日本レコードラベル聴覚 Japan Record Label Auditions

私は少数の日本レコードラベルに電子メールを既に送っ てしまった。 私は私にデモテープを作るためにシンセサイザを買う十 分なお金がないので私がちょうどそれらに私のプロフィ ールおよび少数の写真を送ることは可能であるかどうか でありそれらに尋ねる。私は14歳、しかし15をこの7月回 i'mであり。 私は米国に住んでいるが、日本の単独の芸術家として音 楽的なキャリアがほしいと思う。 私は日本語を知らない、私は音楽的な経験を有しないし 、よく歌うことができない…しかし私は書かれているI 数の歌のための音楽の構成を助けることができる多く 考えを有する。 だれでも日本であらゆるラベルが付いている接触がある かどうか尋ねることにどれが私を導くか。 または私がある特定のレコードラベルに聴覚を送っても いいかどうか確認するか。私が約疑問に思っていたもう 一つの質問はレコードラベルが私を翼の下で取り、声、 語学の授業を与え喜んでであるか。

私は学んで喜んですべてを私のすべて与える。 私のための助言を有したり、または何かに答えを…答え てもらえば!
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I had sent e-mails to a few Japanese record labels already. I was asking them if it would be possible for me to just send them my profile and a few photographs because I don't have enough money to buy a synthesizer to make a demo tape. I am 14 years old, but I'm turning 15 this July. I live in the United States, but I want a musical career as a solo artist in Japan. I don't know Japanese, I have no musical experience, and I can't sing well... but I have many ideas that could help compose music for a few songs I wrote. Which leads me to ask if anyone has any contact with any label in Japan? Or know if I can send an audition to a certain record label? Another question that I was wondering about is if a Record Label would be willing to take me under their wing and provide me with vocal and language lessons?

I am willing to learn and give everything my all. If you have any advice for me or have an answer to something... please reply!

If this is indeed a serious post and you are absolutely sincere about wanting to go to Japan for dreams of becoming a musician/talento..in all honesty, you might want to reconsider.

I don't want to sound like Simon Cowell but there is no magical "American Idol-like" formula to becoming a musical star in Japan. If you look at Utada Hikaru, Angela Aki, Ito Yuna and others who were either born outside of Japan or have spent considerable time abroad, they have several things in common - they all speak Japanese, they're all Japanese nationals and they all sing well...very well.

I don't know of any foreigner who's been able to establish a singing career based solely on looks alone. Even those that are able to do so are usually scouted and/or part of a larger label collective (AVEX family, Hello! Project). Others have spent years developing and refining their talents with various talent agencies and groups (Okinawa Actor's School, Johnny's Jimusho).

To believe that you can go to Japan with no previous music background, no Japanese language background and no agent or affiliation with a record company/talent agency and become a star based solely on your uniqueness as an American/gaikokujin is a bit naive although it sounds like you thought some of this out.

While there are some foreigners who have beat the odds to become minor celebrities in Japan (Chuck Wilson, Dave Spector, Bobby Ologun, Leah Dizon) they had unique personalities and talents that were marketable.

I'd say develop your talents here in the US first (singing/music lessons), learn Japanese and if possible start networking with American sources. Most of the big labels like EMI, Sony, Universal have Japanese divisions which you can transfer to later if possible. You're still very young, what is another couple of years. Unless there's a specific reason of wanting to go to Japan now, this might be better although not necessarily easier. Network with other musicians who could mentor and guide your passion like musicbanter.com

If you can somehow get music samples online via either YouTube or MySpace that can showcase your talents do so and get feedback from others.

If you are indeed talented, it shouldn't matter whether you are in Japan or America, you'll get your recognition either way. Dreams are important but you also have to be realistic too.

If you don't know Japanese, please don't bother with online translations of your post, as they are horribly bad. If you've been sending stuff like that to record labels in Japan, it's no wonder you haven't heard back.

If you really want to do this, you'll need to learn how to sing, and how to speak/sing Japanese. No one is going to hire a 15 year old musician (that admittedly can't sing well) based on a headshot. If all you have are ideas about composing the music, then maybe you should shoot for being a songwriter instead of a singer.

JTM's advice is very good, take heed of it.

