GREAT NEWS FOR FUTURE ASIAN GIRL GROUP WANNABEES
Wonder Girls watch out. A new Asian girl group is on the way.
FarWest Entertainment — a production company helmed by former Walt Disney Company (Asia Pacific) president Jon Niermann — and a group of Asian partners are behind a fledgling girl band enterprise called “Project Lotus.”
The concept behind “Project Lotus” is simple.
Grammy Award-winning producers Eliot Kennedy (left) and Brian Grant (center) are set to compose songs with Canto-pop singer Jonathan Wong for a new Pan-Asian girl group. FarWest Entertainment
Get five talented girls from Korea, Japan, China, India and the Philippines. Pair them up with Grammy Award-winning producers Eliot Kennedy and Brian Grant. Give them songs composed by prominent song writers like Take That’s Gary Barlow. Get it all down on film and drop it on the world.
In the midst of pre-auditions, FarWest and team are busy culling talent from a variety of outlets, including the Internet, where hopefuls can upload their audition videos onto Project Lotus’ website (www.projectlotus.tv), Facebook page or their YouTube channel.
To date 850 girls have sent in their clips. The number could more than double by the Aug. 2 submission deadline.
Applicants need to be Asian women aged 18 to 25 who can speak English and sing and dance. Clips should feature hopefuls singing an English-language pop song.
According to production manager Laura Conway, video clips are just the beginning of an extensive auditioning process that includes country manager-hosted tryouts. Producers will also tour Asian cities to scout out candidates from performing arts schools, modeling agencies and local management companies.
“The candidates who are successful will be invited to attend a live audition in their capital city,” Conway explained via e-mail. “This audition will take place in front of a panel of celebrity judges.”
A group of 25 finalists, five from each country, will then fly to Hong Kong to take part in a six-week training process. One girl from each country will be eliminated every week until only five are left.
The resulting footage is slated to air in February and March. The album release is set for April.
“TV deals are currently in negotiation,” said Conway. “We intend that the television show will be broadcast throughout the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Asia of their desire to target an international audience of girls aged 6 to 14, Conway said: “We believe that the timing is right for singers from Asia to make it big in the West.”
By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldm.com)
credit: heraldm.com + kpop.ph
NMB48, NEW SISTER GROUP OF AKB48, TO LAUNCH THIS FALL.
NMB48 already has an official website and is currently gathering girls for an audition that will start this summer. The group is expected to start activities in November.
UPDATE: AKB48 also announced that they will perform in Italy this October, followed by performances in Singapore and Macau in November.
Source: Natalie + tokyograph.com
[AKB48] ERENA ONO TO GRADUATE
Ono has already appeared in a few movies and television dramas. She recently played a main role in Keisuke Yoshida’s movie “Sankaku” (starring Sousuke Takaoka). Through that role, she apparently recognized her own inexperience, and she made the decision to seriously study to improve her ability.
It was also announced at the concert that AKB48′s 19th single, scheduled for release this December, will have its roster decided by a “Janken Senbatsu.” A tournament-like event will be held at the Nippon Budokan on September 21, and the top 16 will perform on the single. All 48 members of the group, plus 4 kenkyuusei, are eligible for the tournament, regardless of their popularity.
Source: AKB48 Official Blog + tokyograph.com
[AKB48] ANOTHER UNIT FOR NATTO PROMOTIONS AGAIN
Moeno Nito (cre: photobucket)AKB48 has once again created a temporary unit to promote “Natto Day” on July 10. The new group, named Natto Angel Z, consists of four AKB48 members who all like natto.
The new group is a follow-up to last year’s three-member unit Natto Angel. Miho Miyazaki (16) is returning for the new group, but Tomomi Itano (18) and Tomomi Kasai (18) are being replaced by Moeno Nito (17), Sumire Sato (16), and Haruka Ishida (16). Like the original group, all of the members are managed by the agency Horipro.
Natto Angel Z publicly performed their song “Natto Man” for the first time on Monday. The song will be released as a chaku-uta on July 7 and as a chaku-uta full on July 14.
Source: Nikkan Sports + tokyograph.com
[JPOP] KAT-TUN TO STEP OUT IN KOREA
Japanese idol band KAT-TUN will be making their first appearance in Korea on MNet’s “M Countdown” on July 1.
“This is a band that brought over 680,000 fans to their concert in Japan last year,” MNet Media, the group’s representative in Korea said.
