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60th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
The , referred to from hereon as "Kōhaku", was aired on December 31, 2009 from NHK Hall in Japan. Performers The singers, announced on November 23, 2009, are ordered below according to the gojūon. Names in bold letters did not perform in the preceding year's program. Results The winners were the white team, making it their 5th consecutive win. The table below documents the voting and points distribution: Special guests From the Kodomo (children's) Kōhaku Uta Gassen: *Seishiro Kato * Maya Sakura * * [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yukie Nakama
is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. History Biography She was born in Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan, into a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings. At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer (her debut single "Moonlight to Daybreak" was released in 1996), and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday (2000)." In 2000, Nakama demonstrated her talent for comedy with her lead role in the Japanese television drama '' Trick'' which proved so popular that it had two more seasons and four film versions, but it was the top-rating 2002 TV series '' Gokusen'', a live-action version of the popular manga, that established her as one of Japan's most popular and bankable actresses. Gokusen continued on for 3 seasons, which had many cameo appearances by actors who were on previous seasons. She is also known for her role in the drama, Saki, which Co-starred Shohei Miura. Nakama has featured in commercials for co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sayuri Ishikawa
is a Japanese enka singer who made her professional debut in 1973. With a career nearing five decades, she is one of the most-recognized and successful enka singers in history. Ishikawa is a popular contestant on the annual NHK ''Kōhaku Uta Gassen'' broadcast. Up till 2017, she has been invited to perform 40 times since 1977, the year she released her biggest hit, " Tsugaru Kaikyo-Fuyugeshiki". To date, she holds the record for the most appearances in the ''NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen'' for a female artist. She has released over 100 albums (including compilation albumsIshikawa's official website lists only her Teichiku albums.) and more than 120 singles, of which a few were not enka, but rock and jazz music instead. Another of her biggest hits, "Amagi-goe", which was released in 1986, won her many awards, and many believe that it was this song that made her an icon as an A-list enka singer. Biography Ishikawa grew up during enka's heyday and went with her mother and grandmother to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stand By U
"Stand by U" is South Korean pop group Tohoshinki's twenty-eighth Japanese language single. "Stand by U" was released on July 1, 2009 by their label Rhythm Zone and was released in two formats: CD and CD+DVD. The track serves as the final single promoted by the group as a five-piece, following which legal troubles caused the group to go on an extended hiatus. Background Shortly after the release of their twenty-seventh Japanese language single, "Share the World/We Are!", news about the group recording the single started to surfaced online. Chart performance Upon the release of the single in Japan, it took the number two spot on the Oricon daily chart selling over 94,800 copies. On July 5, 2009 daily chart the single peaked at the number-one spot selling nearly 29,300 copies. On the issue date of July 13, 2009, "Stand by U" debuted at number two on the Oricon weekly chart behind pop boy band Arashi's "Everything"; selling a little more than 182,060 copies. Music video Like thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tohoshinki
TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of their Korean name Dong Bang Shin Ki (). Their name roughly translates to "Rising Gods of the East". Formed by SM Entertainment in 2003, TVXQ began as a five-member boy band composed of members U-Know Yunho, Max Changmin, Hero Jaejoong, Micky Yoochun, and Xiah Junsu. They were immediately launched to mainstream recognition following the release of their first physical single "Hug" (2004), which peaked at number four on the MIAK monthly music chart. Their first studio albums ''Tri-Angle'' (2004) and '' Rising Sun'' (2005) were both top sellers, pushing the band's popularity beyond Korea. Under Avex, TVXQ entered the Japanese market with their first Japanese album '' Heart, Mind and Soul'' (2006), but it was met with limited success. TVX ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Butterfly (Kaela Kimura Song)
"Butterfly" is a wedding song by Japanese musician Kaela Kimura, released as a digital single on June 1, 2009, roughly a month before her fifth album, ''Hocus Pocus''. It was extremely successful, reaching downloads of over 2,000,000 just over six months after its release. It is Kimura's most successful single digitally. Columbia released a special instrumental version of the song on February 14, 2010. Writing and inspiration The song is a ballad, arranged with a harpsichord and piano backing. As the song progresses, a band arrangement with electric guitars and drums is introduced. Also present in the song are the sounds of church bells, a children's choir and a church organ. The lyrics describe a newly wed bride as a butterfly, who is "more wonderful today than any other time before" who "flaps white wings, together towards happiness." The verses deal with how the person writing the song met the wedding bride so long ago, and describes the wedding ceremony, and how happy the brid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaela Kimura
is a Japanese pop rock singer, lyricist, fashion model and television presenter. Career Born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan to a Japanese mother and British father, Kimura started working as a model in 2002 for the Japanese magazine ''Seventeen''. She went on to host the morning television show ''Saku Saku'' from April 14, 2003 to March 31, 2006. Kimura released her only indie single, titled " Level 42", but it was later released as her major label debut single on June 23, 2004, after she signed with Columbia Music Entertainment. The song was used over the end credits of ''Saku Saku''. On October 27, Kimura released her second single, " Happiness!!!", which was followed by her debut album, '' Kaela'', on December 8, 2004. Following the release of her third single, "Rirura Riruha", on March 30, 2005, Kimura saw her fanbase grow considerably. The song was used in a series of Vodafone commercials in Japan and helped make her a household name. It sold over 100,000 copies, her best- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SMAP