First of all, I have put a lot of thought into this. I am not naive and i'm not your typical teenager. This is a "serious" post... i'm not in a position to be joking around. Please take everything I say into consideration. I need some guidance, because I haven't told anyone about my dream or why i'm doing it. So, the feedback I get online is what i'm depending on. And, yes there is a reason to why i'm wanting to do this. It is sort of private, but if it would help you all to understand, then i'll be willing to explain it.

I have thought about putting some samples online, but I don't have a camcorder. I only have a laptop that has a webcam. I'm not allowed to get a myspace, because my mom is a wiz with computers and can find out easily if I get one. Though I do have a keyboard but... as much as I don't want to say this, because I just know someone is going to say something... I don't know how to play it. Like I said before, I have no musical experience. I really want to get a synthesizer though, so I can make demos.

Also, about Utada Hikaru. I envy her... she is lucky to have been born to parents that have musical experience. Then again, there are many artists out there that were just like me. Leah Dizon is some-what inspiration for me, i'm glad you brought her up. She also sent a audition with her profile, photographs, and a demo to a record label. I am wanting to do that too. I really want to send a audition in to Sony Music Entertainment. I can't put a link to the site but go to yahoo and type in 'Sony Music Entertainment International Audition', then go to the site from there. Read through everything and then you all will understand why I asked those questions earlier.

I also wanted to say thankyou to both of you for replying! Also, i'm sorry for translating... I did it incase someone in Japan had a answer. But, since it's horrible i'm guessing they couldn't even understand it. Thank-god, I did not translate when I sent my e-mails! If I offended anyone, sorry. It's my dream to be a singer, nothing will change my mind.

MyFirstLove...No one here wants to discourage you from pursuing your dreams, in fact I for one admire your convictions and enthusiasm but you need to weigh that against the realities of the Music Industry both here and in Japan.

You can try and submit your portfolio to Sony Music but bear in mind that you will be competing against thousands of others who have similar dreams, aspirations and goals and who are just as determined to become a name artist. Many of these guys are professional musicians who have recorded before; singers with a lot of vocal training and instruction; graduates of prestigious music schools like Julliard, Goldsmiths and Curtis; or who have gone through talent agencies/programs.

Sony isn't in the business to make your dreams come true, they are in the business to make money through the promotion of musical talents under their label. You need to make a case to them that you are deserving of their investment in your talents.

Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff and Rihanna make it look easy but they all worked extremely hard to get to where they are. Are you willing to make the same sacrifices and hard work?

If the answer is yes, then you MUST learn the basics of what it takes to become a musician. If you want to be a singer, you need to take singing lessons or at the very least practice singing in front of others. If you want to be a songwriter, you need to know how to read/write music. If you want to be a musician (play the synthesizer), you need to invest in lessons on how to play. If you want to go to Japan, as Nice_Gaijin said, you MUST learn (or at least attempt) to learn the language.

If you are not willing to make these initial investments in classes and training to become at least semi-professional then you are definitely underestimating the industry and aren't really serious about becoming an artist.

Having ambition and "wanting" to be a star is unfortunately not enough, you got to have the built-in talent. Many fans of "American Idol" just see the successes of singers like Jordin Sparks, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson or "X-Factor" winner Leona Lewis but forget that they had to beat out literally tens of thousands of hopefuls to win.

It's good to have role models like Leah Dizon but remember that in Leah's case she first started off as a model before venturing into music. Do you have a similar background? If you have model good-looks then perhaps you may be able to replicate her success.

Others like Olivia Lufkin or Maynard and Blaise Plant (Monkey Majik) had to work other jobs before getting their big breaks.

In any case, I urge you again to "think long and hard" about your goals. If you need to hire someone to help you with getting a demo done then please do so as it is important. Get lots of feedback from friends, teachers, school counselors and those in the music industry before you commit to anything so as to see that you are not being misled or being too optimistic.

There are talent agencies that MAY be willing to look at your portfolio.
Thane Camus, who is an American-born Japanese "talento" has a talent agency that is geared to foreigners wanting to get into the Japanese Entertainment industry. They only deal with those foreigners with a good understanding of Japanese but if you show a clear desire to learn the language and culture of Japan you "might" be able to get some feedback -

eclipsepro.jp/09_about_A.php

You seem to be very mature for your age so I can only wish you the best of luck in your journey. Just don't expect everything to go your way and to steel yourself for any rejections that will come.

