Asian American pop singers: Is race a factor?

[George Tropicana]

The most recent Asian American artist backed up by a major label and heavily hyped was CoCo Lee, deemed "The Mariah of The East," in 2000. Despite lots of ink spilled in papers and magazines (including the cover of Sony's now defunct "Sony Styles" ), CoCo Lee barely made a blimp with her debut single " Do You Want My Love."

Granted, her debut album stateside "Just No Other Way" was cookie-cutter and generic, the single " Do You Want My Love" was not. It was perfect for the Top 40 format at the time, accompanied by an aesthetically pleasing music video which MTV approved but didn't play.

Do you think ethnicity is a factor in the music not being played? Or is America not yet ready for an Asian American idol? Or is the music just not good?

Although it is rare to see Asian Americans on T.V. shows currently (Ming-Na on "ER," Kristen Kreuk on "Smallville," and B.D. Wong on "Law and Order: SUV" ), there isn't even a single Asian American singer on the charts!

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High hopes for 2004?

This year, Island Def Jam finally greenlights the English debut from the highest-selling artist in Japan, Utada Hikaru. It's about time. Some of you have already heard her on the "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack in "Blow My Whistle" with Foxy Brown. She fluently speaks English (since she was raised here and attends college here) but kept most of her singing endeavors in Japan. Her biggest Japanese hits include "Automatic," "First Love," and "Wait & See."

Also, CoCo Lee might possibly return with a sophomore English album. It will be released in Asia first to coincide with her movie debut. Her fanbase has significantly diminished in Asia because she spent so much time creating this English album. Some of you may have already heard "All Around The World" on the Asia soundtrack to "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle."

Of course, there's also Jin, who I don't know much about

Harlemm Lee, One Vo1ce, April, etc etc. are on smaller labels which won't cause much stir.

[Sean]

I think the foreign aspect is a factor but not necessarily race. It is very rare for a foreign artist to be seen as equally deserving and talented as North American artists and they seem to get ignored. This happens regardless of ethnicity.

The ethnicity may be an extra factor which again increases the 'novelty' factor.

For the record my favourite Asian-American is Margaret Cho - what a talent! OK so she's not a singer but worth mentioning anyway.

[strong4PMB!]

Don't forget Crystal Kay's debut album coming out here later in the year! It's just an English translation of some of her Japanese hits, so it sort of sucks and doesn't sound fit for America at ALL. Good luck to her.

[chebingeo]

Anggun Across America!!!!!

[George Tropicana]

Sean said:

I think the foreign aspect is a factor but not necessarily race. It is very rare for a foreign artist to be seen as equally deserving and talented as North American artists and they seem to get ignored. This happens regardless of ethnicity.

But CoCo and Utada are American; they were raised here... but they just happened to start their careers overseas. :-\

[Guy LeDouche]

Wow, I never thought about this before. Asian-Americans are a significant portion of the population, right? I would think that they're just as significant of a demographic as African-Americans and Latinos, and there has been plenty of chart success from those groups.

The only thing I can think of is that since the Asian-American population is so concentrated in places like California and New York, they haven't gained nationwide acceptance. Here in Cali, I'd say that about half the people in my major in school are Asian-American, and about 30% campus-wide. It was crazy, I went to Indiana a few years ago for an engineering thing, and out of 100 people of many different races, there were no Asian-Americans at all.

[Sean]

From what I have heard... even the famous Asian singers do not have great powerful voices and none of the ones that have tried to gain a larger audience have had voices that stood out from the pack. That's obviously a factor as well.

[pkwi]

Do you think ethnicity is a factor in the music not being played? Or is America not yet ready for an Asian American idol? Or is the music just not good?

I think its the second and third options, a mix. Race doesn't play virtually any factor in the success of music today, it probably just wasn't the hit she needed to take off.

[krazymack]

I thought Coco Lee had so much potential.  I really loved ''Do You Want My Love?" I played the track so much in 2000.  It was so radio friendly, it is not even funny.  It is such a shame that she was avoided.  I really hope her race wasn't a factor why she didn't get any sort of airplay, because I couldn't see why music stations just couldn't include her song on any playlist.  That's what I talk about when some stations lack diversity in their playlist, especially some pop stations. 

My theory is, if a pop station doesn't embrace artists' of a myriad of racial backgrounds then it is NO pop station to me at all.

I did see Coco Lee perform ''Do You Want My Love?" on "The View," back in 2000.  I believe Lisa Ling interviewed her.  Still this showcase didn't help her along to gain the attention that she needed.

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

I think asian artists do get discriminated against to some degree. I think race plays a factor in general and it can be good or bad for any of the races..

[Unexpected]

It's not often to see Asian entertainers in general since alot of Asian parents put so much stress in education and professional degrees from the day of birth. Asians also generally lack charisma and spontanaeity to be a pop icon. This also may be why we don't see many Asian politicians either.

[RRMusicGuy]

Guy said:

Wow, I never thought about this before. Asian-Americans are a significant portion of the population, right? I would think that they're just as significant of a demographic as African-Americans and Latinos, and there has been plenty of chart success from those groups.

No Asian's are not a significant portion of the U.S. They represent les than 3% of the population. African-Americans are ~14% and Hispanics/Latinos are 17%. This is why you don't see a lot of asians on tv or in politics.


Also, in terms of album consumption the last numbers I saw were: Caucasians 40%, African Americans 40% Hispanics 19% and Asian Americans less than 1%.

