Ken Hirai

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ken Hirai
平井堅


Img_capt = Ken Hirai, as pictured on the cover of his single "Fake Star".
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1972|1|17
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Piano
Genre = Japanese Pop, R&B
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer
Years_active = 1995-present
Label = DefSTAR Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.kenhirai.net Ken Hirai.net]
Notable_instruments =

nihongo|Ken Hirai|平井堅|Hirai Ken|born on January 17, 1972 is a Japanese R&B and pop singer. His soulful voice and unconventional looks won him fans following his debut in 1992. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, spokesperson.

During his career, Hirai has sold close to 14 million copies of his albums and singles. His Oricon achievements include a #1 Yearly 2004 (for a single ) and one #1 Yearly 2006 (for an album )

Early life

Born January 17, 1972 in Higashiosaka, Osaka prefecture, Ken Hirai grew up in Nabari, Mie Prefecture.

He began his music career back in 1993 when he signed with Sony Music following an audition in Yokohama the previous year while he was a student. His debut single "Precious Junk" and album were recorded the following year and released in 1995. The first single, used as the theme to a TV drama, immediately garnered Hirai attention and his second single, "Katahou Zutsu no Earphone"「片方ずつのイヤホン」also used for a drama, further capitalized on his unique sound. Hirai's debut album, "un-balanced", went on sale the same year and was followed by a second, "Stare At", in December of the following year.

1997 - 2000

Taking things more slowly, Hirai used the next four years to consolidate his style and take time out - he only released one single each in 1997 and '98 and didn't produce any new music during 1999. Fans had to wait until 2000 for a third album from Hirai, "THE CHANGING SAME", and it was the first single, "Rakuen"(楽園, lit. Paradise), that established him as a major player in the domestic charts and overseas. He was the first Japanese artist to take the classic test of a true R&B performer - playing at the Apollo Theater in New York, where he got a warm reception. Capitalizing on a strong fan base in Asia, Hirai appeared at the MTV Music Summit in Taiwan in August 2000. Hirai was voted "Best New Japanese Act" in a pop poll organized by the RTHK radio station in Hong Kong.

2001 - 2003

2001 saw Hirai's single, "KISS OF LIFE", used as the theme for the popular "Love Revolution" TV drama series. His fourth album "Gaining Through Losing" (which went to sell 1.5 million all over Asia, including Japan), and a national tour of the same name, built on his solid reputation. Hirai's 1st remix album, "Kh re-mixed up 1" was released in November, 2001. Through the album, the artist showed a new part of himself to the audience, which appealed to club-goers and DJs for the first time.

Hirai had already shown that he had the urge to perform abroad, so his live appearance on the Music Fair show in March 2002 with producer/singer Babyface from an LA studio was very much part of the plan. In the summer, recognition like winning the Best Male Artist at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards Japan and appearing in the official FIFA World Cup concert with Chemistry and Lauryn Hill seemed like they were just par for the course.

Already an established star, Hirai went one step further when he released a cover of "Ooki na Furudokei"「大きな古時計」(A Big Old Clock) in 2002. A popular nursery rhyme, it was expected to be a minor success, but went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year.

In 2003, Ken performed for MTV Unplugged Live in New York, as the 1st Japanese male solo vocalist. He was also interviewed by CNN "The Music Room", which was televised in 210 countries, and watched by 230 million viewers. His 5th album "LIFE is...", which contains "Strawberry Sex", "Ring", and his super-hit single "Ooki na Furudokei", was released on January 22, 2003.

In December 10, 2003, the conceptual album, "Ken's Bar", was released. In the album, Hirai selected his favorite songs and covered in his own style. The music was primarily jazz oriented, but covers of many blues numbers were present as well.

2004 - 2006

In May 2004, "SENTIMENTALovers" was made public. The album spawned 4 singles, with "Hitomi wo Tojite" (瞳をとじて, "Close Your Eyes") being the most successful, also becoming the highest-selling single of that year.

Ken's 2005 single, POP STAR, was one of his career's biggest hits, spawning multiple imitations and reaching No. 1 on the Oricon Charts. The video for the song, which featured Ken playing 7 different characters and animals, became an instant household hit. It features heavily on YouTube rotation. A cover of the song was featured on the rhythm game Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 for the Nintendo DS.

