Ken Hirai stands out from the rest of the J-pop pack – literally, since he’s 183 cm tall. He stands out in a musical sense, too, since talented male vocalists like Hirai are almost an endangered species on the Japanese music scene. But what really makes Hirai special is his utterly unique falsetto, which… ...

Born in 1976 to a Taiwanese father and Japanese mother, popular singer Yo Hitoto spent most of her pre-kindergarten life in Taiwan. After the unfortunate death of her father to lung cancer, Hitoto moved back to Japan with her mother and older sister, where the family found solace in music. Tragedy… ...

Shinichi Osawa, operating under the name Mondo Grosso, has established himself as one of Japan’s most innovative and stylish creators of acid jazz, R&B, and house music. A bassist, DJ, remixer, and producer, Osawa began recording music in 1989, releasing his first album, Mondo Grosso, in 1993 on… ...

Maywa Denki is a failed electronics maker and performance art masterpiece rolled into one. Today consisting solely of Nobumichi Tosa, Maywa Denki was originally founded by his father Sakaichi Tosa, who formed the company after a lengthy stretch drawing plans for seaplanes for a company called Kawanishi… ...

Ever since her debut in December 1999 with the million-selling single "Love, Day After Tomorrow", female vocalist Mai Kuraki has been one of J-pop’s most popular artists. Inspired by singers such as Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, Kuraki began making demo tapes while still in middle school…. ...

Jazz-pop diva Mika Nakashima has been one the music industry’s most successful artists since the turn of the century. Appealing as both a pop singer and a "serious artist", Nakashima’s smoky, emotive voice and sophisticated style belie her youth. Born in 1983, Nakashima was committed to becoming… ...

Formed by guitar prodigy Shigeo Naka, The Surf Coasters play an updated style of surf music that draws from obvious sources including The Ventures, Dick Dale and Link Wray, as well as more varied, eclectic influences. Naka got his start in music when he released the single "Let’s Go Tube"… ...

Back in the mid-’80s the J-pop scene experienced what was known as the "band boom." This trend was triggered by a late-night TV show called Ikaten, which featured live performances by amateur bands eager to make it big. Most of the bands that appeared on Ikaten have faded into obscurity, but… ...

A tried-and-true J-pop promotional tactic is to get some overseas exposure for an artist and then tell the often credulous Japanese media that he or she has really made a splash in the U.S., Britain, Botswana or wherever. That’s what Avex did with Kumi Koda back in 2000. The label decided to license… ...

Minmi is a good example of how many Japanese musicians are confidently adapting and incorporating musical influences from all over the world into their music, which in her case is a blend of R&B and reggae. Another key influence in Minmi’s music is hip-hop, which she says she’s been listening since… ...