rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH LYDIA PAEK

Guess what! A double feature for Sept. 11/09! Let's see what's up with Quest Crew/Boxcuttuhz member Lydia Paek!

Lydia Paek (born March 28, 1990 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of dance crews Quest Crew and Boxcuttuhz. She is also a singer, and she has made quite a name for herself. From a young age she showed much potential as both a dancer and a singer, and has gone through many challenges so far to get where she is today. But with every struggle, she says, God is there too. She just recently hosted ISA 2009 in San Gabriel alongside Tom Ngo, and she keeps busy with practices with both dance crews as well as other gigs. Now take a look as we find out who Lydia Paek really is!

How long have you been dancing for?
5 years

What style(s) of dance do you specialize in?
Breaking, funk, choreo.

Your primary dance crew is Quest Crew. How did you hookup with them originally?
I sessioned with them a long time ago, and I became friends with then, they wanted me in because of my potential, not cause I was good. Cause I was not good a long time ago haha.

You’re also a member of Boxcuttuhz, which you joined during your time in ABDC season 3. How are things going with you guys after ABDC?
They are good, just doing our own things, shows here and there, traveling, training,and sessioning.

Are you working on any big projects or events right now, either by yourself, with Quest, or with Boxcuttuhz?
Just training more with both crews and my own music.

What is your training schedule like?
Random ahah

Who are your favorite dancers?
I have a lot - Yoshie, narumi, shi chen, sean evaristo, lando wilkins, alottttttt...I can go on forever.

Who are your closest dance crew buddies?
TM, Quest, Common Ground, Fanny Pack, RingMasters, KabaModern, and more :)

Aside from dance, you also sing. How long have you done that for?
Umm I actually started dancing first then singing lol, since I was in jr high.

Who are your biggest musical influences?
stevie wonder, luther, india arie, lauryn hill, maxwell, kim burell, smokie norful...etc.

In several of your YouTube videos, you’ve been seen playing alongside guitarist Aj Rafael. How did you two meet?
Through Randolf Permejo, basically mutual friends.

Would you ever consider doing a career in music aside from your dancing, and why or why not?
Yes I think singing comes with dancing.

What do you do in your spare time when not playing shows or practicing?
cook, draw, hangout, sew, make music, write, workout.

What is your current obsession at the moment, and it can be anything!
Hello Kitty and Dove chocolate hahaha.

“I talk with a melody and walk by beats” is your motto. How did you come up with it?
I don't know, I write a lot so I was on a roll with this one spoken word I did, it just came out, I made it up and I stay true to it.

When are you happiest the most?
When someone around me is playing music.

What is your favorite Bible verse, and why?
Mark ch. 11 verse 23 and on, because it gives me strength and security.

Do you have any advice for people who want to pursue either dancing or singing?
No matter what, never let anyone down you for what you love to do, it might be hard and I won't lie, its gonna be a struggle but your gonna enjoy it at the same time. If you pursue it make sure you put your heart into it cause anything to do with music comes from the soul, you make your own story to tell through dancing and singing.

And finally, after everything you’ve accomplished or done, is there one thing you haven’t done yet that you want to accomplish, something very important, very ‘epic’ as I phrase things like that, what would it be?
Ummm, be on a TV show like acting I guess even if i suck at it, make an album, make my own line of clothes, lol I have a lot more to accomplish and achieve, we'll see where I am in about 10 years ahaha.


And there you have it! Thanks to Lydia for the interview, and saiyonara for now!

J~


Lydia Paek

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH YouTube MUSICIANS - MEGAN LEE

Hello world! Back with another interview with another rising YouTube star - enter Megan Lee!

Megan Lee (born September 18, 1995) is an singer/dancer/actress from Northridge, California. She has quite the resume, including having done commercials for Wal-Mart and DirecTV, has been in promos for several different Disney shows, dances a variety of styles, and plays several instruments, to go hand in hand with her amazing voice and acting. Now she spared a moment to answer some questions!