SMAP was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. The group was created in 1988 by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, originally as a six-piece with Katsuyuki Mori, until his departure from the band in 1996. The name stands for "Sports Music Assemble People". After making their debut in 1991, the group took the Japanese entertainment industry by storm, becoming one of the most successful boy bands in Asia. The group is often referred to as a "national treasure" and a "fortune and property of the country" in Japan. SMAP was regarded as an iconic group in Japan, after achieving an unprecedented level of success in numerous genres in the entertainment industry, including music, television, film, radio, and theater, as a group and individually. SMAP was credited for changing the Japanese entertainment and music industry, in terms of prolonging longevity of boy bands and bro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miyuki Kawanaka
is a Japanese enka singer. Her singing career spanned over four decades. She married Katsuo Yamada in 1991. Early life Kawanaka was born Kimiko Kawanaka in Yonago, Tottori. At a young age, she moved to Suita, Osaka where she grew up. In 1973, at age 18, she debuted as Kasuga Harumi and tried to become a pop idol with the release of the songs "Shinjuku Tenshin" and "Kantsubaki no Shima Kara". Both singles failed and she returned to Osaka to work at her mother's okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients (mixed, or as toppings) cooked on a '' teppan'' (flat griddle). Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, and toppings include ''okonomiyaki' ... restaurant. In 1976, she won a contest singing "Anatani Inochi Gake". She adopted stage name Miyuki Kawanaka and launched her second debut as an enka singer. In 1980 Kawanaka's single ''Futarizake'' (ふたり酒) hit, with sales over a million copies. Her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jero
Jerome Charles White Jr. (born September 4, 1981), better known by his stage name , is an American enka singer of African-American and Japanese descent who is the first black enka singer in Japanese music history. In 2018, Jero announced that he was taking an indefinite hiatus from his music career to focus on a career in computers. Biography Jero began singing Enka at the age of six and continued to study the Japanese language all throughout high school and college. Jero: Japan's First African-American Enka Singer, February 12, 2009 He also studied Japanese for some time at the school of foreign languages. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Girl Next Door (band)
Girl Next Door was a Japanese pop musical trio that debuted in 2008 on the Avex Trax label. The band consists of vocalist Chisa, guitarist Yuji Inoue and Daisuke Suzuki on keyboard. On September 3, 2013, the group's fifth anniversary, the band formally announced plans to dissolve Girl Next Door within the year. Their final performance as a group was held at SHIBUYA-AX on December 8, 2013. History Girl Next Door was formed in March, and subsequently made their official debut in September 2008. Originally a dancer in the Kansai area, Chisa entered the Avex Artist Academy in 2005, and met Daisuke Suzuki (keyboardist) who was a respectable songwriter. Chisa and Suzuki recorded many demo tracks which eventually caught the eye of Avex CEO, Max Matsuura. Yuji Inoue(Guitarist) then joined the two, and Girl Next Door was formed and debuted with their 1st single: in September 2008. Chisa was born on November 16, 1985 and grew up in Hyōgo Prefecture. Her full name is . Girl Next Door' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kobukuro
, a Japanese band, formed in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. The name is a portmanteau of the two family names, Kentarō Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda. Members * * The band's visual appearance is unusual; there are only two people, and Kuroda stands over 193 cm (6'4") tall. History In May 1998, Kobuchi and Kuroda met each other in Sakai near Osaka. Kobuchi was a salesman who held street concerts every Saturday for relaxation and Kuroda was a physical education teacher and a street musician. In September the same year, Kobuchi offered Kuroda a song and seeing that Kuroda was not a skilled guitar player, Kobuchi became the guitar player of the group. Thus, ''Kobukuro'' was formed. Kobukuro received moderately successful ratings for their first three indie albums—''Saturday 8:PM'' (July 1999), ''ANSWER'' (December 2000) and ''Root of My Mind'' (March 2001). Kobukuro signed with Warner Music Japan in 2001, and made their debut with the hit single, "Yell" which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ai Otsuka
is a Japanese singer-songwriter from Suminoe-ku, Osaka, Japan. She is a popular artist on the Avex Trax label and is best known for her 2003 hit " Sakuranbo", which stayed in the Top 200 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for 103 weeks. A piano player since age four, Otsuka composes and co-produces her own songs, as well as writes her own lyrics. Her music ranges from upbeat pop/rock music to ballads. Every year, Otsuka also has her own ''Love is Born'' tour to mark the anniversary of being in the music industry and her birthday in September. All of the ''Love is Born'' concerts take place in Japan, ending in her hometown of Osaka. On ''Love is Born 5th Anniversary'' in 2008, Otsuka held a leg of the concert in Taiwan, where she performed a Chinese version of her song "Planetarium". In 2009, Otsuka held 3 ''Love is Born 6th Anniversary'' concerts in Japan, as well as two concerts in Taiwan. In 2012, Otsuka debuted as the vocalist of the band Rabbit. She sold 7 million copies in Japan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