“The show will provide the perfect chance for Korean fans to see one of Japan’s representative bands in action.”
The band will have its first concert in Korea on Aug. 6 and 7. The show sold out in just 20 minutes after tickets went on sale on June 23.
credit: JoongAngDaily
[AKB48] FORMER MEMBER TURNS TO AV (ADULT VIDEO?)
Nakanishi was one of the first generation members of AKB48, but she graduated from the group in November 2008. On June 6, 2010, she wrote in her official fan club blog that she was returning to her hometown in Oita, seemingly to take a break and to refresh herself. However, it appears that she is really just undergoing an image change, moving into the adult industry under the stage name “Rico Yamaguchi.”
The news seems to have first been broken by the magazine Shukan Taishu, whose June 21 issue reported that a former AKB48 member was going to make her AV debut. At the time, a writer for Cyzo speculated that the girl in question was Nakanishi. On June 25, that guess was confirmed when her nude photos appeared in FRIDAY, and AV company Alice Japan announced the debut DVD of Rico Yamaguchi, scheduled to go on sale on August 27. In addition, it has also been announced that Yamaguchi will get her first nude photobook titled “Departure” on July 13.
Source: Cyzo + Tokyograph
[AKB48] YUKI, AKI, AND ASUKA TO FORM A NEW UNIT
“Zutto Mae Kara” will be used as the new ending theme of the ongoing “Major” anime series, beginning with the July 3 episode. That same day, the song will begin digital distribution through various music sites.
Source: Natalie + Tokyograph.com
[100607/ARASHI] SHO SAKURAI TO STAR IN A MOVIE WITH AOI MIYAZAKI
Sakurai has been cast as a doctor for the film, which is based on a bestselling novel published last year by an actual doctor named Sosuke Natsukawa. Ichito Kurihara (played by Sakurai) is a local physician in Nagano who meets an elderly woman with terminal cancer. His interaction with her leads to his own growth as a doctor and as a person. Miyazaki plays Sakurai’s beloved wife Haruna, who works as a photographer.
The staff for the film includes the production team from the movie “Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu” and screenwriter Noriko Goto, whose credits include the dramas “Blackjack ni Yoroshiku” and “Team Batista no Eikou.”
“Kamisama no Karute” will be released during the second half of 2011.
Source: Sports Hochi + Tokyograph.com
JPOP SMAP’S EXPO SHOW SCRAPPED
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[100604/KAT-TUN] JAPANESE IDOLS TO HOLD FIRST CONCERT IN SEOUL
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Japanese idol group KAT-TUN will be visiting Korea for their first-ever concert in the country in August, according to their Korean licenser Mnet Media on Friday.
A press release from Mnet said that the six-member boy band will hold their two-day concert at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul on August 6 and 7, as one of the stops on their Asia Tour titled “KAT-TUN World Big Tour.”
They are scheduled to take the stages of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and several countries throughout the Asia region.
A representative from Mnet stated, “Local fans are showing great interest in the group performing in the country and they will be able to experience high quality music from KAT-TUN.”
KAT-TUN, composed of members Kazuya Kamenashi, Jin Akanishi, Junnosuke Taguchi, Koki Tanaka, Tatsuya Ueda and Yuichi Nakamura, made their debut in 2006 with their first single album “Real Face.”
They are considered to be one of the most popular boy bands in Japan and have appeared in various Japanese variety shows, dramas and commercials.
cre: Asiae.co.kr
[100527/KPOP] XIAH JUNSU SINGLE DEBUTS AT #2
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Xiah Junsu of Korean idol group TVXQ has made a splashing solo debut in Japan, placing his first single at No. 2 on the prestigious Oricon music chart on the day of its release.
According to data on Oricon’s daily singles chart released Thursday, the singer’s new single album titled “Xiah (Intoxicaton)” shot to second place upon its release the previous day.
This marks the first time for the pop idol to rank on the Japanese music chart by himself — he had previously graced the chart numerous times as a member of popular boy band TVXQ.
TVXQ had enjoyed great success throughout Asia and the Japanese music industry in particular, becoming the first foreign artist to top the Oricon singles charts six times with their 27th single “Share the World/We are!” released last year.
They made music history in Japan again in early April, when they placed their single and album simultaneously within the top three slots of Oricon’s singles and albums chart, the first time for a foreign artist to do so in 15 years.