How long have you been doing music for? Are you doing it professionally or independently?
I have been doing music all my life and I am currently independent :]

What style of music do you generally play?
Most of the time i am r&b, pop, and pop/soft rock; sometimes i like to freestyle rap with my brother!! :D

How did you first get involved in music?
I always had a passion for music.

What made you decide to starting YouTubing your musical talent?
I was influenced by other Youtube stars ^ ^

Who are your biggest musical influences?
Christina Aguilera and Michael Jackson

How does it feel to be getting all this support from people for doing what you do?
I feel very LUCKY. And very appreciative. :]

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
Singing with Jason Mraz ;]

What has been your most popular cover on YouTube? Your most popular original song on YouTube?
Haha I don't think I have that many views yet on YouTube because I've been deleting and haven't been posting up many vids yet...but I'm currently working on it! I have to admit that I need to be more diligent on it. :]

What was it like performing alongside big names like Jinah Kim, Gerald Ko, Alfa, Mike Isberto and the like at Kollaboration Acoustic 3?
I thought it was a GREAT honor to sing alongside them and to meet them ;] Everyone actually was just AMAZING. Every performer is my inspiration and role models! Plus, just to be on that stage made me feel like a super star!! Wow!

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
I love fun beats and tunes.. CATCHY songs!! :D And recently I added tons of kpop and jpop! haha

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
My bedroom ♥ I have a really interesting room with tons of posters and colorful things, its where my creativity takes place. ^ ^ everything happens in there ;D

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
Will Volume. :] i have only known him for a couple of months but somehow it feels like years. Hes a very talented musician, friend, and music teacher. He can play over 20 instruments!! isn't that crazy?? haha. We met when I was looking for a pianist for the Kollaboration performance!!

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not playing music?
I love to draw!! :] and I'm pretty interested in fashion designing! It makes me relaxed... ;]

What do you hope to accomplish while being involved in music?
First of all, a finished original song that im working on now :] And eventually, I want to become a musician who could be a positive influence to people. I want my music to relate to other people and to put smile on people's faces.

Do you have any final words for the readers?
haha THANK YOU SOOO MUCH and I am only 13 now so please watch me grow bigger, yay!! ♥


Once again, another amazing performer, and another act to watch out for! Till next time, I'm o-u-t!

J~


Megan Lee

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH YouTube MUSICIANS - ALFA GARCIA

Waaassssuuuupppp? (I know, lame sauce.) Me again, with another part in the YT musician segment, and I'm joined by NYC-based singer/songwriter Alfa Garcia, voila!

Alfa Garcia (born October 11, 1985 in the Philippines) is a singer-songwriter from North Jersey/NYC. Born and raised in a family of classically-trained musicians, Alfa is far more than that. Apart from having taught herself to play guitar 10 years ago, and also able to play the piano and the violin, she's got quite a voice, and has traveled to many big cities in North America to do her thing. She's got a lot of heart and soul for being a young musician, and now continues to share her passion with others!

How long have you been doing music for? Are you doing it professionally or independently?
I've been involved with music since I was 5, so basically my whole life. I started off playing classical violin and piano and eventually branched out and started writing my own material. I'm doing it independently and hope to become "professional" - i.e. do it as a job.

What style of music do you generally play?
I always dread this question! :) It's hard to say, and a little misleading to "brand" the style. I really started writing music because I just wanted to express thoughts and melodies that I had, never aiming to be any kind of sound. But I guess if people really wanted a classification, I'd go with pop/rock/acoustic/folk. That's the best I can do. :)

How did you first get involved in music?
My mom plopped me down on a piano bench and introduced me to my piano teacher when I was 5 years old. That really started the snowball into other instruments and eventually, songwriting. I'm thankful for it! :) But I come from a family of musicians, so it’s always been a part of my life.