Well you don't have to worry, I don't get discouraged that easily. If anything, I am more driven to do something. I understand that the music industry is cut-throat, just like any other.

I know that many people are going to be admitting auditions to Sony, but there is always a chance that I could stand out. I know i'm not some 'gifted' person like those that go to music schools, but who ever said all singers did either?

Of course I am willing to work just as hard as everyone else! So I have to take singing lessons, I need to keep writing more songs, come up with more ideas, get money to buy a synthesizer, and learn japanese... I will do all of that, but I don't know where to take singing lessons? I know that I am going to buy Rosetta Stone to learn japanese. But, in order for me to get a synthesizer... I am going to need $4,000 dollars. Which I can only get when I turn 16 and get a job?! That is what i'm worried about. I want to start my career at a young age. By that time I would need about a year to learn how to play the synthesizer. Then I would be able to send in a demo with my audition to the record labels... but I will be about 17-18 years old.

I forgot about Leah being a model. Well, I think that I do have a unique look. I am half asian, european, and part hawaiian. I know that i'm not ugly, and I could pass as many races.

I have thought long and hard. I'm just tired of wondering, and I want to get my life back on track. Being a singer, like I said before is my dream. Without my dream I don't have anything else, and i'm doing this for someone special. I don't want to regret anything, and I can't see myself having a normal life. In 2005 my parents decided to homeschool me and my sisters. So, I don't have any "outside world" contacts.

Thankyou so much for the link. I checked out Eclipse Production, and I already sent a e-mail to them explaining my situation. You are such a big help to me, but I am just curious on how you know so much?!

I agree with JTM about the possibility of a musical career in Japan, so I'll skip that part here. I'll just say that you're against huge competition, and people mentioned in the thread were able to get big breaks because of things like connections and background.

Hikaru Utada's parents were not only music professionals, her mother was a famous enka singer who won great recognition for her talent to sing at age 12 or 13. Everyone in my generation knows her mother. Hikaru was able to launch a career easily in Japan because of her mother's reputation.

Yuna Ito and Angela Aki had released CD albums in the US before coming to Japan. And they spoke Japanese natively since childhood.

Others like Olivia Lufkin and Monkey Majik members lived in Japan for a long time and therefore very, very fluent in Japanese before they got their breaks.

As for Leah Dizon, she doesn't have any family or other connections with Japan but was already doing modeling and other similar stints in the US before she got her break. From what I heard, she put up a website of her photos (a lot of them semi-nude) for people to see, and Japanese Akiba-kei geeks found her on the Web, leading to her being scouted for a career in Japan. Honestly speaking, she did release a CD or two but is not impressive as a singer. The CD isn't selling, quite naturally. She does not show up on TV because she can't speak the language well (also can't act IMHO). Her show biz activities appear limited to appearances at live shows and media events to attract her Akiba-kei admirers. Truly, I wonder how long she's going to last in Japan... ☝

BTW, what is this attachment with a synthesizer? If you plan to show your singing skill, why not ask a friend who can play the piano or guitar to provide accompaniment to your singing and record it on tape or CD? I think that's good enough!

How about considering an option to enroll one-year high school exchange programs, at the age of (maybe 15), 16/17, in the near future?

Epigene,

I already knew that Utada Hikaru's mom was a famous enka singer. When I said that both of her parents had musical experience, I meant that they had influences for her... her mother having a influence with singing, and her father with music. After hearing that connections, and background plays a role. It doesn't really fase me, because not all famous solo artists had them.

I appreciate Leah Dizon. It is people like her, that inspire me. Yes, she had no connections nor influences whatsoever. But, her dream beyond modeling was to be a singer. I had listened to a few of her songs, and I have to agree that she isn't "all that" with her vocals... but adleast her dream came true. She is only 21 years old, and has more than enough time to learn how to speak fluently. You can't speak for everyone in Japan. She may have more fans than you think, that aren't Akiba-kei. Don't be so harsh and say that you don't know how long she is going to last in Japan. Would you have liked it if someone had said that about you, when you were getting your career started???

I am, like I said before... homeschooled. I don't have any "outside" world contacts. I want to get the synthesizer, because with it I can create demos... I am wanting to show that I can compose too.

