Ken Hirai

MHtrStevie · Feb 21, 2003, 06:09

Greetings!

According to nt2099.com, J-soul singer Hirai Ken has been selected as one of 14 international artists to appear on a new tribute album dedicated to the work of Stevie Wonder. He'll be appearing along with major artists such as Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp and Mary J. Blige. Apparently Hirai will be covering Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".

Cool to see another J-Pop star getting some recognition in the U.S. market... hopefully a sign of things to come.

Twisted · Feb 21, 2003, 06:38

He recently did an MTV unplugged session in New York. Would be interesting if that show would get airtime in the U.S.
Apparently all of his songs were rewritten in English for this session.

den4 · Feb 22, 2003, 00:44

curious about that mtv unplugged....has it shown yet...I haven't seen anything....and I thought it was only for mtv Japan they were doing it for... :O

Twisted · Feb 22, 2003, 18:35

I don't know exactly. It's probably going to be shown on MTV Japan, but given that all the songs were done in English and he is to appear on that Stevie Wonder tribute album, Sony obviously has international plans with him.

And why not? Anything related to R&B sells very good in the US. Don't know about the rest of the world though. The European R&B market is not that big.

Ancella · Feb 25, 2003, 21:18

Hah!!! Really!!!!?????

I just heard about it now. Oh.... Ken

I'm really proud of him

Eve · Sep 7, 2004, 06:11

I think his singing skills are unique..I think its the blues rhit?

Btw where can i Dl "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Life is another story"

Discuss about him -.-

He said hes full japanese but he looks mixed

Dream Time · Sep 7, 2004, 08:05

no he is pop with R&B and Soul influences
'You are the sunshine of my life' is actually originally by Stevie Wonder

Eve · Sep 7, 2004, 08:23

oh cool..

yea i know i think he sang that song in stevie wonder's thing when he died. It's so awesome!!

-Yu- · Sep 7, 2004, 14:31

Indeed, he looks like mixed besides he is very tall for Japanese.
The latest song of his is "Bo ku no to mo da chi" yes? I like it.

Dream Time · Sep 7, 2004, 16:10

Originally Posted by Eve

oh cool..

yea i know i think he sang that song in stevie wonder's thing when he died. It's so awesome!!

oh he did? I didn't know that

he sang that song in MTV Unplugged in New York,with a female singer name Nivea

Apollo · Sep 7, 2004, 16:55

Yes, he is good-looking and a good singer...
I think he was born in the United States.
I am not sure about whether he is mixed...he certainly looks like it, but my friend said he wasn't.

okaeri_man · Sep 7, 2004, 20:31

i dont know how he can sing that high. when he trys to sing upbeat stuff it sends shivers of confusion down my spine.

Winter · Sep 8, 2004, 02:11

Wait...Stevie Wonder died?

Eve · Sep 8, 2004, 02:21

I think so -.- do a search for it. yea that song was awesome but i couldnt find it on the net

Apollo · Sep 8, 2004, 02:28

Originally Posted by Winter

Wait...Stevie Wonder died?

NO! Not to my knowledge....He is still alive.

I did a search on Vh1, CNN, MTV, BBC - and could find nothing reporting about his death...Not his fansite either...

kirei_na_me · Sep 8, 2004, 02:41

Stevie Wonder is still alive. Maybe you're thinking about Ray Charles?

necrozombie · Sep 8, 2004, 03:17

hrm... *goes to look for picture of him*
..oo... he kinda does look mixed..

Dream Time · Sep 8, 2004, 03:20

*reads the post by Eve again*

no Stevie Wonder is still alive, maybe Eve was thinking about Ray Charles

Eve · Sep 8, 2004, 07:08

Originally Posted by kirei_na_me

Stevie Wonder is still alive. Maybe you're thinking about Ray Charles?

Im not sure but he did do a dedication with some other singers around the world because they praise Stevie Wonder..and He sang "You are the sunshine of my life" which was Stevie Wonder's song

Winter · Sep 8, 2004, 07:12

So....if people dedicate a song to someone, they have to be dead?

Jeez....makes me wonder about myself. My wife has dedicated many a song to me. *pinch*

Nope. I'm alive.