What made you decide to starting YouTubing your musical talent?
- I really didn’t start doing it myself. It started when people posted my performances on their YouTube pages. Truthfully, I'm kind of old-fashioned in that I think nothing beats the live experience, and I'm most interested in improving the live show. But seeing how cool it was for people to think my performances were worthy of posting online, I realized it would be a good way for me to get my songs heard too. I am not as active on YouTube as I can be, but it’s DEFINITELY something I hope to change in the coming months, so stay tuned, k? :)

Who are your biggest musical influences?
Biggest? Hm, so hard to say! When I was younger, I got a lot of motivation from my grandfather. He’s got a knack for playing piano by ear – to this day, he’s still better than me at it. So he was probably one of the earliest influences to writing music, and trying out a non-classical style. When I started listening to popular music, I got very much into a grunge band called silverchair. They didn’t have much popularity in the States but were huge in Australia. Funny enough, the lead singer’s writing style really spoke to me back in the day despite the fact that his sound was so different from what I sound like. But like I said, I never intended to “sound” a certain way, and I think his sense of songwriting was what I picked up on and it motivated me to write introspectively. Later on I picked up a lot from Jewel’s earlier career and Fiona Apple. Now I kind of feel influenced by so many female singer-songwriters: Joni Mitchell, Billie Holiday, Regina Spektor, Sara Bereilles, Feist, etc. and also a lot of bands: Death Cab for Cutie, Stars, the Beatles.

How does it feel to be getting all this support from people for doing what you do?
I am honored and humbled at the same time! And it definitely pushes me to keep on becoming the best songwriter and performer I can be.

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
I’d love to collaborate with any of the artists that just did Kollaboration Acoustic 3. I think they’re all excellent and I can learn a lot from each of them.

What has been your most popular cover on YouTube? Your most popular original song on YouTube?
Most popular cover is Feist’s “1,2,3,4.” I don’t do a lot of covers to begin with, and this was my only foray into covering songs on YouTube. It’s stunning to see how many hits a cover will get you. My most popular original song? I don’t really know that. The new album just came out, so I guess those songs haven’t been able to get as much face-time yet, per se, so we’ll see what happens. Of the older bunch, maybe songs like “The Lament” and “Better” were somewhat popular.

How did it feel to win Kollaboration Acoustic 3? And how was the event overall?
It was pretty shocking. I came into the event just hoping to sell a few CD’s and get some more people tuned into my music. I never imagined I would actually win. It was pretty much the “icing” on the cake, though. Just being there and connecting with all those artists for an entire day was more than enough for me.

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
It totally depends on my mood. If you look at my iPod, you’ll probably scratch your head. I’ll listen to everything from Cypress Hill to Sara Bareilles to Devendra Banhart to Paramore to French rap. Go figure. :) Recently, I’ve been listening to Camille – my favorite French singer. Her first album is pretty low-production and a bit grittier than her second, but it’s got a great acoustic feel and her lyrics are really quirky.

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
Hm, my room.

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
This question’s a bit hard…having grown up with music I feel like a lot of people I’ve known through the years are musicians. The closest… definitely my sister. She plays flute and piano and was trained in classical singing.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not playing music?
I have a day job, sadly. I’m a writer for a newspaper… aside from working and music, I try to travel whenever I can and I just enjoy hanging out with friends in the city (NYC).

What do you hope to accomplish while being involved in music?
I just hope my music has a positive impact on people. Whether they’re inspired to do music too, or if they can feel connected because of my lyrics, that’s really the best reward for me.

Do you have any final words for the readers?
Thanks for reading! Hope to meet you soon.


Huzzah! There it is folks! Thank you to Alfa for the interview, and I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did. Till next time, adios!

J~


Alfa Garcia

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH YouTube MUSICIANS - KRYSTLE CRUZ

Hey guys, for your reading enjoyment, the first in a new segment on my blog, featuring up and coming musicians who have made a name for themselves over YouTube and are getting a lot of attention these days. My first guest in this new segment is San Diego-based singer Krystle Cruz - enjoy!

