graduation is such a japanese euphemism
Johnny Kitagawa, are you stupid?
You must be old and incredibly senile by now. Yes, by Japanese industry standards I'm sure you know a lot about America what with growing up there.
But you must be kidding if you honestly think that Jin can successfully base himself there. And maybe that's not exactly what you're saying yet, but with choosing this timing to pull apart from KAT-TUN and expand in America, it's not a wild assumption. If he's going to just go back to Japan after this all and maybe pull a Yamapi, what's the point of all of this?
His tour will probably go well. It will probably continue to go reasonably well if you choose limited venues and large cities, but this is not sustainable. It is incredibly difficult to imagine that Jin can increase his American fanbase in any meaningful way by doing a few more concerts. You could release English singles and music videos and promote the hell out of them, but do you really have the money and patience? OOPS YOU PROBABLY SPENT IT ALL ON ARASHI And do you really believe his songwriting and English are good enough to get him anywhere when there are hundreds and thousands of others who can do the same and better?
Please pause to remember that Utada Hikaru-- who is inarguably incredibly talented, a native English speaker, and overall above the crowd-- has yet to achieve meaningful success in her forays into the Western world. This isn't to say her shows and singles don't sell, but if you ask 10 Americans on the street it would be unusual to find even one who has ever heard of her.
I'm not saying music is all about perfect English and pronunciation, but when people can't tell what you're saying in the lyrics, it really really really doesn't inspire. I would argue that the hiphop/dancey-music genre is worse in this aspect because the words go by so quickly.
I'm not trying to be a crazy pessimist. Jin is talented, has a great voice, and speaks passable English. I think his heart is in the right place, and I support his attempts to break free from what bores him and do what he loves, but I don't want to see him being set up for failure.
Maybe success isn't in being universally known-- but this is what you have already at home, and what I want for you. I know that random people having huge crushes on you is probably not the top of your priority list. Maybe the return to invisibility is closer to your style, but won't it be lonely?
Random no-name singers in America don't show up in non-seedy television shows and movies, or at least not without hella money and big-name companies backing them up. There are so many less opportunities, and such a narrow path to success.
ALSO, fuck you all for naming that album NO MORE PAIN.
You must be old and incredibly senile by now. Yes, by Japanese industry standards I'm sure you know a lot about America what with growing up there.
But you must be kidding if you honestly think that Jin can successfully base himself there. And maybe that's not exactly what you're saying yet, but with choosing this timing to pull apart from KAT-TUN and expand in America, it's not a wild assumption. If he's going to just go back to Japan after this all and maybe pull a Yamapi, what's the point of all of this?
His tour will probably go well. It will probably continue to go reasonably well if you choose limited venues and large cities, but this is not sustainable. It is incredibly difficult to imagine that Jin can increase his American fanbase in any meaningful way by doing a few more concerts. You could release English singles and music videos and promote the hell out of them, but do you really have the money and patience? OOPS YOU PROBABLY SPENT IT ALL ON ARASHI And do you really believe his songwriting and English are good enough to get him anywhere when there are hundreds and thousands of others who can do the same and better?
Please pause to remember that Utada Hikaru-- who is inarguably incredibly talented, a native English speaker, and overall above the crowd-- has yet to achieve meaningful success in her forays into the Western world. This isn't to say her shows and singles don't sell, but if you ask 10 Americans on the street it would be unusual to find even one who has ever heard of her.
I'm not saying music is all about perfect English and pronunciation, but when people can't tell what you're saying in the lyrics, it really really really doesn't inspire. I would argue that the hiphop/dancey-music genre is worse in this aspect because the words go by so quickly.
I'm not trying to be a crazy pessimist. Jin is talented, has a great voice, and speaks passable English. I think his heart is in the right place, and I support his attempts to break free from what bores him and do what he loves, but I don't want to see him being set up for failure.
Maybe success isn't in being universally known-- but this is what you have already at home, and what I want for you. I know that random people having huge crushes on you is probably not the top of your priority list. Maybe the return to invisibility is closer to your style, but won't it be lonely?
Random no-name singers in America don't show up in non-seedy television shows and movies, or at least not without hella money and big-name companies backing them up. There are so many less opportunities, and such a narrow path to success.
ALSO, fuck you all for naming that album NO MORE PAIN.