2007 - 2008

In 2007, Hirai released 2 singles. Both singles peaked at #5 on the Oricon charts and also sold around 100,000 copies. The first of these was "Elegy", followed by "Kimi no Suki na Toko". "Elegy" is considered by Hirai's fan community to be his finest single, and it was a major radio success in Japan.

In August 2007, Hirai released his 27th single, entitled "fake star", along with a music video that was considered a huge departure for the star due to its' risque subject matter.

On 20th February 2008 , Hirai released his 28th and 1st double A side single titled Canvas / Kimi wa Su.te.ki♡ (You're Won.der.ful) . The singles debuted at #6 on the Oricon charts .

Canvas is used as the insert and ending theme song to Fuji TV's Hachimitsu to Clover dorama which is based in a popular manga. It has been described as a pop-ballad and was written and composed by Hirai and arranged by Tomita Keichi, just like Hirai's 17th single Ring .

On March 12, 2008, Hirai released his highly anticipating 7th studio album FAKIN' POP . FAKIN' POP is Hirai's 1st studio offering since 2004's SENTIMENTALovers .

Hirai released his 29th single Itsuka Hanareru Hi ga Kite mo (いつか離れる日が来ても; If Some Day a Day Comes Where I'm Separated from You) on 23rd April 2008 . The song is a recut single from FAKIN' POP .

Influences

Some of Hirai's musical influences are Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, amongst others. His musical style is most similar to American neo-soul artist Maxwell, and he is currently comparable to Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake, and D'Angelo.

Discography

Singles

# "Precious Junk" (lyrics Ken Hirai, music Ken Hirai/Shun Yamashita) (May 13 1995) #50, 9 weeks, sold 44,000 copies
# (lyrics Ken Hirai, music Ken Hirai/Shun Yamashita) (June 21, 1995) did not chart
# (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (November 22, 1995) did not chart
# (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (August 21, 1996) did not chart
# "Stay With Me" (lyrics Ken Hirai, music Joe Rinoie) (November 1, 1996) did not chart
# "HEAT UP" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (July 21, 1997) did not chart
# "Love Love Love" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (May 30, 1998) did not chart
# (lyrics Makoto Atozi music Masahito Nakano) (January 19, 2000) #7, 28 weeks, sold over 537,810 copies
# "why" (lyrics Ken Hirai music Ken Matsubara) (May 10, 2000) #8, 10 weeks, sold over 211,000 copies
# "LOVE OR LUST" (lyrics Ken Hirai music Ken Hirai/Ken Matsubara) (October 18, 2000) #6, 15 weeks, sold over 264,000 copies
# "even if" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (December 6, 2000) #3, 9 weeks, sold over 334,000 copies
# "Miracles" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (February 15, 2001) #4, 10 weeks, sold over 240,000 copies
# "KISS OF LIFE" (lyrics Ken Hirai music Ken Hirai/Masahito Nakano) (May 16, 2001) #2, 11 weeks, sold over 555,330 copies
# "Missin' you ~It will break my heart~" (lyrics Ken Hirai music Babyface) (January 30, 2002) #4, 6 weeks, sold over 115,000 copies
# "Strawberry Sex" (lyrics Ken Hirai/Taku Tada music Ken Hirai/Masahito Nakano) (May 22, 2002) #13, 5 weeks, sold 49,000 copies
# Cover version of "My Grandfather's Clock" ) (lyrics & music Henry Clay Work Japanese lyrics Kogo Hotomi) (August 28, 2002) #1, 35 weeks, sold over 772,000 copies
# "Ring" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (November 7, 2002) #1, 16 weeks, sold over 322,000 copies
# "LIFE is... ~another story~" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (May 8, 2003) #3, 19 weeks, sold 191,000 copies
# "style" (lyrics Ken Hirai music Yasuhiro Minami) (July 30,2003) #12, 7 weeks, sold 44,000 copies
# (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (April 28, 2004) #2, 59 weeks, sold approximately 893,000 copies
# (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (May 29, 2004) #5, 22 weeks, sold 160,999 copies
# (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (October 6, 2004) #1, 16 weeks, sold over 272,000 copies
# "POP STAR" (lyrics & music Ken Hirai) (October 26, 2005) #1, 14 weeks, sold over 244,000 copies
# (June 14, 2006) #2, 9 weeks, sold over 81,398 copies
# (January 172007), #5, 16 weeks, sold over 118,749* copies
# (February 282007) #5, 11 weeks, sold over 102,765 copies
# "fake star" (September 12 2007) #6, 6 weeks, sold over 32,009 copies
# (February 20 2008) #6, 5 weeks* , sold over 38,607* copies
# "Itsuka Hanareru Hi ga Kite mo (いつか離れる日が来ても; If Some Day a Day Comes Where I'm Separated from You) (April 23 2008) #19 , 6 weeks , sold over 18,474* copies