Krystle Cruz (born January 22, 1988 in San Diego, California) is a independent R&B/acoustic singer. Since the age of 3, she has been rapidly gaining attention as both a great singer and dancer. Taking an active role in both dancing and singing, she started performing in venues at the of 9, and continues to keep bringing fresh performances. She also was the captain of a dance team in her high school years. As well, in 2008, she and fellow musician Michelle Martinez got the chance to do some intensive training on an all-expenses paid trip to Japan financed by one of Japan's biggest record companies, Avex Trax. I spoke to Krystle, and she was able to spare a moment to speak with me on how she continues to strive to be a great musician!

How long have you been doing music for? Are you doing it professionally or independently?
Well, I've sang ever since I was 3 years old and started performing at age 9. I started writing music on and off when I was 16 and just became serious with it early this year. I am currently recording an album independently.

What style of music do you generally play?
Usually, you will hear me singing R&B/Pop/Soul genres but I also like to expand my horizons and try other genres like Pop/Rock and Indie music.

How did you first get involved in music?
When I was handed the karaoke mic at 3 years old :-)

What made you decide to starting YouTubing your musical talent?
I had a channel for like a year just for leaving comments/feedback on other people's videos but thought it was silly to sing in a video so I never did it for a while. Quite a few friends finally convinced me to post some videos to get my talent out there because they believed I would be a "star". So now I have videos on YouTube of me singing and sometimes, dancing :-)

Who are your biggest musical influences?
Long list short: Christina Aguilera, Etta James, Alicia Keys, India Arie, Esmee Denters, Demi Lovato, Paramore, Whitney Houston, (old) Mariah Carey, Adele, Danity Kane, Jennifer Hudson and the likes.

How does it feel to be getting all this support from people for doing what you do?
It feels absolutely AMAZING. Doing the "music thing" can become discouraging from time to time but when I think about all the friends, family and fans who support me no matter what, it makes it that much easier and is a great reminder of why I love to do what I do.

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
This changes probably everyday but at the moment, I would love to collaborate with Demi Lovato because she is such a young soul with so much talent and songwriting skills.

What has been your most popular cover on YouTube? Your most popular original song on YouTube?
My most popular cover on YouTube (strangely) is "Knock You Down" by Keri Hilson, which is a collaboration with Angie Girl. I currently don't have any originals up on my YouTube but they will be up within the month.

This question is for Krystle and Michelle Martinez. How was the experience of briefly training under one of Japan’s biggest record labels, Avex Trax?
This experience was by far the most memorable musical opportunity I've ever had. It opened my eyes to another world and another aspect of the international music industry. We met a lot of people from around the world. We learned a lot of new things musically, culturally and personally and have definitely used it to apply to our musical journey.

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
Depends on my mood. I have a very diverse taste in music. You can catch me playing anything from Keri Hilson to Adele or Etta James, Jamie Cullum and of course, Demi Lovato.

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
Either in my room or balcony

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
-This is probably already obvious but my closest musician friend is Michelle Martinez. We actually met in Japan in September 2008 and have kept in touch since although she is from the Bay Area and I'm from San Diego. Our experience in Japan brought us closer together because we worked hard toward the same goal and we only had each other to rely on. And now you can catch us collaborating at shows here in the US or singing in a YouTube video together :-)

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not playing music?
I like to write in my journal. I've been writing in journals since elementary school so it's something I do religiously. It's really nice to also read back at what you wrote in the past. It helps you understand yourself and see how much you grow through time. Also, when I'm not busy singing, you can find me dancing. And just like anyone else, I just like to have fun whether it be going clubbing, hanging out with friends, having dinner with family, etc. During the summer I love going to the beach and during the winter I like to go snowboarding. And on any given day, Disneyland floats my boat :-)

What do you hope to accomplish while being involved in music?
I hope to inspire people with my music, as every musician does. Although I have videos on YouTube, I like to focus on being known for being a great performer on stage, even when it comes to dancing. I want to use my personal experiences and express them through my music to further my growth and reach out to others.

Do you have any final words for the readers?
Please be on the look out for my upcoming originals and performances in the near future and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask me on twitter: @krystlecruz :-)


There you have it! Just one of the many fresh faces on YouTube who you should be keeping an eye and ear out for! Till next time, signing off!