Pipokun,

This brings back memories...

Last year my parents had asked if me or any of my sisters wanted to go study abroad in Tokyo, Japan. I had answered yes, but my sisters said no. Eversince that day, neither of my parents bring it up. So, I went online and did some reasearching... the program that they were going to put me in was "Ayusa Global Youth Exchange". The cost for me to just go for one month was $6,450. That's when the wondering ended, and I knew they weren't going to pay that amount just for me to go for one month. Though, I did want to go for a whole year, but that cost $9,000... with a different foreign exchange program. So, I thought about it and there is no way I could ever get that much money... unless I do a fundraiser... but that's imposible too.

Or you could give me the money, and since you live in Japan I could stay at your house???!!! ...just kidding.

You can't speak for everyone in Japan. She may have more fans than you think, that aren't Akiba-kei.

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Good observation (no sarcasm at all)
You should use it for yourself. A second-hand guitar is not a fortune.
There are many "I love Japan" people in youtube or else, the luckiest may be a young American woman who got her flight ticket to see Mari Yaguchi, an idoru, here, but it is rare to see someone, esp. the young like you, playing J-music with guitar, not karaoke.
When you write a good J songs, you don't have to show your face.

When I was 14, I was lucky enough to have a rich friend whose family bought him a drum, actually it was fun to play music with my friends, but it was unlucky that I was interested in more judo when I went to high school.

MyFirstLove said:

Don't be so harsh and say that you don't know how long she is going to last in Japan. Would you have liked it if someone had said that about you, when you were getting your career started???

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In all likelihood, Epigene's career is based on actual talent an experience, not the fleeting whims of pop culture, so that's not the greatest analogy.

How exactly do you expect to create a demo if you can't sing or play any instruments?

Pipokun,

Now that you mention a guitar... it would be a good choice. I noticed many musicians started off with a basic guitar. The prices for them are really cheap, thankyou for mentioning it. If i'm correct, you're telling me that I could put my music online and not show my face. You are right... but I would want people to see me playing the guitar, showcasing my talent(I am just saying this if I were to learn how to play the guitar and put it up online).

JimmySeal,

Before I reply to you, I want to tell you this. I just joined Japan Reference a few days ago. I just came to find out if anyone would have some advice or help to give me. Epigene just happened to be someone I got feedback from. So, sorry if I don't know everyone here.

"Don't be so harsh and say that you don't know how long she is going to last in Japan. Would you have liked it if someone had said that about you, when you were getting your career started???" - MyFirstLove

When I said that, i'm not sure that you understood the meaning of it.

I meant for Epigene to put herself in Leah's position or shoes. Would Epigene like it if I were to say "Truly, I don't know how long she's going to last in Japan"??? When she is just starting her career there??? I don't think that it would be right for me to say, so I didn't think it was right for Epigene to say that about Leah.

I am very tired of having to answer that question. I know that I can't sing nor play any instruments. Like I said earlier, in order for me to even get my hands on a synthesizer. I'm going to need a job, which I can only get when I turn 16. Before that time, I could train myself and take singing lessons, learn how to adleast play the guitar, learn japanese, and write more lyrics... well basically do what everyone that wrote said. Then I would be able to make a demo... but by that time I will be old---er, which is bad because I want to start my career at a younger age. There is a major reason on why I want to.

When I said that, i'm not sure that you understood the meaning of it.

I meant for Epigene to put herself in Leah's position or shoes. Would Epigene like it if I were to say "Truly, I don't know how long she's going to last in Japan"??? When she is just starting her career there??? I don't think that it would be right for me to say, so I didn't think it was right for Epigene to say that about Leah.

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No, that's a perfectly acceptable observation for Epigene to make. Whoever this Leah person is, she's an entertainer, and her career is a matter of public discourse. If Epigene were a singer making her debut, you would be just as much within your rights to say that you don't think her career will last long in America or whatever. If you intend to become an entertainer, you need to grow a thicker skin; you're getting your feathers ruffled over an innocent comment about someone else.