Albums

#"un-balanced", July 7, 1995 – #57; over 18,000 sold
#"Stare At", December 1, 1996 did not chart
#"THE CHANGING SAME" , June 21, 2000 – #1; over 1,263,000 copies sold
#"gaining through losing", July 4, 2001 – #2; over 1,067,780 copies sold
#"LIFE is...", January 22, 2003 – #1 over 806,000 copies sold
#"SENTIMENTALovers", November 24, 2004 – #1; over 1,660,885 copies sold
#"FAKIN' POP", March 12, 2008 – #2 1st week sales – 161,038 copies . Total Reported Sales: 332,297*

Compilations

*"10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95-'05" “歌バカ” ("Utabaka") November 23,2005 - #1; 2,104,349* copies sold

Others

*"Kh re-mixed up 1"(Remixes), November 28, 2001 – #6; over 186,000 copies sold
*"Ken's Bar" (Cover album), December 10, 2003 – #2; over 491,000 copies sold

Trivia

* Hirai once participated in a music session with Babyface, who admired Hirai's singing ability. He said, "I think that Hirai can be popular in the world if he releases CDs in English". Fact|date=April 2007
* At the end of 2003, Hirai was invited by Stevie Wonder to join his Japanese show, where he co-performed "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".
* Hirai's 20th single "Hitomi wo Tojite," the theme song of the Japanese movie "Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World", peaked at No. 2 in Japan's Oricon chart in 2004, but got No. 1 in annual sales for the year 2004. Incidentally, he also sang a cover version of Eagles hit "Desperado" as the single's B-side.
* 2channel, a Japanese internet forum, made a parody of Hirai's song "POP STAR", titled "Vip Star", in which internet slang of 2channel and the name of the administrator of the website, Hiroyuki, appear.
* When Yo Hitoto's songs are slowed down to 80% of their original speed (or as long as the song's pitch is lowered to 80% of the original), her voice sounds uncannily like that of Hirai's. Hirai's sounds also sound like that of Hitoto when replayed in 125% of their original pitch.
* The "バイ" part of the name of Hirai's 24th single "バイマイメロディー" is the double meaning of "by" and "bye".
* During a trip to Hong Kong, in an interview, he stated that he admires director Wong Kar-wai.Fact|date=February 2007
* The name, 平井 堅 (Hirai Ken), literally means a strong well of peace, or Hard Level-well.Fact|date=May 2007
* The "10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95-'05 “歌バカ” ("Utabaka")" becomes the #1 best-selling album of 2006. Fact|date=April 2007
*Hirai's 23rd single, "POP STAR," is a song in Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, the sequel to the Nintendo DS rhythm game, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan. It is also the ending song for the dorama "Kikenna Aneki".
*Since his debut (1995) with "Precious Junk" , Ken Hirai has sold over 13,956,000 copies (albums + singles) in Japan alone and has 4 #1 Singles. Ken Hirai is officially the #56 highest selling Japanese artist of all time.Fact|date=April 2007
* Ken Hirai also made two appearances in the Crayon Shin Chan manga (as a time genie and as a villain in a Lord of the Rings spoof). Fact|date=August 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.kenhirai.net/ Ken Hirai] - Official website
* [http://www.pinups.co.jp/hirai/ Ken Hirai] - Second Official website
* [http://nippop.com/artist/artist_id-169/artist_name-ken_hirai/ Nippop Profile]
* [http://www.j-wave.co.jp/original/breadandcircus/ Ken Hirai ~ Flying Easy ~]
* [http://kenhirai.canalblog.com/ En Francais : French Multimedia Site]