J~


Krystle Cruz

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH SOWELU

Hey guys, what's up? Back again with a new interview. Enter J-pop singer Sowelu!

Aki Harada aka Sowelu (born November 6, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Irish-Japanese pop singer. She officially debuted in 2002 with her hit single 'Beautiful Dreamer', and gained more recognition with the release of her first album 'Geofu'. Being of a mixed background, she brings a very unique voice to the table, one that has garnered her many hit singles as well as collabs with big artists like m-flo, EXILE, and many others. As well she just made a big switch in labels, now being housed in Avex's Rhythm Zone label. Now she was able to spare a moment to talk with me about her career as well as where she's hoping to take it!

How long have you been doing music professionally for?
Professionally, a really long time! Like a year or two before my official debut.

What style of music do you generally play, and which musicians provide inspiration for your sound?
I listen to anything that sounds good like pop, rock, and R&B.

Earlier this year, in March, you released a “best of” album called “Sowelu THE BEST 2002-2009”, featuring an array of your hit tracks since your debut, as well as a new track produced by DJ Taku Takahashi of m-flo called “MATERIAL WORLD”. How was the process of putting together this album?
It wasn't hard considering that all the songs were already recorded.

In August 2007, you collaborated with EXILE and Doberman Inc. on a track called “24karats”. How was that experience?
It was awesome and I had a great time, since I've always been a fan of Doberman INC. and EXILE.

Can fans expect new material from you anytime soon?
Well recently I did a song called "The moment I saw you" from SOFFet's new album due out on 9.30

How did you get the name “Sowelu”?
Sowelu is an Irish nickname my mom and Irish family called me ever since I was young. It means “sun”.

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
There really isn't anyone I want to collab with considering I never thought about it, LOL. Whatever comes along comes along :)

Are you doing any projects and/or campaigning for anything right now aside from your music career?
The only thing I've been doing since my best album and single "Material World" was recording and I just recently came back from Hawaii.

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
Well like every other person in Japan - Lady Gaga and Namie Amuro, LOL! It's a crime if they’re not in your iPod lol.

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
My creative flow just comes to me. I guess I'm just a natural lol.

You’ve been active as a professional musician for 10 years, give or take. How does it feel so far? Do you feel you have more to accomplish? Is there anything you still want to do, both in your music career and outside of it?
There’s not really anything I want to do but be there for my family and create more great songs. I hope to do more songs just like Material World.

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
Hands down Miliyah Kato is my best friend! lol

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not recording or touring?
I'm usually with my family and my friend Youko.

To the critical question now. You have been involved in music for some time now, and music tastes and styles are changing quickly in this day and age. Where do you see music in Japan going in the future, in the sense of changing tastes, and will this allow you continued creativity down the road?
I really want to do more songs like Material World and Lady Gaga's style of music. It seems like ever since Material World I've wanted to do more dance pop/club songs. Hopefully I get to do those songs with Emi Hinouchi and Taku Takahashi again someday.

Do you feel you’ve contributed to the advancement of music in Japan as a J-pop singer? And is there anything you’d like to see done in this whole genre of music in Japan?
I want Japan to do more stuff like Lady Gaga, or maybe I just really love Lady Gaga, lol. Hopefully I have contributed to the music industry.


That's all folks! Thank you to Sowelu for this brief interview, and until next time, saiyounara!

J~


Sowelu

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH SHANTI SNYDER

Hey guys! Here is the next r.c interview, with Japanese-American singer/voice actress Shanti Synder! Enjoy!

Shanti Snyder aka Shanti (born June 4, 1981 in Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese-American singer, songwriter, lyricist, and music show host in Japan. She performs frequently in some of Tokyo's big jazz clubs and venues, and has also appeared with many big artists. She is also well known for her collaborations as a voice actress with Yoko Kanno. Shanti also records jingles and songs for commericials, as well as voice overs sometimes. In 2008, she teamed up with long-time friend Hajime Yoshizawa on a song called 'Home', which garnered a lot of attention for her - during its pre-release, it was #1 on iTunes for a short time. Last year she also released her debut album 'Share My Air', and recorded it in Paris with some of France's top musicians. Aside from music, she is the co-host along with fellow singer May J. for the English-language NHK music show 'J-Melo', and in her spare time, she paints and has done a few exhibitions for her work already. Now Shanti sits down with me to give you guys her take on things!