[George Tropicana]

krazymack said:

I thought Coco Lee had so much potential. I did see Coco Lee perform ''Do You Want My Love?" on "The View," back in 2000.  I believe Lisa Ling interviewed her.  Still this showcase didn't help her along to gain the attention that she needed.

I believe it was one of her few Stateside TV appearances. I taped it! CoCo tore the place up with her choreography.. it was hot. Lisa Ling didn't play the race card during the interview.

CoCo Lee is also the first Asian American to perform at the Academy Awards. Although millions watched her blow the roof off with the Oscar-nominated song "A Love Before Time," Sony did not capitalize on the TV appearance with another US single.

Sean said:

From what I have heard... even the famous Asian singers do not have great powerful voices and none of the ones that have tried to gain a larger audience have had voices that stood out from the pack. That's obviously a factor as well.

It depends who we're talking about. I heard from my friend that in Asia, the music market is completely different -- where singers churn out several albums in a short amount of time. Piracy is a big deal in Asia. In China, if you're an actor or singer, you can get a job doing anything (most are actors/singers/models/etc). I believe CoCo Lee has a great voice, although she was still learning to control it at the time of "Just No Other Way." In a sense, Sony was trying to bank her as their next Mariah once Mariah left the label.

Margaret Cho also had the first AND last TV sitcom, "All-American Girl," centering on an Asian American family. It was canceled after one season.

undefined said:

Asians also generally lack charisma and spontanaeity to be a pop icon.

How do we know that? It might as well be a stereotype. I know many Asian Americans who are charismatic.

pophector said:

This is why you don't see a lot of asians on tv or in politics.

It's not like Asian Americans are given the opportunities in television unless it's playing a dragon lady or villian or whatnot. It's been a long way since Anna May Wong graced the screens as "an exotic Oriental" and most recently, Lucy Liu held the same 'dragon lady' role on "Ally McBeal." Has anything changed?

BTW, I forgot on the list:

Vienna Teng - a singer/songwriter/pianist. She's amazing. She's on Virt Records and doing respectively well. Her sophomore album "Warm Strangers" was released a couple weeks ago.

Amerie - She's half-Korean, half-African-American. She was recently featured on the soundtrack to "Honey"! :)

[Bob]

well it's really weird. i was thinking about this the other day when i thought how there haven't been any asians to go far in American Idol.

what kind of music would they sing in america? let's look at what's popular. rap/hip-hop? white people can barely make it, much less asian.
R&B? even worse.
country? pass.

so that only leaves pop/rock... there have been asian members in some of the biggest rock acts (smashing pumpkins comes to mind) but no leader singer and no solo artist. coco lee failed in pop. why? are there voices different? a little. is it the image? a little.

but i think it's more of a lot less of them are trying for it, proportionately. no offense but they're much more likely to go to college and get a PhD.

[BlahBlahBlah]

Mineable1004 said:

BTW, I forgot on the list:

Vienna Teng - a singer/songwriter/pianist. She's amazing. She's on Virt Records and doing respectively well. Her sophomore album "Warm Strangers" was released a couple weeks ago.

Amerie - She's half-Korean, half-African-American. She was recently featured on the soundtrack to "Honey"! :)

Don't forget Kelis! She's half-Chinese.

[strong4PMB!]

Don't forget Tyra Banks, who is 1/2 Chinese! Her music career is taking off.

[Hybrid0NE]

These guys aren't pop singers but they are Popular Asian artists...

Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park rapper) - 1/2 Japanese
Joe Hahn (Linkin Park deejay) - Korean
Doug Robb (Hoobastank vocalist) - 1/2 Japanese

[Hybrid0NE]

I forgot to mention, Jin, he won BET's rap battle or something like that and had a video out recently. I don't think he had much success.

[Luckie Starchild]

Gotta give it up for muh shortie Yoko Ono! Holla!

[krazymack]

geoguy said:

Don't forget Tyra Banks, who is 1/2 Chinese! Her music career is taking off.

Oh my goodness, I didn't know Tyra Banks was half chinese until you mentioned it. How cool! :)

[RRMusicGuy]

krazymack said:

Oh my goodness, I didn't know Tyra Banks was half chinese until you mentioned it. How cool!  :)

me neither

[strong4PMB!]

I may be mistaken.  I seem to remember reading an article about models in which it stated that both Naomi and Tyra were half-Chinese, but I can't find any online evidence to support that. I've only found "proof" that Naomi is half-Chinese.

[Gorminako]

Asians need a really good-looking, charismatic singer, sort of like a Ricky Martin or Justin Timberlake with a lot of industry support, and of course, a good song. By the way, there are a lot of rock bands with Asian, especially Japanese, members.

Asians are a very significant portion of some populations, especially California and many universities.

[reception]

.

[Hybrid0NE]

reception said:

Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park.

I think someone beat you to it but Chad from N.E.R.D/the Neptunes is also Asian. Not sure if he's considered popular...

[strong4PMB!]

Hybrid0NE said:

I think someone beat you to it but Chad from N.E.R.D/the Neptunes is also Asian. Not sure if he's considered popular...

Popular in the popularity sense? True. When the Neptunes won their Grammy, the announcer only mentioned Pharrell's name! But Chad stood up anyways. He looked shunned!

[reception]

Asian Americans are pressing to break through hip-hop scene