Crystal Kay is a Japanese singer that debuted in 1999 singing jingles for television commercials at the age of 12. She's known as one of the best selling mixed raced singers in Japan. Kay was born to a Korean mother(Who because of the history between Japan and Korea, can't speak Korean, Only Japanese) and a Black American father in Yokohama, Japan. Her mother made sure to send Kay to international schools on the army base so this is why her English is very fluent. Many of her albums have placed in the top ten spots on the Oricon Chart. The same can be said with her singles but she has only had one number one album and one number two single in her career. For You is Crystal Kay's first album(and Twelfth) in over three years since Shine in 2015. The album comes in standard edition and special edition.
- Tracklist
- Shiawase tte. (幸せって。)
- Watashitachi (わたしたち; Us)
- I Just Wanna Fly
- Talk To Me
- Summer Fever
- Can't Stop Me
- Forever Young
- Lovin' You
- Faces
- Sakura (サクラ; Cherry Blossom)
- Waiting For You
Since Shine's release, Kay has kept busy performing all over Japan at festivals and different venues. She appeared in PKCZ's project with M-flo and some of Exile tribe which was a great move for her promotion wise(I've given my thoughts on their album in another post.). The singer has gone through a big metamorphosis musically to many of her long time fan's dismay. When I say this, I'm referring to her foreign fans. She took a long break from Japanese music to dapple around in American music. America's music market proved to be tougher than she though so she went back to Japan before she even release an album. Shine saw Kay returning to a newfound focus of what direction she wanted her music to go. Like Shine, For You has a agenda to get Crystal Kay back on the top of the charts. She's not taking anything less than that anymore. People who say her music isn't good because she doesn't focus as much on RnB are people who didn't pay close attention to her career to begin with. For You's lead single called 幸せって。(Shiawase tte) is used for the Japanese drama, Daisy Luck. This isn't a new formula for the singer, as the biggest hit of her career came from the song being used in a drama. She actually changed her music direction after 恋におちたら(Koi ni Ochitara) became a huge success. Its just that the change to bubble gum pop has been more noticeably on her last two albums. 幸せって will probably be placed in the same group as her last hit song called 何度でも(Nando Demo) because of how bouncy both tracks sound. Both tracks are very genki(Happy, cheerful) style but they don't sound alike to me. This song isn't a Christmas theme nor does this track have the same vibrant backup vocals that Nando Demo had. Shiawase tte takes on a more jazzed infused pop sound where Kay sings in a kind of cheer to her listeners. No huge backup vocals means that Kay gets to shine here vocally on her own and the overall result wraps you in a feel good emotion caused by her flexibly vocal range. For You continues on from there starting another light hearted track that leads from the last track in a positive grace. Crystal and her label know the songs to release so that more Japanese listeners will tune into the mixed race beauty. They aren't stupid. LDH and Universal Music Japan are making money moves right now. Which was why she released mostly singles on the slower side during the last two years.These new songs make up for the upbeat flare that we all have been missing. I Just Wanna Fly fits the style that Japan loves to hear from artists like Exile Tribe. A very dance electrical beat that would feel overused had it not been for Crystal Kay adding her own flavor to the track. Vocals are soaring in this track that don't stop even during the dubstep in the chorus. Talk To Me and Summer Fever could have easily been put on her 2012 album, VIVID(Which is the album a lot of foreign fans like but I didn't care for too much.) Summer Fever fits the summer season using dance pop beats as Kay singings on top of the instrumental with ease. The chorus gets stuck in your head thanks to her catchy singing style. Talk To me was more mid temp than Summer Fever. Pretty much a more tamed song that's lyrics contain an uplifting meaning. Can't Stop Me might be the the stand out track on the whole album. Kay goes back to her roots for the track and it sounds very Michael Jackson/Janet Jackson inspired which is her playground. Girl let the lion out of her in the course of one song. If she keeps that same intensity in her upcoming releases, other Japanese singers should be scared. All the other tracks were released as singles before the album's release. I was a bit disappointed that these songs were reused at first. However, they don't cause a huge disjoint during For You's playtime. Instead you have two half of the same album that are separated based on tempo. From track one all the way to track seven is the upbeat part of the album while the rest of the tracks are slow or mid tempo ballads. Each one of these tracks are good in their own right. Lovin' You becomes the closest that Crystal Kay has come to an RnB inspired ballad in awhile. Faces showcases a new game changer to vocal melodies during ballads. Sakura is also a new direction for the singer since the track has a acoustic guitar that plays all through the song mixed with pop baseline beats. I didn't care for Waiting For You when I heard the track on her Sakura single(It's like a song Yuna ito would have sang back in the day.) but the song grew on me. For You really seems to have a little on there for everyone. Crystal Kay does listen to her fans.....
What will always be Kay's saving grace is that she is a naturally talented born singer. This why I never minded her music style changes too much. Girl could sing almost about anything and that shit would sound good. Kay can sing her ass off. Point black Period. I just wish that she would release an even balance of upbeat singles and ballad singles in the future. She was releasing too many ballads at once. Seeing you bust a move in a music video would be nice also.
One thing people outside of Japan need to realize is that the taste in music is different there than it is in other places in the world. Crystal Kay's new sound is catering to Japanese listeners who like music that makes them feel good. RnB isn't very popular over there anymore so that genre is outdated for the masses in Japan. For You had wiggle room to be more free because it literally has something on the album for everybody. An album containing music that only had Can't Stop Me's style wouldn't sell in Japan. Japanese people are not interested in seeing Crystal Kay do RnB anymore. Got to leave that in 2004 folks. If her music isn't for you anymore then move along. Can't please everyone.
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