How long have you been doing music professionally for?
12 years.

What style of music is your forte, and which musicians provide inspiration for your tracks?
Style...sweet, smooth, emotional ballads. For my album? Sade and Joni Mitchell but more than that the guy I was in love with then whom I wrote most of the songs about. And nature.. nature is a big part of my inspiration.

In August last year, you worked on a song with singer Yoshizawa Hajime called ‘Home’, and you also wrote lyrics for 5 songs for singer TOKU’s album ‘Love Again’ which was released in November last year as well. How were both of those experiences, and how did you hookup with those particular artists?
I knew Hajime from when I was a baby. He's my childhood friend's cousin.... but we met/reunited as musicians about 5 years ago. It was funny cuz Toku was there too. It was at a club-jazz venue in Shibuya. We always wanted to do some kind of collaboration together and last year the opportunity presented itself. We wrote "Home" for a tv jingle for a product called Mt. Rainier Cafe Latte. I was able to write freely/or what I wanted. Hajime's beautiful melody inspired me to write something that had a universal message. The recording ambiance was great! We recorded all together with the musicians at a recording studio across the street from Tokyo Tower.

Toku I met for the first time about 8 years ago at a jazz venue in Roppongi, Tokyo called Alfie, when I went to see Kenji Hino play. We've been writing music together ever since. The album "Love Again" is not our first collaboration but it was an interesting one. We flew to Atlanta, Georgia in the US to stay with the co-producer of the album, piano player and composer, Takana Miyamoto. The song "Again " was written there at her home, where we listened and played music every day. We recorded at Doppler Studio where Mariah Carey, TLC, and Boyz II Men recorded their hit albums. It was really exciting to be part of something quite special.

Are you working on any new material yourself, for your music career, aside from doing jingles for commercials and lyrics for other musicians?
I'm writing new songs all the time....they just haven't been released yet. Preparing some live show excerpts on video for the net....then you can hear some of my new songs. I also played new material for the J-Melo Natsu Fesu 2009 so you can look forward to that when it gets aired.

Are you doing any projects and/or campaigning for anything right now aside from your music career?
No not currently.

You’re also a painter I hear. How are things going on that end?
Slow...haven't been painting much since I started J-Melo. Got a bit too much on my plate now....but I am working on a mural for a recording studio 2 to 3 hours outside of Tokyo. And I am trying to plan a cafe exhibition in the fall.

In late October last year, you were inducted as one of two new VJs for English-language NHK show ‘J-Melo’, which features a variety of music from all across Japan. Alongside singer May J., you two have been continuing to introduce more Japanese musicians to the world; how has the experience been so far, and how did it all go down in terms of being asked to host the show?
It was a new door for me....a mutual friend who is a TV commentator recommended me to the producer of the program....we had a meeting and I said yes. J-Melo is a learning experience for me. It's inspiring to meet all sorts of artists and to hear them play live. Connecting with people who write to us is also very special....it's something otherwise close to impossible.

Do you and May J. have anything big planned later on in the summer or the year for the show?
Well we just finished the Natsu Fesu 2009....stay tuned with the show...

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
Recently I play Marvin Gaye, Esperanza Spalding, Amel Larrieux, akiko, Ray Charles and Bonnie Raitt.

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
Joe Sample and Esperanza Spalding.

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
The ocean/ beach, or to a great live show.

