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Veteran Amami utasha Ikue Asazaki
We often focus on the new singers from Amami-Oshima like Rikki Nakano, Chitose Hajime, Kosuke Atari, and Minami Kizuki, leaving out the traditional singers. So, better late than never, no? Ikue Asazaki is a veteran utasha (now in her 70s) who has been singing Amami shimauta since picking it up from her father and regarded…
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New album from Ryukyu Underground on April 15
It’s hard to believe that Ryukyu Underground’s last album was released three years ago so it’s great news to hear about their new release for 2009, “Umui,” which will be the duo’s 4th album. Ryukyu Underground features a mixture sounds of Dub, Hip Hop, Afro Beat, and Lounge, to create a club sound out of…
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Amuro, Denki Groove top Space Shower awards – Tokyograph
On Sunday, the 2009 SPACE SHOWER Music Video Awards were presented. This year, Namie Amuro won Best Female Video for the second year in a row with ‘NEW LOOK.’ To top it off, she also picked up the newly established Best Artist award. Best Video of the Year went to Denki Groove’s ‘Mononoke Dance,’ which…
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More kids for Kiroro – Tokyograph
Both members of pop duo Kiroro had joyous news to announce on Tuesday. Their agency revealed that keyboardist Ayano Kinjo gave birth to her second child on Saturday, while also announcing that vocalist Chiharu Tamashiro is pregnant with her third child. Kinjo previously gave birth to a daughter in 2005. This time she had a…
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H&MC reveals new vocalist – Tokyograph
HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR has announced the addition of a new female vocalist. The 21-year-old HALCA, hailing from Okinawa, is filling the gap left by former member Maki. Maki left in October due to her marriage with Masato Nakamura of DREAMS COME TRUE. (Link: “H&MC reveals new vocalist – Tokyograph.”) So, we finally have a…
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New year get-together and fellowship dinner
Happy New Year to the Okinawa Minyo Kyokai Derek Ichiro Shiroma Kenkyusho and Jane Kaneshiro Sozan Kai who will have a New Year get-together and fellowship dinner this Friday night at the Jikoen Hongwanji Mission. I’ll be there and I’m hoping to see some of you there too. 🙂 (Nifee deebitan for the invite, Derek-sensei!)
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PV for BENI’s upcoming single “Kiss Kiss Kiss”
BENI’s new single—and her 2nd since going solely by her first name—won’t be released until April 8, 2009, but luckily, her record label has released the PV of the single on their official YouTube page. The new single, titled “Kiss Kiss Kiss,” sports BENI in a short bob-style hairdo (which I really like, BTW) and…
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Amuro does animated music video – Tokyograph
Namie Amuro’s new song ‘Dr.’ will be made into an anime music video. This is the first time that one of her music videos will be a fully animated work. In addition, Amuro will appear in it as an animated character. A group of more than forty of Japan’s leading creators, deemed the ‘strongest’ in…
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Ayano Uema posts images on her blog from her Kansai tour
Utasaa Ayano Uema’s blog entry on her recent Kansai tour is filled with both candid and on-stage images. The first of the trio of concerts took place at Live House MAXA in Matsuzaka City, Mie Prefecture (yes, it’s where the famous Matsuzaka beef is from), and was filmed live by the city’s TV station. To…
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Emi Tawata collaborates with apparel brand SOULSMANIA
Singer Emi Tawata’s latest mini album, “Sweet Soul Love,” was just released on the 18th and it features a collaboration with popular apparel brand SOULSMANIA. The combined effort produced a lineup of t-shirts that perfectly compliment both sides as the apparel from SOULSMANIA are influenced by black culture and Emi’s style of music is a…
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