The boy band officially quit working as a group both in Japan and Korea however, due to the ongoing legal battle between three of its members — Xiah Junsu, Hero Jaejoong and Micky Yoochun — and its Korean agency SM Entertainment.
Last July, the three singers had asked a court to nullify their 13-year exclusive contract with SM, claiming that the contract period is too long.
However, under the management of Japanese agency AVEX, the trio are planning to form a separate group through which they will continue their musical activities in Japan.
They are set to hold a fan event next month at Osaka Dome and Tokyo Dome as a way of expressing their gratitude to their fans.
cre: asiae.co.kr
heard the single and it’s swell. love it really~!! Go go go..
[JPOP] KAT-TUN WANTS TO MEET KOREAN ACTRESS HAN HYO-JOO
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Japanese idols KAT-TUN have revealed in a monthly magazine that they want to meet Korean actress Han Hyo-joo.
According to an interview the group conducted with Japanese magazine TVnavi, the members talked about their upcoming Asia tour beginning this month in Thailand, Korea and Taiwan, as well as mentioning their interest in Han.
“We are looking forward to seeing a lot of pretty women in Korea. We heard somewhere that we are quite popular in the country,” Tatsuya Ueda and Yuichi Nakamaru were quoted saying.
Tatsuya Ueda went on to say, “To be honest, I have someone who I would like to meet when I go to Korea. I want to meet the female lead from the drama “Shining Inheritance. She is so pretty.”
“Since she is familiar with the culture in Japan she knows who KAT-TUN is. She is also interested in the band and wants to thank them for their interest,” a representative from Han’s agency BH Entertainment stated in response.
KAT-TUN, who made their debut in March 2006, have recorded numerous hit songs in the country including “Real Face,” “Signal” and recently “Going!”
Actress Han has appeared in several movies and dramas including “Spring Waltz” and “Iljimae” since making her debut in 2004 through MBC sitcom “Nonstop 5.” She then shot to superstardom after starring in “Shining Inheritance” last year which recorded ratings of over 47 percent.
She is currently starring in the historical epic “Dong Yi – Jewel in the Crown.”
cre: asiae.co.kr
[JPOP] MUSIC STATION: ARASHI, AKB48 AND XIAH JUNSU’S FIRST APPEARANCE
Credit/Source: http://asianfanatics.net
Posted By: jodie26
On Music Station’s May 28th broadcast, it has been announced that Arashi, AKB48, Meisa Kuroki, XIAH Junsu and JUJU will be filling up the guest lineup. XIAH Junsu, from popular group Tohoshinki will be performing as a solo artist for the first time in the program.
performance list (in alphabetical order)
Arashi – MONSTER
AKB48 – Ponytail to Shou Shou
Meisa Kuroki – 5-FIVE
XIAH Junsu – Intoxication
JUJU – Trust in You
source: Oricon
[100519/JPOP] ANOTHER #1 HIT FOR KAT-TUN
VAMPS charted at #2 with their latest single, just slightly ahead of Ketsumeishi. The fictional anime band Girls Dead Monster ranked #4. The rest of the top ten included other new releases from FUNKY MONKEY BABYS (#6), Choshinsung (#9), and Erina Mano (#10).
On the album charts, Hideaki Tokunaga’s “VOCALIST 4″ kept its #1 spot for a fourth straight week with an additional 37,000 in sales. At #2 was Suga Shikao, who now has his 13th consecutive top-ten album. This sets a new record for “consecutive top-ten albums starting with an artist’s first album,” surpassing Yutaka Ozaki, who achieved 12 of them before his sudden death.
Mariko Takahashi (#5) and Tiara (#10) also charted on the top ten with their new albums.
Source: Oricon = TOKYOGRAPH.COM
Here’s the MV of their single “Going!”:
cre: linkinparkera07@YT
[JPOP] 100414 AKB48 ACHIEVED 1ST ALBUM THIS WEEK
AKB48 achieved their first #1 album this week, with “Kamikyokutachi” selling nearly 295,000 copies. That sets this year’s record for first-week album sales by a female artist. It is also the first album by a female group to break the 250,000 mark since Morning Musume’s “4th Ikimasshoi!” in 2002.
Rock band Soutaiseiriron was #3 with their newest album. Ryu Si-won entered at #5 while BREAKERZ were at #9.
In the single rankings, NYC’s version of “Yuuki 100%” topped the charts with 92,000 in sales. Enka singer Kaori Mizumori opened at the #2 spot. Also in the top ten were Ai Otsuka (#6) and Ai Kawashima (#10).