You’ve been active as a professional musician for 12 years, give or take. How does it feel so far? Do you feel you have more to accomplish? Is there anything you still want to do, both in your music career and outside of it?
Being a musician is a constant learning experience; you just never stop growing. I feel confident for the work I've done so far, and I cherish everyone who supports this musical journey. I have a lot more to accomplish.....I want to record my second album.... I want to do collaborative recordings and live shows...want to perform more...want to write more....I just can't stop being creative! I want to perform in and outside of Japan to all kinds of audiences...different cultures, different nationalities. I do want to have children too when I find the right guy (smile)

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not recording or touring?
I play with my dogs. Take walks, go window shopping.. Lately I've been driving with my friend to be more a part of nature. Drive outside of the city to the ocean or to the mountains and spend time there by the river; I also enjoy going to the onsen/hot springs.

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
Fumio Nishiyama my guitar player. He goes by the nickname Hank. He was a supporting musician for my mentor, singer-songwriter Mickey-T.

To the critical question now. You’ve been a key player in music for some time now, and music tastes and styles are changing quickly in this day and age. Where do you see music in Japan going in the future, in the sense of changing tastes, and will this allow you continued creativity down the road?
Well, personally I think that the world is rushing to get nowhere....there is no time to enjoy the music when the cycle is so fast. I definitely say that the music is becoming like fast food a bit....I just want to be one of the musicians who can present an opportunity for people to "feel" music by singing live and recording with live musicians.....I will always be creative no matter what is going on around me....the funny thing about being a host on J-Melo and being a musician is that the program keeps me aware of what's "in" but it not necessarily means that I would follow the trend. Sometimes I appear to be a rebel but know I just continue to do what I believe in because I know I can touch peoples' hearts through music and singing.

Do you feel you’ve contributed to the advancement of music in Japan as a jazz singer? And is there anything you’d like to see done in this whole genre of music in Japan?
Well to tell you the truth, I don't consider myself a jazz singer. If my music was placed in the United States or elsewhere I would probably not fall under that category.... it's just that my first album was jazzy and that I play in venues that are jazz oriented. I think I haven't contributed enough as a singer; maybe as a writer. I would like more people to come out and hear live music because LPs have turned into CDs. CDs into MDs and now mp3. People are unaware that the sound quality is very low in the daily music we hear.... maybe it's enough for now but live music is in the moment.... it's the essence of what we do and to be a part of it as an audience is a beautiful experience. We are here to make you "feel good".

On a final note, since you’re also English-fluent, do you plan on playing any shows or hope to play shows in North America in the future?
Of course!! Would love to!! I'd love to play to an audience that understands the english lyrics I write first hand.

C'est fini! Thanks to Shanti herself for this lovely interview and retrospect on music. Until next time, signing out for now!

J~


Shanti Snyder

rhythm.connection presents A MOMENT WITH MILIYAH KATO

Hey guys, here for your reading pleasure is the very first rhythm.connection interview ever, with highly acclaimed Japanese R&B singer Miliyah Kato! Enjoy!

Miliyah Kato (real name Miho Kato, born June 22, 1988 in Toyota, Japan) is a Japanese R&B/urban singer, and designer for fashion brand Kawi Jamele. She debuted in 2004 with her hit single 'Never Let Go', and it was one of the 30 best singles at the time for 5 weeks straight. To compliment that, her latest single, 'Forever Love' has become her best selling single to date, and her vocals and lyrics are bringing her to the top. Having worked with the likes of Shota Shimizu, Dohzi-T, ROMA Tanaka, m-flo, TARO SOUL, Shonan no Kaze, and many others, this girl has taken Japan by storm, and now spares some time to give us her insight on things thus far!

How long have you been doing music professionally for?
Well professionally, 8 years!

What style of music generally is your forte, and which musicians provide inspiration for your tracks?
I listen to all types of music but mostly Pop, R&B, Hip-Pop, and Dance.

You just recently released a single called ‘Forever Love’ and teamed up with singer Shota Shimizu for this collab, and this single became your best selling single to date and certified Gold in Japan. How did you guys meetup to do this collaboration and did it meet or surpass your expectations after you finished writing and releasing it?
'Forever Love' is one my favorite collabs and favorite songs I have done. Working with Shota was great. I met him in 2008 when his first song 'Home' came out. I honestly never thought that the single would be that huge.

