Shiina Ringo: Kabukichou no Joou or International Breakthrough?

[Cosmo!]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Jihad

You see, the point of failure with Hikki was that she tailored to please.

I actually think the exact opposite regarding her: that she failed to strike a chord because she stuck to her guns and didn't let her record label mold her into another nameless Pop/R&B vixen. Her collaborations with Timbaland are the two most straight-forward, uninspired tracks on the album, but her own songs are straight-up weird and unlike a lot of what we hear in the mainstream. Because she put out the most off-putting song on the album (Easy Breezy) as the album's lead single instead of taking the easy route and pushing a Timbaland-produced song, Exodus bombed.

Of course, I digress (but what else is new?).

I agree that Shouso Strip-era Ringo would have had the best chance of sparking interest in the West; who doesn't love an angry, bitchy, nurse's uniform-wearing, "Is she a lesbian?" Asian woman? Yeah...That opportunity is probably more or less behind her, though, if she was even interested in crossing over in the first place.

Anyway, thanks for the replies, everyone!

[HEDOfloe]

Originally Posted by Cosmo!

I actually think the exact opposite regarding her: that she failed to strike a chord because she stuck to her guns and didn't let her record label mold her into another nameless Pop/R&B vixen. Her collaborations with Timbaland are the two most straight-forward, uninspired tracks on the album, but her own songs are straight-up weird and unlike a lot of what we hear in the mainstream. Because she put out the most off-putting song on the album (Easy Breezy) as the album's lead single instead of taking the easy route and pushing a Timbaland-produced song, Exodus bombed.

Of course, I digress (but what else is new?).

I agree that Shouso Strip-era Ringo would have had the best chance of sparking interest in the West; who doesn't love an angry, bitchy, nurse's uniform-wearing, "Is she a lesbian?" Asian woman? Yeah...That opportunity is probably more or less behind her, though, if she was even interested in crossing over in the first place.

Anyway, thanks for the replies, everyone!

I never saw anything of her at the time of the album's release, but I got to hear the album recently and easy breezy sucked hard (not that the rest was very good), I cant believe that was the lead single. Also, which tracks did timbaland produce?

[Cosmo!]

Originally Posted by HEDOfloe

Also, which tracks did timbaland produce?

He produced and co-wrote Exodus '04 and Let Me Give You My Love. He also helped mix Wonder 'bout, but he isn't given songwriting credits for that one.

[Koufukuron]

Originally Posted by Cosmo!

I actually think the exact opposite regarding her: that she failed to strike a chord because she stuck to her guns and didn't let her record label mold her into another nameless Pop/R&B vixen. Her collaborations with Timbaland are the two most straight-forward, uninspired tracks on the album, but her own songs are straight-up weird and unlike a lot of what we hear in the mainstream. Because she put out the most off-putting song on the album (Easy Breezy) as the album's lead single instead of taking the easy route and pushing a Timbaland-produced song, Exodus bombed.

Of course, I digress (but what else is new?).

I agree that Shouso Strip-era Ringo would have had the best chance of sparking interest in the West; who doesn't love an angry, bitchy, nurse's uniform-wearing, "Is she a lesbian?" Asian woman? Yeah...That opportunity is probably more or less behind her, though, if she was even interested in crossing over in the first place.

Anyway, thanks for the replies, everyone!

I see where you're coming from, but really I think that it wasnt that she stuck to her guns so much. If you look at Deep River, the tracks are composed of that kind of...up beat and happy to sincere music, and the images promoted are of that natural beauty she has. Fast foward: blue eye shadow, deep red lip stick, bikini (which no offense, she does not have the shape for, as much as I love Hikki ;___ The whole crying in the phone booth drama...Really? I think she thought america would eat it up, and she also wanted to get the fact that she was japanese across. I heared her mention a lot, "theres not many asian singers out there, I wanna put that out there" or something along those lines. When she wrote quirky lyrics in japanese, they were never so dull and blunt. But notice? After Exodus didnt work out, she went back to writing deep passionate music and having that natural (well, I'd say Ultra Blue is more surreal) look.

Even though I listen to the album, I think that the only song thats really Hikaru-esque and beautiful is Kremlin Dusk. That song strikes so many chords in me. The rest is just catchy junk.

[Jer]

Originally Posted by Koufukuron

I understand why its foolish to hate a whole countries music, but I dont understand non conformity, either.
Mainstream music isn't all that bad.
I just dont like when singers start to dress skanky just to sell their stuff. Honestly, people who have to rely on -sex sells- and that alone never really get remembered when their career is over.