Source: Oricon
[KPOP/JPOP] 100414 TVXQ JUNSU, JAEJOONG, YUCHOON FORM NEW UNIT
Earlier this month, Avex announced that the Korean group TVXQ is putting its group activities on hold, but now three of the members are forming a new unit of their own. The unit is currently known by the members’ names: JUNSU JEJUNG YUCHUN.
The trio will make their debut with a set of dome events, titled “JUNSU/JEJUNG/YUCHUN THANKSGIVING LIVE IN DOME.” First, they will perform at Kyocera Dome in Osaka on June 5 and 6. Then, they will perform one week later at Tokyo Dome, on June 12 and 13. An official website has already been launched.
The three members also have individual projects coming up. Jejung is one of the main characters in the new drama series “Sunao ni Narenakute,” while Yuchun has been cast in a mobile phone drama on BeeTV that starts in June. Junsu has a solo double A-side single scheduled for release on May 26, under the artist name “XIAH junsu.”
Source: Natalie + tokyograph.com
[KPOP/JPOP] 100407 TVXQ FINALLY DELIVERED THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY
Popular K-pop and J-pop group TVXQ has finally delivered their side of the story to the fans regarding their official disbandment through their Japanese webpage.
The members wrote, “To our fans and affiliates, we are sorry for causing any worries. We each will work hard in our individual fields.”
The disbandment was released on Apr. 3 also via the band’s Japanese website.
TVXQ’s Japanese management company, Avex Group stated on Apr. 3, “TVXQ will end their careers as a group but we will support these very talented young people in any way we can.”
Three members of TVXQ, Xiah Jun-soo, Hero Jae-joong and Micky Yoo-chun, were involved in a contract dispute with their Korean management company, SM Entertainment since July 2009.
Xiah is scheduled to release a solo album on May 26 and Hero, Micky and Max will be working as actors in different pieces.
credit/source: joongangdaily.com
[JPOP] FORMER AKB48 MAI OSHIMA GOES SOLO
Oshima entered show business in December 2005 when she passed the audition for the first generation of AKB48 and became a member of Team A. Affectionately known as “Maimai,” she graduated from the group in April 2009, focusing on being a television personality.
“Mendokusai Aijou” was composed by Kenichi Maeyamada, who has done music for artists such as Kumi Koda and TVXQ. The single will be released through major record label Avex on May 5, though the song will already be available as a chaku-uta on March 24.
Source: Sankei Sports + tokyograph.com
[KPOP/JPOP] BIG BANG LANDS AN AWARD FOR BEST CHOREOGRAPHY VIDEO IN JAPAN SPACE SHOWER MUSIC VID AWARD
The complete list of awards are as follows:
- Best Video of the Year: “FAST CAR,” Namie Amuro
- Best Artist: Ringo Shiina
- Best Your Choice: “Oshakashama,” RADWIMPS
- Best Director: Yuichi Kodama
- Best Male Video: “Shunkan Speechless,” KREVA
- Best Female Video: “Tsugou no Ii Shintai,” Ringo Shiina
- Best Rock Video: “Last Love Letter,” Chatmonchy
- Best Alternative Video: “Oyasumi Paradox,” Etsuko Yakushimaru
- Best Pop Video: “Butterfly,” Kaela Kimura
- Best Groove Video: “SOUND BOY THRILLER feeeeeeeeeeat. LISA,” m-flo
- Best Conceptual Video: “Native Dancer,” Sakanaction
- Best Choreography Video: “Gara Gara Go!!,” BIG BANG
- Best Art Direction Video: “FAST CAR,” Namie Amuro
- Best Shooting Video: “Futatsu no Kuchibiru,” EXILE
- Best International Video: “Paparazzi,” Lady Gaga
- Best New Artist Video: “Emotion Potion,” THE BAWDIES
- Best Hip Hop Video: “ONCE AGAIN,” RHYMESTER
- Best Reggae Video: “My Endless Love,” PUSHIM
- Special Award: Keisuke Kuwata
- Best Creators’ Choice: “Aishiteru,” Monkey Majik
Source: Space Shower Music Video Awards + tokyograph.com
[JPOP] AKINISHI TO PERFORM IN LOS ANGELES, REST OF KAT-TUN IN ASIA TOUR
KAT-TUN’s tour is scheduled to run from May to August. Most of the concerts will be in Japan, but a few of them will be held overseas. They will perform in Bangkok on July 31, in Seoul on August 6-7, and in Taipei on August 27-28. Other sources say that a Hawaii concert is also being considered.
