Another flash in Japan gaijin singer

[Samurai_Jerk]

Big in Japan: American Chris Hart Finds J-Pop Home

His album of cover versions of Japanese pop tunes is rising on the charts. And the crooner is scoring on this nation's equivalent of "American Idol," being billed as a genius who understands the musical soul of Japan.

His success highlights a music industry that's still booming, and increasingly eager to internationalize. It's even ready to eclipse the U.S. music world, where CD sales have plunged with the arrival of digital technology.

Hart, 29, says he is living his dream. And he doesn't mind a bit that his fame has come so far from home.

"I am a part of the J-pop world now," he said in a recent interview, using the term for pop music in the world's third-biggest economy.

Hart has won over Japan by focusing on adaptations of local hits such as "Home," a 2008 ballad popularized by singer Yusaku Kiyama about the joys of becoming a father.

Hart's rendition, released as a single in May, surged to No. 13 on the Oricon music charts, Japan's equivalent of Billboard. A month later, Hart released his first album, "Heart Song," which reached third on Oricon.

That's saying a lot, given the size of Japan's market.

Japan's music industry is estimated at $4.42 billion, closely trailing the U.S. at $4.48 billion, although Japan has less than half the population, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which tracks such data.

[JAVGOD]

I searched Oricon and got 0 results for Chris Hart. Should I be looking under a different name?

[BigInJapan]

I remember seeing this guy on the Nodojiman karaoke for foreigner TV show (のどじまん ザ！ワールド) a couple of times (he won). Didn't know that he had scored a recording contract, good on him. If and when his career falters, let's just hope he doesn't resort to running around in his tighty whities in really embarrassing TV CM's like a certain other flash-in-the pan gaijin tarento...
Chris Hart official site

[JAVGOD]

Thanks, B.I.J.

Not my thing but glad he's been given a chance I guess. Seems more like propaganda piece to me to be pro-usa or whatever.

I see he is signed to Universal...He'll regret that probably. lol.

The sales numbers for J-Pop I thought are in full-on decline except for the old 80's pop stars and girl groups with their "special offers". Comparing Japan to a US market thats in free fall did not make me think, "oh great they have a chance."

Is anyone buying much music on line/downloadable or in cd format much in Japan?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Is anyone buying much music on line/downloadable or in cd format much in Japan?

Try reading the article.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I saw this punter doing a duet with Seiko Matsuda the other day. I didn't hear him sing, but his Japanese was shit hot and he seemed like a decent young man. (Mind you, if he sings jazz, he should be euthanized, together with every other jazz "performer" who's ever existed, but that's just personal preference...)
Rather than talk about him, I'd rather talk about how much I'd like to shag Seiko. She's fucken hot,,,still....in her mid-50s. She's probably all dried up, so it'd be liking fucking someone up the arse, but having been with Japanese birds who've removed the falsies from their bras, it's not like I haven't been confused by that sort of thing in the past anyway...

[Coligny]

Rahh... Japanese 80' monobrows...

image.jpg

yeah, photoshop on the IPad DO actually sucks...