Her songs encourage cross-cultural dialogue while giving those who listen, an overwhelming sense of solidarity and belonging “I think this is still an ongoing journey of identity for me, but I feel like I can finally embrace my uniqueness and also continue to be a role model”—Crystal Kay. Photographer: Yulia Shur Crystal Kay is a pioneer for diversity in Japan’s music scene. Her sound is a distinctive blend of J-pop music with R&B or hip-hop, where she sings “in a very R&B-driven way on J-pop heavy tracks”—something she says: “I’m the only one who can sing J-pop the way I do.
” She tells me her story, an incredible one that speaks to the broader experiences of Asian American artists who have achieved success in the global music industry. Kay’s mother was a singer since she was 16, and her father was a bassist in the military, so music was a natural part of her upbringing. Growing up, records played constantly in her house, and she would often attend her mom’s shows and concerts.
One day, her mother’s friend, the owner of a production house, asked if he could use her for a gaming console commercial song that required a child’s voice. Kay was only four years old at the time and has since gone on to do several commercial jingles. “One year, I was doing the jingle for All Nippon Airways and Vitamin Water, in which the two got a lot of interest, so we decided to turn the 15-30-second jingle into a full song.
That was my debut single, ‘Eternal Memorie.
