an opening act for Japanese various artists. In 30 November 2005, Ayaka was signed at Warner Music Group as their artist. Since then in December, her song “Mikazuki” had been used as an ending theme to drama of @Human. But this song has not been released as single yet. Ayaka’s first single “I Believe”, was released on 2 February 2006, which sold as much as 220,000 copies. Making it as one of the famous of her songs.
Ayaka’s second and third singles such as “melody ~Sounds Real~” and “Real Voice” done quite well to in the selling. But the second single did not do well in the selling, only sold much as 20,000 copies, while her third single “Real Voice” had been used as drama theme in Suppli and sold as much as 50,000 copies. Her fourth single “Mikazuki” had sold as much as 200,000 copies. Making it as one of the highest selling of the third quarter of 2006. Later her album, First Message was released on November 1 2006 and sold as 1,1173, 669 copies and listed as 13th highest selling album in 2006.
Her second album “Sing to the Sky” released on 25 June 2008, and has sold over 500,00 copies. I like her second album more than her first album because it hs many good songs and good musics, more rock and soul, making it as one of my favourite album. Specially her song “Okaeri”, is so excellent to listen to, I always feel good after listening because it shown an appreciation of love to your loved one.
Chemistry is one of my favorite JPop artists, they had been around for 2001 and still active as today. Chemistry is a combined duo from Yoshikuni Dochin and Kaname Kawabata. Their first single “Pieces of a Dream” peaked no 1 in the Oricon Charts. It was the best selling singles of that year back in 2001. Since then, they had been selling many singles and albums on Japan and also overseas.
I personally like them because their music are so good to hear and plus I like soul and r’n’b. One of my favourite song of chemistry is “Shiroi no Toiki” because when I heard it, I felt like I was in the winter and had a drink of hot chocolate listening to the song. One of the lines on the lyric
The white cotton snow where it fell to the curve of the umbrella
The time when it dissolves is move
Before your coat’s shoulder changing into white
I plan to pledge tomorrow
Tomorrow I plan to pledge.
My favourite song of right now of Chemistry is Life Goes On, which used in anime of Antique’s Bakery for both opening and ending with different songs. I like the electronic dance music where it was kind you feeling happy and just want to dance when you hear it.
Yesterday morning I had a Sight translation test from English to Japanese. I could do it, but then the teacher did not allowed me to use dictionary. So basically, I just have to use my skills to interpret into Japanese, where I had to translate about I paragraph and 5 lines. I could not think what is “contribution”, “cost” and “share” in Japanese. so I just said in English, rather I did not do the whole interpreting.
Most of my friends did pretty all right, because they are smarter than me. But they mostly said, they done really bad on this and that. Most of my friends are Japanese, so if i do not know the meaning of words, just ask them. next week, I will have a sight translation test from Japanese into English. Plus I have 2 tests next week like Italian and Japanese test. For Japanese we will have kanji in it and have to study 460 kanjis in it. So taihen desu.
Midori no Kawa 