And what's with the hang-up over getting expensive equipment? This is the digital age, you don't need a synthesizer to make music (especially if you don't even know how to use one). I have a friend that has been making great music for years with nothing but FREE programs. Here's his radio site


Instead of making excuses for your lack of experience or talent, do something about it. If you want to be taken seriously as an artist, the skill will precede your career, not the other way around.

Take a look at the amazing progress of the youtube guy. The 8-minute self-introduction itself is really fabulous, (esp., the Yanagihara_Kanako style talk in it), but the greatest point is that she got her Japanese skill by self-teaching.

MyFirstLove -
Similar to Pipokun's post with kerokerorin813/Carolyn (man she's カワイイ), there is one other girl who is trying to do exactly what you are attempting and is having some success. If you really are serious, you could try to replicate what she is doing.

Her YouTube name is マギボン but she is like you a "hapa"/mix idol hopeful who wants to go to Japan. She's been posting all sorts of "interesting" YouTube vlogs and journals online and has gotten some attention in Japan, including former モーニング娘 リーダー 矢口真里さん (Yaguchi Mari).

Here's her website/blog with her YouTube videos. While her blogs are mostly just her posing and acting cute...the one advantage that she's got over you is that she can speak and understand Japanese really well.


As everyone has said in this thread, you got to master your Japanese...that's the first step. If kerokerorin813 can do it, you can too.

Contact マギボン, there's a slight chance she may respond back with some advice.

Get a webcam and broadcast to YouTube. Get help from friends on how to set it up and upload videos. While you may not be as successful as マギボン, you can at least see if you can get some response/feedback that way.

MyFirstLove,

My apologies if you were hurt by my comment on Leah Dizon.

However, as nice gaijin pointed out (Thank you, nice gaijin), anybody in pursuit of a show biz career and fame is exposed to the possibility of negative comments. We all know that we have our likes and dislikes, and even the most popular stars are not necessarily liked by everyone. In the case of Leah, she has yet to establish a firm footing in Japanese show business, and I'd be happy if she betrays my (negative) expectations and makes wise choices to further her career.

Anyway, it is true that you need to be thick-skinned about comments like mine if you want a show biz career so badly. As pipokun & JTM suggest, you'll need to study Japanese hard and don't have to wait to buy a synthesizer--make full use of the Web to reach to the Japanese audience.

Good luck!

Pipokun and JTM,

Sorry I don't have much time right now, but I promise I will watch the videos and reply later on!

Nice Gaijin,

Well, the reason I started to go off about Leah is because... Like I said before, Leah is some sort of a inspiration for me. I look up to her in a way, and for Epigene to have said that about her... made me feel horrible.

I'm not really a emotional person. Comments like that just get me a little angry, but I will take your words into consideration.

About the synthesizer... I'm wanting to get it, because I see so many benifits into getting it. I can compose music for demos, and learn how to play it. Plus in the recording studios, I would know how to do things with the synthesizer and play around with it if any ideas pop up. Though, it is going to be in a long run before I even get it.

It's really amazing how your friend can do those things digitally. If he really did it with programing, then I don't see any harm in trying it. I will also take this into consideration too!

... Okay, thankyou for your words of wisdom. I will try my best!

Epigene,

Apology accepted, and I wanted to apologize to you also... Sorry Epigene!

Don't worry, I always take things into consideration so it's definitly acknowledged. Thankyou for your advice also.

Well, it's not programming, per se. He uses a free program called Buzz, and buys packages of sound sample files (or finds them free) and creates all his music by looping them. It works like an electronic drum machine, but can do a lot more. He has also worked in recording studios, so this is definitely a good starting point.

I've heard about software that can convert humming into real music. I admit I don't know how good they are, but it's worth a try if you can't have friends to help you out.

This is just an example:
http://www.hot-shareware.com/mp3-audio/akoff-music-composer/

Do your research and ask around in music fora!

Pipokun,

... Amazing!!!

Kerokerorin813 is so good at speaking japanese! Eventhough I have no clue about what she's saying. I just watched one of her videos, and it's truthfully... inspiring. I mean, it amazed me that she "self-taught" herself.

I am going to try to get in touch with her, and see if she would tell me how she did it. After seeing someone like her, that isn't japanese... speak japanese. I know that I can do it!!!

JTM,

... Ehm

I am "serious" about everything JTM. I swear that every reply that you posted up adleast had something that said, "if you are really serious". It makes me laugh though... because everytime I read it I smile, it's just kinda funny!