Eve · Sep 8, 2004, 07:15

lol i guess ur right. But 9 different artists around the world sang in this concert. Thats prolly why I thought stevie wonder died -.-

Winter · Sep 8, 2004, 07:23

I'm sure if it was a concert dedicated to the memory of someone, they'd clearly state it was dedicated to the 'memory'.

Still, yeah, I can see how you had the idea.

Eve · Sep 8, 2004, 07:29

yea i found this

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1760

so yea i couldnt find that two songs i want badly

Dream Time · Sep 8, 2004, 19:08

Originally Posted by Eve

yea i found this

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1760

so yea i couldnt find that two songs i want badly

ah~
interesting,thanks for providing the info
I am also interested in that album,gonna try getting some mp3s of that

-Yu- · Sep 9, 2004, 00:09

Okay, now the confusioin about whether he died was solved, let's get back to the topic:Hirai Ken.
I think he is a pure Japanese, who was born in Osaka and got brought up by normal Japanese.
(I don't know if a pure Japanese or a normal Japanese sounds right in this sentence, what I mean is not being mixed)

Feb 21, 2003, 06:09	#1
MHtrStevie Regular Member Join Date: Jul 13, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 291	Ken Hirai Greetings! According to nt2099.com, J-soul singer Hirai Ken has been selected as one of 14 international artists to appear on a new tribute album dedicated to the work of Stevie Wonder. He'll be appearing along with major artists such as Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp and Mary J. Blige. Apparently Hirai will be covering Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life". Cool to see another J-Pop star getting some recognition in the U.S. market... hopefully a sign of things to come. __________________ Mamono Hunter Stevie DJ, Radio 1/2 - WSPN 91.1 FM Sundays 6-9 AM EST

Feb 21, 2003, 06:38	#2
Twisted That man in the corner Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,456	He recently did an MTV unplugged session in New York. Would be interesting if that show would get airtime in the U.S. Apparently all of his songs were rewritten in English for this session. __________________ ZenLog Earotic

Feb 22, 2003, 00:44	#3
den4 Regular Member Join Date: Nov 15, 2002 Location: mushroom forest Posts: 1,215 Blog Entries: 3	curious about that mtv unplugged....has it shown yet...I haven't seen anything....and I thought it was only for mtv Japan they were doing it for... :O __________________ I know nothing...except the answer is 42. You know more than I do.

Sep 7, 2004, 06:11	#6
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	Ken Hirai I think his singing skills are unique..I think its the blues rhit? Btw where can i Dl "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Life is another story" Discuss about him -.- He said hes full japanese but he looks mixed

Sep 7, 2004, 16:10	#10
Dream Time basketballman Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Vancouver,BC / Chinese Age: 24 Posts: 612	Originally Posted by Eve oh cool.. yea i know i think he sang that song in stevie wonder's thing when he died. It's so awesome!! oh he did? I didn't know that he sang that song in MTV Unplugged in New York,with a female singer name Nivea

Feb 22, 2003, 18:35	#4
Twisted That man in the corner Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,456	I don't know exactly. It's probably going to be shown on MTV Japan, but given that all the songs were done in English and he is to appear on that Stevie Wonder tribute album, Sony obviously has international plans with him. And why not? Anything related to R&B sells very good in the US. Don't know about the rest of the world though. The European R&B market is not that big.

Feb 25, 2003, 21:18	#5
Ancella Regular Member Join Date: Feb 5, 2003 Location: West Java Posts: 70	Hah!!! Really!!!!????? I just heard about it now. Oh.... Ken I'm really proud of him

Sep 7, 2004, 08:05	#7
Dream Time basketballman Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Vancouver,BC / Chinese Age: 24 Posts: 612	no he is pop with R&B and Soul influences 'You are the sunshine of my life' is actually originally by Stevie Wonder

Sep 7, 2004, 08:23	#8
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	oh cool.. yea i know i think he sang that song in stevie wonder's thing when he died. It's so awesome!!

Sep 7, 2004, 14:31	#9
-Yu- Regular Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2004 Posts: 129	Indeed, he looks like mixed besides he is very tall for Japanese. The latest song of his is "Bo ku no to mo da chi" yes? I like it.