You also announced a new album, called ‘Ring’, to be released in July, and it’s your fifth album to date. How was the process of writing new songs, if any, for the album, and did you draw any inspiration for any recent events in your life or around you to write those songs?
Actually the album is done. I'm just picking the right songs for for the album. I want this album to be one of my best albums yet. As for the songs, some of them I have been writing. The songs I wrote for this album are more love songs or about love.

Can listeners expect any new collaboration songs in the future from you?
Yes they can; all I can say is keep your ears open and your eyes focused or you'll miss something! lol

Are you doing any projects and/or campaigning for anything right now aside from your music career?
The current project I have finished was my 'Ring' album, besides that I haven't really been doing any other projects.

I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
Well lately I have been playing alot of Michael Jackson's music. I was deeply sadden to know that our 'KING OF POP' is dead, I just couldn't believe it. Besides all that my current obsessesion is LADY GAGA. I love her music.

You’ve been active as a professional musician for 8 years, give or take. How does it feel so far? Do you feel you have more to accomplish? Is there anything you still want to do, both in your music career and outside of it?
My goal was to be a singer and I got my wish. I do feel I have way more to accomplish in the future with music and fashion. There's nothing special that I want to do with my music exspect for help people.

Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
Most of my songs are based on everyday life, in mine or a friend's life. I try to write and create music that inspires people, help them and make songs that people can relate to.

Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
I want to work with one of my musician friends in Japan or an American artist.

Since you’re also an English-speaking musician, have you ever considered trying to break into the American music scene, and why or why not?
Yes I really really want to cross over. I think I will do really good in America but not right now because I feel my work in Japan is not done yet.

Can fans in North America expect a concert or tour from you anytime down the road?
I haven't really thought about that, but I say no because I'm not ready to and I wouldn't expect Americans to know my music lol.

This next one is one I’ve been wondering myself. In 2005, you did a song with DJ/MC duo m-flo called ‘ONE DAY’. How’d you hookup with the m-flo boys, and how was the experience of working with them?
First and foremost, I want to say the guys of M-Flo are some of the most coolest people I have ever met lol. I always wanted to work with M-Flo but never realy thought about it. When my manager told me that M-Flo wanted to work with me I was so so so happy. One of favorite collabs was "ONE DAY".

I’ve heard that you’re also a designer. How are things going on that end?
Yes I am and it's been going great. I design for this line called Kawi Jamele. I always wanted to be a designer when I was a kid so working with Kawi Jamele is a real blessing to me.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not recording or touring?
In my spare time I usually go shopping lol. I LOVE shopping - what girl doesn't? My favorite place to shop like most of my friends in Japan is Shibuya.

Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
My closest musician friend? lol That is so hard to choose since I have so many, but I would say probably Thelma Aoyama. I love her to death!! lol There just too many of my good musician friends in Japan. I met Thelma when she was just starting out in 2007 with her first single "ONE WAY". Thelma and I met at a Kawi Jamele store (that is the line I help design) in 2007. We have been great friends ever since then.

To the critical question now. You’ve been a key player in music for some time now, and music tastes and styles are changing quickly in this day and age. Where do you see music in Japan going in the future, in the sense of changing tastes, and will this allow you continued creativity down the road?
I think music in Japan will always be surrounded by Pop/R&B/Hip-Pop influences. As long as theres music, there's Miliyah Kato :)

Do you feel you’ve contributed to the advancement of music in Japan as a R&B singer? And is there anything you’d like to see done in this whole genre of music in Japan?
I do feel that I have contributed in a way as a R&B singer. I would like to see more mixed genres like Miura Daichi's song 'Delete My Memories'. The song is a mixed genre of Pop,Hip-Pop and R&B. I want to do more of that in the future!


There you have it! Hopefully I will be able to do some more interviews with some of my favorite musicians! Thanks again to Miliyah herself for the interview, and thanks for reading, until next time, peace out!

J~


Miliyah Kato