I don’t like Breathe as much as Heartbreaker but still, really amazing performance on Inkigayo!
T-ara – Good Person Live
28 SepNow, if you have read this blog before then you’ll know that I actually quite like T-ara. And by quite like I mean actually really <3! They've been building their fanbase with their songs Lies and TTL, but I still really love their first single, Good Person, which was from the soundtrack to Cinderella Man. It's nice to see the girls are still aware of the band before T-ara version 2.0.
alan – 久遠の河
25 SepSo… if you’re interested in Chinese/Asian cinema, like me, you will no doubt have heard about the epic Chi Bi (or Red Cliff). It’s a 2 part, 4 hour long film based on the period of Chinese history known as the Three Kingdoms. It features some of China’s finest actors and actresses and is meant to be really epic. I guess it’s a bit like Gladiator or something. I love Chinese history, not just because I’m half-Chinese but it’s so amazingly interesting and had so many amazing wonders. A lot of the time the Eurocentric West fails to respect Chinese and Asian historic legacies, and instead treats them as mere curiousities of the Orient.
alan is a Chinese/Tibetan singer who focuses mainly on the J-pop scene. I’ve heard of her before, most likely because he name sounds so silly being a male English name, but I’ve never actually heard her sing before. When I found out she sang the theme songs for Chi Bi I just had to listen! I was pleasantly surprised. You can tell their theme songs, but still really good! Also, her single ranked number 3 on the Oricon Weekly chart, the highest place ever for a Chinese singer in Japan. I think this is great news and shows that Asian countries are starting to become more open and accepting.
Girls’ Generation – Tell Me Your Wish (Genie) @ Asia Song Contest 2009
25 SepThe highlight for me from the Asia Song Contest is SNSD! Whew~! Aside from T-ara, they are my favourite K-pop group. I know, Wonder Girls started it all but even back in the day, I always preferred Girls’ Generation compared to Tell Me or Hot. And then comparing Gee to Nobody, well, SNSD wins hands down! So I was excited to see their performance and they really do give a great performance. I don’t know what else to say, they perform so professionally now that it’s really hard to criticise them.
2NE1 – I Don’t Care @ Asia Song Contest 2009
25 SepFor those that don’t know, the Asia Song Contest is a musical extravaganza. It’s very different from the Eurovision Song Contest (in which artists representing a country compete against each other to win; it’s either really prestigious and a great honour to win, or very shameful and not really that serious). Anyways, a Korean company set up a similar kind of show, but instead of competing, artists from different Asian countries perform together to promote Asian music. It’s pretty cool, but at the same time not so cool. Obviously it’s Korean-centric because it was founded in Korea, but I would like to see some more other Asian stars. I mean, fair enough Chris Lee is huge in China, but nowhere really else. And Gackt isn’t as popular as other Japanese stars. Regardless, it’s pretty cool :) Check out 2NE1’s performance of I Don’t Care. They also won an award for best newcomer.
Oricon Weekly Charts
23 Sep1. Koda Kumi (倖田來未) – Alive / Physical Thing
2. °C-ute – EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!! (EVERYDAY 絶好調!!)
3. Shibasaki Kou (柴咲コウ) – lover soul (ラバソー)
4. Hikawa Kiyoshi (氷川 きよし) – Tokimeki no Rumba (ときめきのルンバ)
5. B’z – Ichibu to Zenbu / DIVE (イチブトゼンブ / DIVE)
6. Cocco – Cocco-san no Daidokoro CD (こっこさんの台所 CD)
7. Angela Aki (アンジェラ・アキ) – Ai no Kisetsu (愛の季節)
8. DREAMS COME TRUE feat. FUZZY CONTROL – Sono Saki e (その先へ)
9. Domoto Tsuyoshi (堂本剛) – RAIN
10. Porno Graffitti – Kono Mune wo, Ai wo Sasu yo (この胸を、愛を射よ)
So that’s this week’s Oricon Weekly. I’m not really surprised by anything there. I’m really happy for Angela Akisan, because <3. It's definitely great to see that she can still chart in the top 10 of Oricon after all this time! Maybe she will be able to have a long career. I never would have thought it though with her style of music being very middle of the road. I'm a little surprised Kumi is number 1, mainly because I don't think the songs are her best, but I guess that's just how the cookie crumbles :)
Cheryol Cole – Fight For This Love Video
21 SepSo the video for Cheryl Cole’s debut single has been released. My impressions are that it’s very forgettable and Cheryl will never be believable as a genuine crumping, street dancer. The video is weird, it doesn’t seem to have a clear direction, but oh well, it’s nice to see her trying :)
T-ara & Supernova – TTL @ Inkigayo
21 Sep! T-ara and Supernova performed on Inkigayo! It was awesome! Definitely their best live so far! They even sang some of the backing vocals at the end live! Everything was really well polished and awesome! Definitely one of the best performances! Lots of energy, everything was flawless! XD Yay! Finally they deliver a performance worthy of their hardwork ^_^
Also, they’re number 1 on the Cyworld charts!!! XD I wish them all the luck~
Leona Lewis – Happy @ America’s Got Talent
18 SepSo, Leona Lewis’ lead single from her sophomore album has been heralded as an amazing song, people are acting like it’s one of the greatest love songs of all time. It’s not. It’s not even as good as Bleeding Love. But, I have to admit, it does have some good parts. The first line of the chorus is probably the best part of the song. The thing is, Bleeding Love has no climax… just when you think it’s getting there, it doesn’t. Bleeding Love has this amazing bit at the end and everyone is like ‘wow, that’s amazing’ but Happy doesn’t have that. Regardless, Leona gives a very nice performance of it on America’s Got Talent. Although… was she upstaged by SuBo? I think she was… But it’s all down to song choice! At least that’s what Simon would say.
T-ara & Supernova – TTL @ Music Bank
18 SepSo, T-ara continue their promotion of TTL with Supernova and performed on Music Bank. I have to say, I prefer this performance to the on M! Countdown. They seem more relaxed, I guess it’s to be expected from a debut. I reaaaaaally like this song, it’s deceptively simple but really loving T-ara’s vocals, they never disappoint ^^;
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