However, Akanishi is expected to leave for Los Angeles in May to prepare for three concerts on June 19-20. These will be the first solo performances in the U.S. by a Johnny’s artist.
This is not the first time that Akanishi has been to Los Angeles. From 2006 to 2007, he took a break from show business and spent half a year there to study English.
After a solo performance in February, Akanishi received an offer from American cable channel UTB, which focuses on Japanese programs. At the time, KAT-TUN’s Asia tour had already been finalized, but after discussions with the other members and agency president Johnny Kitagawa, it was decided that the tour would go on without Akanishi. He agreed to three concerts on June 19-20 at the Club Nokia venue at the L.A. Live complex. It is said that he will perform the shows entirely in English.
Akanishi is expected to remain in Los Angeles until October. He will be involved in promotional activities and is considering additional U.S. concerts.
Source: Sankei Sports + tokyograph.com
[KPOP] ZE:A TAKES FIRST STEP IN JAPANESE SINGING MARKET
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K-pop idol group ZE:A, also known as Children of Empire, will be taking their first step into expanding their career overseas by visiting Japan this week, according to their agency Star Empire Entertainment on Wednesday.
Star Empire said the group will fly into Japan on Friday to perform at Tokyo Gotanda Yoohoo Port Hall for the “Seoul Train,” a monthly event which introduces various K-pop artists to music consumers in Japan.
The nine-member boy band has been accumulating fans in the country since opening their official Japanese fan site on the day of their debut early January.
A representative from Star Empire explained, “The members are very excited and nervous about visiting Japan for the first time. They are working hard to put together a great performance.”
ZE:A, discovered and trained by entertainment firm Star Empire, debuted with song “Mazeltov” from their album titled “Nativity.” They had garnered much attention even before their debut through the release of teaser videos and guerilla shows.
The group’s second single album will go on sale on March 25.
credit: asiae.co.kr
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[JPOP] WAT’S TEPPEI KOIKE STARS IN NHK DRAMA
w“Tetsu no Hone” is an adaptation of a novel by prize-winning author Jun Ikeido. Koike plays a young employee of a general contracting company who faces a moral dilemma when he is forced to participate in bid-rigging.
Takanori Jinnai (51), Atsuo Nakamura (70), Kosuke Toyohara (44), and Asami Usuda (25) will also appear in the drama.
Source: Sankei Sports+tokyograph.com
[JPOP] NEWS’ TEGOSHI CAUSES CAR ACCIDENT
According to Shibuya police, the accident took place near a coin-operated parking lot in Minami-Azabu on the evening of March 15. Tegoshi was exiting from the parking lot, while a taxi on the street was passing from his right. His vehicle hit the rear left side of the taxi.
Tegoshi reportedly said that he mistakenly thought the taxi was going to yield to him.
Fortunately, neither Tegoshi nor the taxi driver were hurt.
Source: Sankei Sports + tokyograph.com
[JPOP] ARASHI RELEASES NEW SINGLE IN KOREA MARCH 17
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Japanese pop group Arashi will be releasing their new single “Troublemaker” in Korea today, according to agency SM Entertainment on Wednesday.
SM said in a press release that “Troublemaker” will be released in Korea in two versions; a regular CD and a limited edition composed of a CD and DVD.
The DVD will contain the music video for “Troublemaker” as well as making-the-video footage while the CD will feature an additional track titled “One More Step.”
“Troublemaker”, the group’s latest single released in Japan earlier this month, sold over 540,000 copies in its first week to top Oricon’s weekly single chart.
The pop track was also featured in popular Japanese television series, “Tokujo Kobachi!!”, which starred one of the group’s member Sakurai Sho.
Another track on the record will be “Shake It Now”, which was used as the theme song for several Japanese television programs as well as for the recent 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.
Arashi — composed of members Masaki Aiba, Jun Matsumoto, Kazunari Ninomiya, Satoshi Ohno and Sho Sakurai — made their debut in November 1999 with the eponymous single “Arashi”, which became an instant hit and sold over half a million copies in the first week alone of its release.
The boy band has released eight studio albums, three compilation albums and 29 singles to date, of which 25 have reached No. 1 on the Oricon singles chart.
source: asiae.co.kr
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