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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
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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?
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Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:27 PM)
bjack,
Who cares about pop? Stupid kids stuff that's not even healthy for them. Am glad the Chinese isn't leading.
Taiwanese
Monday, June 24, 2002 at 04:06:40 (PDT)
I LOVE JOE HAHN!
get married to me!
你太帥呆了..死靚仔
我要嫁給你....
CinDeRelLa
cinderellawater@sinagirl.com
Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 04:44:32 (PDT)
Greetings, My name is bjack (black-jack), I'm a producer/arranger/composer/artist
Since leaving a film career in Hollywood, I've been working in Taiwan's Mando-Pop Music industry for 4 years now. I agree that there is much talent in Asia with Japan and Korea in the lead followed by Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin...have some catching up to do), but the abilities of vocalists and quality of production just dosen't match the big boys in America. After all, they are the leaders in Entertainment (film and music). When asian music gets to that level, then we might have a chance. Most Asian-Americans live in a sub-culture so the music will not express what most consumers can connect with...For now there's just a lot of Chinese kids in Japanese cars at Korean Clubs....I think the fastest way to get one of ours up there is to put a really good artist on the soundtracks for those asian films that are popping up in Hollywood. Maybe, give them a role in it. That's kind of what Coco Lee is doing...but I don't know why she's going the Celine Dion way, I see her doing more of the younger hip-hop stuff...
bjack
bjackfunk@yahoo.com
Friday, June 21, 2002 at 16:03:59 (PDT)
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Amerie on here. My sister just recently introduced me to a couple of songs, and she don't sound too shabby. Half corean and half black....nice.
T.B.
Friday, June 21, 2002 at 08:46:41 (PDT)
Rock Rules,
Pop does sucks, but guess what?
Asian rockers in this country also SUCK! James Iha, probably the most well known is just as bad.
Japanese Rock bands like Glay, L'Arc en Ciel, Luna Sea and Hide produce much better music than Linkin Park. The riffs, guitar techniques and songwriting of these Japanese Rock groups surpass any Alternative/Underground American Band.
Let's put this way, American Rock music overall isn't worth listening. The British Invasion really put the final nail on the coffin when it comes to American Rock!
Think Steve Vai and Joe Satriani are guitar gods, well think again! Both of them said they were no match for Tak Matsumoto, who is regarded as Asia's most impressive rock guitarist.
Most well-known and impressive rock musician in Asia:
The late Wong Ka Kui (Koma) of the HK Rock Band BEYOND.
How many Asian rockers actually self taught themselves to play the guitar?
How many Asian rockers get the opportunity to meet Nelson Mandela and sing rock songs about oppression and apartheid?
How many Asian rockers besides the Japanese died in Japan?
Wong Ka Kui did all of these things.
AAs need to look further into Asia not America
Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 10:12:16 (PDT)
Hikaru is talented, no doubt. But she is just like any other Asian singer. She hasnt got that VOICE which would make the rest of the world outside Asia say "Wow, now what a wonderful voice.That's something different."
She's just the same like any other East Asian songstress, with the same pop trashy stuff and a weak, feeble voice. Coco might look cheap but i think Coco stands a better chance to break into the internaational market compared to Hikaru. Besides, one obvious reason why Asian artistes dont get recognition or find fame internationally is becoz they mostly sound the same.
KissTheDragon
Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 17:10:08 (PDT)
TSJ,
Linkin Park might have a song or two that might qualify as pop, but they are a definate rock group and rock pretty good too. Fact Police, you're right, but recently i saw on a band on MTV with a asian drummer........
Rock rules, pop sucks
Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 13:34:40 (PDT)
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