|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
IS THE U.S. READY FOR ASIAN AMERICAN POP STARS?
ime was when we saw literary fame or Hollywood stardom as the final frontier for Asian acceptance in the U.S. More recently the frontier shifted to pro sports and national politics.
A year into the 21st Century we see Asian lights going on in the literary world, Hollywood and pro sports. We even see Asian Americans in two cabinet posts. But one arena remains starkly devoid of Asian stars -- the pop music scene.
James Iha, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist/backup vocals & solo recording artist
|
Classical stars like Yo-Yo Ma, Seiji Ozawa and Vanessa Mae are old news. We've noted Japanese imports like Shonen Knife, Keiko Matsui and Pizzicato Five. We've marveled at the unlikely hit "Sukiyaki". Many of us have spotted James Iha in Smashing Pumpkins and Jeff Lin in Harvey Danger, or maybe even heard of Asian American bands like Seam and Versus.
But where is pop music's Chow Yun-Fat, Ichiro, Chang-rae Lee, Norman Mineta?
One indication of our lack of presence in pop music is the fact that Ming-Na and husband Eric Zee have even financed a record label (Innovazian) in hopes of promoting an Asian American pop/R&B boy group -- a sort of private Head Start program for pop music. Few of us even know its name (At Last). Its first CD sold all of 3,000 copies.
Those of a paranoid or cynical bent will postulate conspiracies among racist, short-sighted heads of major record labels. The sociologically inclined will see pop music as the inner sanctum of American culture and Asians as the perpetual outsiders.
But for purposes of this page, put on your music critic/historian hat and prognosticate the most likely path by which an Asian star will ascend to the American pop firmament. Will it be a Canto-Pop, J-Pop or K-Pop star storming the U.S. via the import route? Will it be a surprise chart-topper by an AA artist (say James Iha with another, more successful solo album)? Or will there be a frontal assault by a wave of AA groups/artists currently playing the club and auditorium circuits?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:31 PM)
the singer of Hoobastank is half Japanese. he said so on an MTV interview.
other notable asian musicians:
singer of the deftones is part Chinese, their bassist is full Chinese. the bassist of Unwritten Law is also full asian.
vn girl
Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 11:57:30 (PST)
regarding the hoobastank comment i have heard someone mention that the singer was half asian
azn_punker
Thursday, March 14, 2002 at 21:35:19 (PST)
Actually, since I mentioned them before, I thought I should add this...for those of you who might not be familiar with the group, Gorillaz is a group of musicians who have achieved some success in other groups and wanted to try something different without the pressures of stardom, and so they made cartoon characters, none of which correspond to real band members, to front for them. As I mentioned, one of the characters is an Asian girl. As it turns out, two of the actual members of the group are AA. The closest I can give you to their real names is Dan the Automater and Kid Koala. Anyway, they were in a pictorial in Stuff Magazine, and it was news to me, so maybe it's news to you.
Ahankara
Thursday, March 14, 2002 at 01:42:31 (PST)
James Iha's success (or lack thereof) is largely due to his outlook on the music scene and the reasons for making the music itself - he didn't WANT to lead the Smashing Pumpkins, and his solo album was more of a personal release than a money-making venture. His next album will probably be along the same lines; James isn't the most commercial figure; he does things like modeling, fashion design, and music because he enjoys them, not because he's seeking international fame. You gotta want it to win it, in most cases.
kendra
Tuesday, March 12, 2002 at 07:09:23 (PST)
Everybody knows anything about the lead singer in the band Hoobastank(sp)? He got to be at least part asian.
Azz kicker
Monday, March 11, 2002 at 11:37:57 (PST)
On the subject of Linkin Park...it's worth pointing out that not only are two members Asian-American, but they are also fairly prominent members. For one thing, the group is suceeding fairly well in keeping a balanced view of the various members. But actually, you may not have noticed that quite a sucessful video on MTV right now is a collaboration between the X-exutioners (fairly big-name dj group) and Shinoda (the rapper from Linkin Park) and Hahn (the mixer). Given their apparent devotion to music and work ethic, we can hope that they're around for a long time to come. And she may be a fictional character, but Noodles (one of the Gorillaz front-personas) is Asian! ;-) Maybe the wall is beginning to crumble, eh?
Ahankara
Sunday, March 10, 2002 at 23:21:37 (PST)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|