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Viva Ai
''Viva Ai'' (stylized as ViVa A.I.) is the seventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released March 4, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured three singles, the 2008 theme song for the film '' Departures'', " Okuribito," a collaboration single with Exile vocalist Atsushi called " So Special" and the preceding single, "You Are My Star." Background and development Six months after Ai released her sixth album, ''Don't Stop Ai'', she released a re-cut single from that album, a ballad called "Taisetsu na Mono." Both of the B-sides from the single, "Feel for You" and "Touch the Sky" appear on ''Viva Ai''. At the same time, she released a single with Anna Tsuchiya called "Crazy World," which was the first time Ai was a billed artist on a single since Suite Chic's "Uh Uh......" and Michico's "Gold Digga" in 2003. In July 2008, Ai was featured on an R&B mid-tempo song called "So Special," by Exile member Atsushi, released on Exile's compilat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ai (singer)
, known mononymously as Ai (, stylized as AI or A.I. ), is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, spokeswoman, and actress. Born in Los Angeles, California, Ai moved to Kagoshima, at age 4. Motivated to become a singer, Ai returned to Los Angeles, attending the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. While in Los Angeles, Ai began her musical career performing as part of a gospel choir at a Mary J. Blige concert and as a dancer for Janet Jackson's music video, "Go Deep". She briefly joined the Asian girl group SX4 in 1999 until she graduated high school. After being discovered by BMG in 2000, Ai relocated to Japan and released her debut album, ''My Name is Ai'' (2001), to very little commercial success. Signing to Def Jam Records Japan in 2002, Ai became the first woman signed to the label. She released two studio albums under the label, ''Original Ai'' (2003) and ''2004 Ai''. With the release of her third studio album, Ai rose to mainstream promi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soul Supreme
Soul Supreme (real name David Åström), born 1983, is a hip hop producer from Sweden. He has worked with the likes of KRS-One, Pete Rock and Big Daddy Kane. In 2003 he released his debut and self-produced album “The Saturday Night Agenda” under the name Soul Supreme on the Boston-based label Grit Records. The album featured KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock, O.C. and many more. Later the same year he produced the entire mixtape "Soulmatic", a remixed version of Nas classic album "Stillmatic", which was released through hiphopsite.com. In 2004 he continued with another remix mixtape; Soul & Sense containing remixes on early Common material when Common still called himself Common Sense. This was in 2005 released on Nocturne as a CD entitled “Uncommonly Nasty: Remixed By Soul Supreme & Statik Selektah”. In 2006 he made URB Magazine’s list of the next 100 producers His production borrows heavily from, often pitched-up, soul samples; hence the name. He is signed to JuJu Publ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taisetsu Na Mono
''Don't Stop Ai'' (stylized as DON'T STOP A.I.) is the sixth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 5, 2007, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured two successful singles, the mid-tempo R&B song "I'll Remember You" and the ballad "Taisetsu na Mono," both of which were certified gold by the RIAJ. The album is the first of Ai's on which she extensively collaborated with Japanese musicians, and her first on which she worked closely with Scandinavian producers. Background and development The final concert for Ai's tour of her previous album, ''What's Goin' On Ai'', was held at the Nippon Budokan stadium, which was the first time Ai performed at the venue. The Budokan recording was released as Ai's first live album, '' Live Ai'', in March 2007. In 2007, Ai performed at several Japanese summer rock festivals, including FM802 Meet the World Beat, Rock in Japan Festival, Voices of Heart II, AP Bank Fes and Monster Bash. Ai released ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exile (Japanese Band)
Exile (stylized as EXILE) is a 19-member Japanese boy band. Hiro is the group's leader, who debuted as a member of Zoo under For Life Music, but Exile have released their singles and albums under Avex Group's label Rhythm Zone. Hiro and Avex's president Max Matsuura came from the same high school. In 2003, the six original members of Exile founded the management and entertainment company LDH which has debuted many successful groups and soloists ever since. Exile is the representative group of the company. In total, they have sold over 24 million records in Japan alone. History Pre-debut The current leader, Hiro, was originally in the pop group Zoo before they split up in 1995. In 1999, he started a new group called J Soul Brothers, which later changed its name to Exile in 2001. (But the name of J Soul Brothers was later revived by Hiro again in 2007 when he helped to form another 7-member group under the new J Soul Brothers moniker.) Debut and second generation Atsush ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Departures (2008 Film)
is a 2008 Japanese drama film directed by Yōjirō Takita and starring Masahiro Motoki, Ryōko Hirosue, and Tsutomu Yamazaki. The film follows a young man who returns to his hometown after a failed career as a cellist and stumbles across work as a '' ''—a traditional Japanese ritual mortician. He is subjected to prejudice from those around him, including from his wife, because of strong social taboos against people who deal with death. Eventually he repairs these interpersonal connections through the beauty and dignity of his work. The idea for ''Departures'' arose after Motoki, affected by having seen a funeral ceremony along the Ganges when travelling in India, read widely on the subject of death and came across ''Coffinman''. He felt that the story would adapt well to film, and ''Departures'' was finished a decade later. Because of Japanese prejudices against those who handle the dead, distributors were reluctant to release it—until a surprise grand prize win at the Mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Universal Sigma
Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a television channel owned by NBCUniversal ** Universal Kids, an American current television channel, formerly known as Sprout, owned by NBCUniversal ** Universal Pictures, an American film studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal Television, a television division owned by NBCUniversal Content Studios ** Universal Parks & Resorts, the theme park unit of NBCUniversal * Universal Airlines (other) * Universal Avionics, a manufacturer of flight control components * Universal Corporation, an American tobacco company * Universal Display Corporation, a manufacturer of displays * Universal Edition, a classical music publishing firm, founded in Vienna in 1901 * Universal Entertainment Corporation, a Japanese software producer and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Americans
are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asian American group at around 1,469,637, including those of partial ancestry. According to the 2010 census, the largest Japanese American communities were found in California with 272,528, Hawaii with 185,502, New York with 37,780, Washington with 35,008, Illinois with 17,542 and Ohio with 16,995. Southern California has the largest Japanese American population in North America and the city of Gardena holds the densest Japanese American population in the 48 contiguous states. History Immigration People from Japan began migrating to the US in significant numbers following the political, cultural, and social changes stemming from the Meiji Restoration in 1868. These early Issei immigrants came primarily from small towns and rural areas in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
You Are My Star
''Viva Ai'' (stylized as ViVa A.I.) is the seventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released March 4, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured three singles, the 2008 theme song for the film '' Departures'', " Okuribito," a collaboration single with Exile vocalist Atsushi called " So Special" and the preceding single, " You Are My Star." Background and development Six months after Ai released her sixth album, '' Don't Stop Ai'', she released a re-cut single from that album, a ballad called "Taisetsu na Mono." Both of the B-sides from the single, "Feel for You" and "Touch the Sky" appear on ''Viva Ai''. At the same time, she released a single with Anna Tsuchiya called "Crazy World," which was the first time Ai was a billed artist on a single since Suite Chic's "Uh Uh......" and Michico's "Gold Digga" in 2003. In July 2008, Ai was featured on an R&B mid-tempo song called "So Special," by Exile member Atsushi, released on Exile's compilati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Okuribito (song)
"Okuribito" (Japanese: おくりびと , "one who sends off") is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released September 10, 2008, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It served as the image song for the film of the same name, titled '' Departures'' in English. Background and release After watching the ''Departures'' preview and hearing the instrumental of the image song, Ai worked with Joe Hisaishi , known professionally as , is a Japanese composer, musical director, conductor and pianist, known for over 100 film scores and solo albums dating back to 1981. He is also known for his piano scores. Hisaishi's music has been known to explor ... to add lyrics to the instrumental piece. In July 2008, the song was announced. In August, the release date of the single was announced. "Okuribito" would be released physically alongside " So Special" as a double A-side single. Live performances Ai performed the song live for the first time on September 6, 200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
So Special (Ai Song)
"So Special" is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai and Japanese singer-songwriter Atsushi of Exile. It was released on September 10, 2008 alongside " Okuribito" as a double A-side single, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The song and "Okuribito" served as the lead singles for Ai's seventh studio album, ''Viva Ai''. Background "So Special" was written by Ai and Atsushi as a duet. Two versions of the song were recorded, a "Version Ai" and a "Version EX". In July 2008, Avex Group announced the "Version EX" of the song was to be included on Exile's greatest hits album, . The band's greatest hits album was initially announced in June 2008. In August, Universal Japan announced Ai's version of the song was to be included on the physical release of " Okuribito", a song she recorded for '' Departures'', as a double A-side single. Promotion and live performances "So Special" was used as the Music Fighter Music is generally defined as the art of ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Best Ai
''Best Ai'' is the first greatest hits album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on September 16, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The album was released in three editions: limited CD+DVD, CD only and "Arienai Price" (low-priced) editions. ''Best Ai'' debuted at number 2 on the daily Oricon albums chart but switched back and forth between number 1 and number 2 several times during its release week. The album went on to debut atop the weekly albums chart with 81,663 copies sold, beating the second-place holder Takeshi Tsuruno's ''Tsuruno Oto'' by merely 1,332 units and becoming her first number-one album. The album is certified Platinum for shipment of 250,000 copies. Track listing Charts Weekly charts Monthly charts Year-end charts Certifications See also * List of Oricon number-one albums of 2009 The highest-selling albums and mini-albums in Japan are ranked in the Oricon Weekly Chart, published by Oricon Style magazine. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don't Stop Ai
''Don't Stop Ai'' (stylized as DON'T STOP A.I.) is the sixth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 5, 2007, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured two successful singles, the mid-tempo R&B song " I'll Remember You" and the ballad "Taisetsu na Mono," both of which were certified gold by the RIAJ. The album is the first of Ai's on which she extensively collaborated with Japanese musicians, and her first on which she worked closely with Scandinavian producers. Background and development The final concert for Ai's tour of her previous album, ''What's Goin' On Ai'', was held at the Nippon Budokan stadium, which was the first time Ai performed at the venue. The Budokan recording was released as Ai's first live album, '' Live Ai'', in March 2007. In 2007, Ai performed at several Japanese summer rock festivals, including FM802 Meet the World Beat, Rock in Japan Festival, Voices of Heart II, AP Bank Fes and Monster Bash. Ai released ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