I have nothing against popular music/conforming but the current trend among the major labels is "let's make every band sound exactly the same and make sure the lyrics are bubblier than ever." When it comes down to it, the current mainstream artists in our country are only making music as a commodity and not as an art. It's all over-produced Josh Abraham garbage tailored to fit the mtv and bet crowds. It's niche-marketing without even being a part a niche. Bands want to be called alternative without actually being alternative. No band on a major label will ever be alternative, no matter how much MTV tries to tell you they are. Bands get labelled as emo by people who have never heard emo music in their lives (and no I don't listen to Rites of Spring or actual emo music). When mainstream music goes back to art and not formulas I'll tune in again. Until then, enjoy your power pop and video hos.

Also, I beg to differ on your sex sells but is never remembered theory. Marilyn Monroe is still a household name more than 50 years later.

[Koufukuron]

Originally Posted by Jer

I have nothing against popular music/conforming but the current trend among the major labels is "let's make every band sound exactly the same and make sure the lyrics are bubblier than ever." When it comes down to it, the current mainstream artists in our country are only making music as a commodity and not as an art. It's all over-produced Josh Abraham garbage tailored to fit the mtv and bet crowds. It's niche-marketing without even being a part a niche. Bands want to be called alternative without actually being alternative. No band on a major label will ever be alternative, no matter how much MTV tries to tell you they are. Bands get labelled as emo by people who have never heard emo music in their lives (and no I don't listen to Rites of Spring or actual emo music). When mainstream music goes back to art and not formulas I'll tune in again. Until then, enjoy your power pop and video hos.

Also, I beg to differ on your sex sells but is never remembered theory. Marilyn Monroe is still a household name more than 50 years later.

Thats because she was legendary beauty (in the eyes of most anyway) and kinda set a beauty standard. You see artists trying to cop her act all the time, The blonde hair and bright red lipstick...Gwen Stephani, Christina Aquilera, even Madonna at times. Plus, though she sang a few songs (does happy birthday Mr. President really count?), she wasn't necesarilly a musical artist.
In order to be remembered on that basis, you have to do more than just be pretty and sexual, you have to set a new standard for beauty.

"No band on a major label will ever be alternative, no matter how much MTV tries to tell you they are"

Truest line I've ever heared. Couldnt have said it better haha. Thats actually the exact reason why I dont like anti comformity; most of them conform to non comformity. Which brings us back to stage one (but they dont seem to think so )

I dont like where mainstream american music is right now, but at the same time, not all mainstream music is bad. I can pick out a couple of artists whome I think are absolutely talented in every aspect that are popular right now.

[Jer]

I'm not denying there's any good artists on major labels right now. I happen to enjoy a few bands like Switchfoot and Lifehouse. For the most part these artists have to give up some exposure for the sake of artistic control. They're not going to be advertised like power pop bands such as Fall Out Boy or Panic! At The Disco (Fall Out Boy with keyboards) or pop rock bands like AFI and 30 Seconds To Mars. When's the last time you watched TRL or MTV Hits and saw an amazing artist?

Also, a lot of the current divas/icons got where they are today BECAUSE of their sex appeal. I'm pretty sure 25 years from now artists like Mariah Carey and Kylie Minogue won't be "forgotten." The video hos and one-hit-wonders will be gone, but the ones that make killings off of their sex appeal will still be remembered. People still talk about artists like Tiffany and Donna Summer who may have written some catchy tunes but didn't exactly bring any amazing talent to the table.

[HEDOfloe]

There was a thread in the off-topic part of the forum about Ringo and her brother's song "Georgy Porgy" and she sings like a regular singer there. Not in her usual unique way, and the music itself sounds like what you could expect from her if she were to try to make an album for the american artist.

[Tokyo Jihad]

Thats not presumptuous |=P

[Koufukuron]

Originally Posted by Jer

I'm not denying there's any good artists on major labels right now. I happen to enjoy a few bands like Switchfoot and Lifehouse. For the most part these artists have to give up some exposure for the sake of artistic control. They're not going to be advertised like power pop bands such as Fall Out Boy or Panic! At The Disco (Fall Out Boy with keyboards) or pop rock bands like AFI and 30 Seconds To Mars. When's the last time you watched TRL or MTV Hits and saw an amazing artist?

Also, a lot of the current divas/icons got where they are today BECAUSE of their sex appeal. I'm pretty sure 25 years from now artists like Mariah Carey and Kylie Minogue won't be "forgotten." The video hos and one-hit-wonders will be gone, but the ones that make killings off of their sex appeal will still be remembered. People still talk about artists like Tiffany and Donna Summer who may have written some catchy tunes but didn't exactly bring any amazing talent to the table.

The last time? You know, that all depends on everyones individual taste in artists. Someone I might find amazing may be someone you find completely sickening.

And, of course a lot of people got where they are because of sex appeal . I never denied that. I said the people who RELY on it wont get remembered.

Anyway this is pointless.