Sep 7, 2004, 16:55	#11
Apollo Cat lover Join Date: Mar 28, 2004 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Age: 30 Posts: 1,593	Yes, he is good-looking and a good singer... I think he was born in the United States. I am not sure about whether he is mixed...he certainly looks like it, but my friend said he wasn't. __________________

Sep 7, 2004, 20:31	#12
okaeri_man Tadaima! Join Date: Sep 6, 2003 Location: Australia Age: 24 Posts: 379	i dont know how he can sing that high. when he trys to sing upbeat stuff it sends shivers of confusion down my spine. __________________ "The people who vote decide nothing. The people who count the vote decide everything." - Stalin

Sep 8, 2004, 02:11	#13
Winter Gag me with a spoon Join Date: Nov 19, 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 714	Wait...Stevie Wonder died?

Sep 8, 2004, 02:21	#14
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	I think so -.- do a search for it. yea that song was awesome but i couldnt find it on the net

Sep 8, 2004, 02:28	#15
Apollo Cat lover Join Date: Mar 28, 2004 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Age: 30 Posts: 1,593	Originally Posted by Winter Wait...Stevie Wonder died? NO! Not to my knowledge....He is still alive. I did a search on Vh1, CNN, MTV, BBC - and could find nothing reporting about his death...Not his fansite either...

Sep 8, 2004, 02:41	#16
kirei_na_me Where I'm Supposed to Be Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: Virginia Age: 33 Posts: 3,922	Stevie Wonder is still alive. Maybe you're thinking about Ray Charles? __________________ *i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)*

Sep 8, 2004, 03:17	#17
necrozombie pLaTfOrM wOoBiE bOoTs Join Date: Jul 23, 2004 Location: Hell's Kitchen Age: 24 Posts: 188	hrm... goes to look for picture of him ..oo... he kinda does look mixed.. __________________ "i'm not your type. i'm not inflatable." "you can't have manslaughter without laughter

Sep 8, 2004, 03:20	#18
Dream Time basketballman Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Vancouver,BC / Chinese Age: 24 Posts: 612	reads the post by Eve again no Stevie Wonder is still alive, maybe Eve was thinking about Ray Charles

Sep 8, 2004, 07:08	#19
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	Originally Posted by kirei_na_me Stevie Wonder is still alive. Maybe you're thinking about Ray Charles? Im not sure but he did do a dedication with some other singers around the world because they praise Stevie Wonder..and He sang "You are the sunshine of my life" which was Stevie Wonder's song

Sep 8, 2004, 07:12	#20
Winter Gag me with a spoon Join Date: Nov 19, 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 714	So....if people dedicate a song to someone, they have to be dead? Jeez....makes me wonder about myself. My wife has dedicated many a song to me. pinch Nope. I'm alive.

Sep 8, 2004, 07:15	#21
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	lol i guess ur right. But 9 different artists around the world sang in this concert. Thats prolly why I thought stevie wonder died -.-

Sep 8, 2004, 07:23	#22
Winter Gag me with a spoon Join Date: Nov 19, 2003 Age: 27 Posts: 714	I'm sure if it was a concert dedicated to the memory of someone, they'd clearly state it was dedicated to the 'memory'. Still, yeah, I can see how you had the idea.

Sep 8, 2004, 07:29	#23
Eve More than words Join Date: Nov 6, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 417	yea i found this http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1760 so yea i couldnt find that two songs i want badly

Sep 8, 2004, 19:08	#24
Dream Time basketballman Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Vancouver,BC / Chinese Age: 24 Posts: 612	Originally Posted by Eve yea i found this http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1760 so yea i couldnt find that two songs i want badly ah~ interesting,thanks for providing the info I am also interested in that album,gonna try getting some mp3s of that

Sep 9, 2004, 00:09	#25
-Yu- Regular Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2004 Posts: 129	Okay, now the confusioin about whether he died was solved, let's get back to the topic:Hirai Ken. I think he is a pure Japanese, who was born in Osaka and got brought up by normal Japanese. (I don't know if a pure Japanese or a normal Japanese sounds right in this sentence, what I mean is not being mixed)

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