Japanese Music - Ken Hirai

Ken Hirai

I love it that he is hot and that he sings in R&B with Rakuen being my favorite song for a while during my late teen years. Ken Hirai, where art thou?

I haven’t heard from him for a while, maybe he hasn’t been doing much international presence since 2001/2 onwards or maybe I’ve just been too busy growing up. I really thought he was of mixed parentage with his looks but ooooo mama, he sizzles. Okay, I’m gonna stop with the oogling and go to the main reason of this post.

Ken is decidedly the best Japanese R&B artist in my eyes. Maybe it’s because I don’t know any one who is better in Japan. His singles and albums have sold international and locally with much success - even with songs like “Okina Furudokei” or My Grandfather’s Clock (2002), which was initially predicted to only have a minor success became a huge hit of that year itself. He is no doubt a talented singer, coupled with his soulful eyes and style, it is the perfect ingredient for ignition.

In 2003, Ken performed for MTV Unplugged Live in New York, as the 1st Japanese male solo vocalist. Also, he was interviewed by CNN “The Music Room”, which was televised in 210 countries, and watched by 230 million viewers.

5th album “LIFE is…”, which contains “Strawberry Sex”, “Ring”, and super-hit single “Ookina Furudokei” (My Grandfather’s Clock) was released on January 22, 2003.

In December 10, 2003, conceptual album “Ken’s Bar” was released. In the album, Ken selected his favorite songs and covered in his own style.

In May 2004 “SENTIMENTALovers” was made public. The album spawned 4 singles, with “Hitomi wo Tojite” (Close my eyes) the most successful, also becoming the biggest-selling single of that year.

He hasn’t been up with much anything new except DVD editions of his previous albums and a release of a new single set to be out on the 17th of January 2007. Check out his official Sony website here.

Here’s a video of Ken Hirai with Rakuen