Music
Jin Akanishi’s Japonicana Album and US Debut
Jin Akanishi’s US debut album Japonicana releases today (March 6th) on iTunes US and in stores everywhere. If the ticket sales for his Japonicana Tour were anything like his Yellow Gold Tour, chances are they would be hard to get. On the day I was to have telephone interview with Jin in Los Angeles (I’m in Toronto), President Obama had clogged up the traffic to the studio, thus delaying our interview for almost an hour. [...] Continue »
The A-Word: Prison Dancer: The Interactive Web Musical (Part 1)
8Asians' The A-Word: Prison Dancer: The Web Musical Pt.1 [ 11:13 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (93)Prison Dancer: The Interactive Web Musical, the series inspired by the dancing inmates of Cebu, Philippines will make its world premiere debut this coming Tuesday, March 6th at 9PM EST/ 6PM PST. (And for those of you in the San Francisco area, Prison Dancer will be the Closing Night Gala film presentation for the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival on March 15.) We mentioned it earlier this year and were able to get [...] Continue »
Electric Shaman Reinterprets Traditional Korean Folk Songs
From Asian American Press: “‘Electric Shaman’ reinterprets South and North Korean folk songs through an ensemble conceived from electric guitarist John Chang, bass guitarist Jorge Mesa and Vong Pak, who performs traditional drum and vocal for the group. The resulting sound is a unique crossover of genre and time. ‘There are no boundaries in what music can do,’ says Vong. ‘In Electric Shaman, musics from different worlds and instruments from different times all come together [...] Continue »
Heejun Han And The Top 8 Most Influential American Idols who are Asian American
While American Idol isn’t doing too well in the ratings this season – they recently had their lost-rated episode ever – Heejun Han, the token Asian American American Idol contest of the season has caught the attention of critics and APA bloggers alike. His audition tape sets Heejun up to the audience as a goofy William Hung-like auditioner and then bolting out a pitch-perfection rendition of Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without [...] Continue »
Songwriter for Girl’s Generation Posts Racist Rant on Twitter, Reportedly Admitted to Hospital
Jenny Hyun, best known as a songwriter for K-Pop group Girl’s Generation, essentially committed career suicide after posting an extremely racist rant against African Americans on Twitter in response to boxer’s Floyd Mayweather remark about Jeremy Lin on Twitter. A follow-up on her blog by friends and family reveals that Hyun is a paranoid schizophrenic and was later admitted to a hospital; people who know about the songwriter have mentioned her mental illness in the [...] Continue »
Adam WarRock’s You Dare Call That Thing Human?!? New Album Review
Adam WarRock’s (aka. Eugene Ahn) new album, You Dare Call That Thing Human?!? now available, has in this author’s opinion redefined how people will look at the nerd and geek music scene. Following on from 8asian’s first interview with him in 2011, his career has only served to grow bigger, providing fans of nerdcore rap with a hit MC. This latest album was the result of work from a three-month long tour, not bad for [...] Continue »
Deftones’ Chi Cheng Wakes Up From His 3-Year Coma
Via Radio 104.5: “After spending the past 3+ years in a coma due to a tragic car accident, Deftones’ bassist Chi Cheng has finally awaken and is showing promising signs of recovery. From responding to doctors to moving his feet up and down, Cheng is on his long road to recovery, according to fansite OneLoveForChi.com.” (Hat tip: Jasmine)
Is Classical Music Alive For Long?
It has been said that playing an instrument as a child is the greatest predictor of concert attendance as an adult. I can relate because I started taking piano lessons when I was eight and I continued learning for 10 years. I took piano exams through the Associated Board of The Royal Schools of Music almost every year and I was one exam away from obtaining my Diploma in Instrumental Teaching. I also performed in [...] Continue »
VIRAL LIKE SARS: North Korean Accordion Players Perform a-ha’s Take On Me
And for your musical interlude of the day, we bring you a group of accordion players from North Korea’s Kum Song School performing the 80′s hit, “Take On Me” by a-ha. (In case you were wondering, they’re still sobbing over the death of Kim Jong-Il on the inside.) (Also, I didn’t know they listened to a-ha in North Korea. Did you?) (And they have accordions there, too? Crazy.)
8Questions With Kevin Bobo, Associate Professor of Music (Percussion) of Indiana University Bloomington
In the seeming cultural wasteland of the Midwest there are pockets around the University centers that have some surprisingly compelling and active communities. In Bloomington, IN, which is where we live right now, we’ve discovered a huge community of musicians (because of the incredible music school), and recently met associate professor of music, Kevin Bobo, a Korean American (he writes, “half Korean with a cup of Buckeye and a dash of Bordeaux”). Okay, it helps that [...] Continue »
Meet Heejun Han, Your (Rumored) American Idol Semi-Finalist
Oh man, remember when we started posting about the token Asian American contestants on American Idol when people regularly watched the show? Yeah, I don’t either. But hey, why break the trend now? This years rumored American Idol 11 Semi-Finalist – rumored, because his audition episode just aired, but spoiler websites have revealed he makes the Top 42 semi-finalists – comes in the form of Heejun Han, a 24 year old non-profit organizer from Flushing, [...] Continue »
Viral Like SARS: Prison Dancer: The Interactive Web Musical
From the 8Asians Suggestion Box: “I’m Carmen, the co-creator/writer of Prison Dancer: The Interactive Web Musical. [...] Beyond being part of the ‘Filipino Youtube’ movement, Prison Dancer is a story inspired by Filipinos – created by Filipinos – and ACTED by Filipinos. Not to say this is exclusionist of any other Asians but as a former cast member of Miss Saigon (I’m Filipina), I can say I appreciate that we’re actually portraying ourselves this time! [...] Continue »
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