AI - Japan's Queen of Hip-Hop Soul

On January 31, 2008 - AI will be making her very first LA Live in concert - opening date of her tour at Southern California's El Rey Theater. For more info, click HERE

AI's (aka Uemura Carina Ai) appearance at El Rey Theater (Her first opening date on her initial tour of the United States - to purchase tickets and/or get more information from WA Entertainment, click HERE) provides additional evidence that Southern California could be the center of America's "Japanese Cool." The influence from Japan can been from its restaurants, bars, shops, fashions, art (i.e. Takashi Murakami @ MOCA), music and media (i.e. Giant Robot). She is also an extension of the continuing growth of r&b with J-Pop singers. Her music is a continuation of past artists such as Namie Amuro, m-Flo (Taku & Verebal), Silva, Sugar Soul, Heartsdales, Hikaru Utada, Misia, Soul'd Out, Sheena Ringo, UA, Kumi Koda, Crystal Kay, Jewels & Rum, Bennie K, Double, Soulhead andYoshika. It has been noted that Japanese R&B may suffer from a lack of feeling that the pop sheen and the absence of an upbringing "in the 'hood" take away, but in the songs of artists like Yoshika, it gains a light, easygoing air — a sense that they're just having fun rather than trying to prove themselves with the diva attitudes common in the U.S.

AI's growing popularity is a realization of Billboard Asia's chief (Steve McClure) of the globalization of Japanese R&B. "It's part of a broader trend of Japanese artists to be more gutsy, and it's not exclusive to R&B." AI seems to typify the fact that Japanese women have had more freedom than ever before — perhaps more so than men — and have taken advantage of it by traveling and living abroad bringing something enthralling for Japanese listeners: new sounds and ideas that they'd internalized but which remain exotic for a Japanese audience used to formulaic pop. The women of Japanese R&B have something to say and are happy to say it. And in a style of music where the phrase "keep it real" is a mantra, audiences are responding to them as authentic. The current internationalization of R&B is also part of a wider trend within Japanese music, and the record industry is now getting behind it with auditions targeting returnees and "hafu."

This Los Angeles native was born on November 2, 1981 to a Japanese (father) and Italian (mother is Japanese/Italian) family has utilized her vocal skills to become Univeral Music Japan's "Queen of Hip Hop Soul" with a focus on r&b, club r&b and soul. She has achieved this status by incorporating her singing skills (learned from her experiences while performing with a Gospel Choir), bilingual abilities (from being born in Los Angeles), throwing spit on wax (can rap in English) and dancing (studying at an art school in Los Angeles. After spending her childhood (elementary and junior high school days) at her father's hometown of Kagoshima Japan, she moved to Los Angeles to be trained as a professional performer. At the age of 17, AI performed as a dancer for Janet Jackson's promo video "GO DEEP", and signed with BMG to make her debut ("My Name is A.I.") in Japan. Four years later, in 2003, AI signed with Def Jam Japan ("Last Words (Saishu-Senkoku)" single). She has stated that her vision is to pursue "originality" at all times.

In September 2006, AI released a single, "I Wanna Know," and an album, "What's goin' on A.I." The album was ranked #2 on a CD sales charts and was ranked TOP 5 for three consecutive weeks. "What's goin' on A.I. Japan Tour" followed the release brought 50 thousand audiences among 12 shows in 11 major cities of Japan. All tickets of her first auditorium tour including Nippon Budokan were sold out on the day of the ticket release.

On the New Year's Eve of 2006, AI made an appearance on a prestigious national TV program, "56th Annual KO HAKU UTAGASSEN" on NHK. In 2007, a single "I'll Remember You / BRAND NEW DAY" was released in July. AI made appearances on stages of summer music festivals such as Rock In Japan Festival and Summer Sonic in August and September. In April 2006, Trey collaborated with bilingual Japanese R&B/Hip-Hop artist AI on her single Believe, with the track "Beautiful feat. Trey Songz". The duo even performed this track live at the MTV Awards in Japan, where AI won the award for 'Best R&B Music Video' for her ballad-single, "Story".[1] The song was later remixed and appeared on AI's album, What's goin' on A.I., released September 2006. Trey can also be heard on "Why You Wanna Remix" by T.I.

Her first live recording CD, "LIVE A.I." was released on March 2007 consisting excerpts of the final show of "What's goin' on A.I. Japan Tour" at Nippon Budokan. The tour acclaimed "WORLD STANDARD" for its musicians, dancers, guest artist, and staging was packaged in its entirety on DVD release, "NIPPON BUDOKAN A.I." The DVD release includes documentary of AI rehearsing choreography at dance studios in LA as well as exclusive interviews of creators took parts of making the tour happen.

In 2007, a single "I'll Remember You / BRAND NEW DAY" was released in July. AI made appearances on stages of summer music festivals such as Rock In Japan Festival and Summer Sonic in August and September. Her latest single "ONE" released in November has been aired on a FUJI-TV drama series, "IRYU ? Team Medical Dragon 2," as its theme song. Her latest single "ONE" released in November has been aired on a FUJI-TV drama series, "IRYU Team Medical Dragon 2," as its theme song. AI released her latest album "DON'T STOP A.I." in December 2007 will be promoting the music with the "DON'T STOP A.I. Japan Tour" starting February 2008 which includes 32 shows nationwide and caters to 100 thousand audiences.

Her first concert tour in the United States, starting at the Los Angeles' El Rey Theater, will provide greater evidence of the influence and clout that J-Pop's r&b divas have outside of Japan. Will AI have the ability and resources to be successful worldwide, with Universal Music's support - she should have the chances that she deserves.