Anyway, I don't really know how i'm going to be able to contact マギボン? Her blog is in japanese, and I don't understand it. Though, I did watch a video of hers. It would be really nice to get some advice from someone like her! My laptop's webcam can only take pictures. So, I will do what you said and buy a webcam to broadcast myself. But, if I can't speak japanese... then what am I going to record myself doing?

Nice Gaijin and Epigene,

Thankyou for your help and information!

MyFirstLove said:

Kerokerorin813 is so good at speaking japanese! Eventhough I have no clue about what she's saying.

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If you have no clue about what she is saying....How do you know she is good at it?

Leah Dizon as an inspiration / role model for young girls.... that scares me a bit. Ms. Dizon should realize there are girls like MyFirstLove out there who look up to her and quit poluting the Japanese airewaves with her "singing". She should send out a message to all her young fans that she got to where she is today by taking off her clothes.

OK, there ARE musicians and actors out there who have used their nekid pompoms to open doors so their talents could be heard and seen but she doesn't have any!! OK, I shouldn't be saying this after purchasing that weekly magazine a few weeks back and thoroughly enjoying the semi-nude spread of Ms.Dizon.

I just worry about impressionable young minds corrupted by the likes of her. She also should not have made that face when shaking my hand last year at a Meet-and-Greet event at a music store just because my hand was sticky from eating a bag of Cheetos. That wasn't nice.

Well having a career in singing and performing is something difficult even within one's home country let alone singing and performing in a completely different country. But given that though it is not completely impossible. Artists like Crystal Kay, Utada Hikaru and Yuna Ito were lucky to be natively bilingual to start with along with parents that had a strong musical heritage. But they too had to put an immense amount of work and sacrifice into their careers. For Utada even the prospect of a happy marriage had to be sacrificed because of the amount of time she and her husband were spending apart in their careers.

All the others have provided quite good advice and since your quite young anything is still possible. Even if you cant afford a $4000 synthesizer, singing doesnt require an instrument and you can practice that all the time . You can ask your parents to let you take guitar or keyboard lessons to supplement your singing and playing an instrument will help you a lot with singing too. Performing in public, auditioning for musical theatre is also great ways of not only getting responses from the audience but also to boost your own confidence.

Start keeping diaries and jotting down thoughts, feelings and experiences as it is no secret that songwriters often draw on their own life as inspiration for their lyrics. So record everything that interests you, worries you or makes you sad and who knows maybe somewhere you'll find inspiration.

Singing, songwriting and music in general cant be "forced," it is a natural process unless however you have others doing the writing for you. Putting everything on the line to pursue your passion is not necessarily easy and you have to be prepared for a lot of knock backs, criticisms and failures before you can even get your first big break. As a singer you have the difficult job of filtering on the criticisms that you need to listen to (to improve your art) and the criticisms that just try to bring you down.

So just take it one step at a time, Japanese language is an incredibly good start if you want to crack the entertainment industry.

がんばってください。

Mike Cash,

Please think things through. When Pipokun gave me the link to Kerokerorin813's blog, he already mentioned that she was speaking Japanese by saying "she got her Japanese skill by self-teaching". So, I think it makes sense for me to assume she was speaking Japanese. Knowing she was speaking it, I immediatly thought she spoke it well. Like I said earlier, I don't know Japanese. If you don't understand, then I don't know any other way to explain it.

Ashikaga,

... Uh

Enjoying the semi-nude spread of Leah?! That's kinda creepy.

Anyways, I don't really know what to say...

Kirakira1232,

Thankyou so much for your advice! It's very helpful to me. After thinking everything through, I know nothings impossible... no matter what people say.

For everyone wishing to find a model agent

LesPros Girls Audition 2008 (Hawaii)
http://www.lespros.co.jp/girls2008/

Awards:
One million yen
Exclusive contract with them
Participating in Tokyo Girls Collection as a model

The audition itself will be held in Japan or Hawaii, but it seems that they will accept your application outside Japan/Hawaii as long as you are super-cute.

*snip
Nobuhiko Takada, a martial arts fighter, is also in the agent.
http://www.lespros.co.jp/sports_culture/nobuhiko_takada/index.html