I want to become a singer in Japan...Im living in US. (need opinions?) think i have a shot?

I think it is nice that you are so passionate about becoming a singer and I do wish you luck. I am not sure though why you wish to become a 'J-pop' singer though. If successful you would do better in a much bigger music market like in the US, UK and Europe. Few Japanese artists reach international acclaim, Utada Hikaru is an example. Would it not be better to start in the US and then if you do well try Asia? There are many western influences in Japan, surprising you do not know this as you seem fixated with Japanese culture, especially in music. Namie Amuro is a singer and dancer that has worked with Dallas Austin, an American, to produce songs and worked with western choregraphers to create her well know great dance routines. There are international artists that are famous over here, although I do not know that they sang in Japanese, and they are very well received by the fans here. Becoming a Japanese pop singer and being a well known singer in Japan are two different things. There are international artists like Katy Perry who are known over here now, I believe that she performed in Tokyo not too long ago, and are received well by the fans in Japan. You shouldn't say 'gaijin artist' proper term is gaikokujin and there is no need for it here. Are you fluent in Japanese? As being marketed as a fluent Japanese speaking international would be received better in terms of promotion. Has your manager ever worked in the Japanese music industry? You are pretty but you don't look Asian, that shouldn't matter as they won't stop people listening to your music if it's good. 'Do you think the Japanese would ever consider me one day?' As what Japanese? Most likely no especially if you're not of Japanese blood. You are cute but don't become one of those doll-faced gimmicky idols over here...be yourself.

lol, well i think your misinterpretation is what a gaijin is. It is difficult to be a jpop singer in general, particularly if you are not japanese. It does not really matter so much if you are asian, european, etc. if you are not japanese, you are not japanese. In other words, gaijin are gaijin are gaijin. Although, having an asian look (you do not look asian) would help in the sense that it is less foreign, but it is still difficult. The point is, even if you were born in japan, but happen to be not ethnically japanese, you will be a gaijin your entire life. According to the definition i was providing above, there have been a lot of gaijin artists: Leah Dizon, Utada Hikaru (halfway at least), Crystal Kay, Jyongri, Boa, DBSK (Tohoshinki), May J. Again, people like crystal kay, jyongri, have been in japan their entire life, but they are not ethnic japanese. Additionally, M-flo seems to select artists for their love series based on only one criterion: if the artist is reasonably "cosmopolitan" (i.e. anyone remotely foreign capable, so there is a popularity with foreign implements in the industry anyway. As the guy above said, you are not doing anything groundbreaking. You are right though, japan is probably the best place to try and break into a music industry, american competition is too ridiculous to expect anything, cute has not place in the american mainstream music scene. lol at wishing japan would be more open to western infuences. Rule one about japan: they never change. I like your ambition, and how much you have done, though i am regrettably pessimistic in all about this whole thing. Prove me wrong though.

Uh...there are foreign artists and musicians there literally all of the time. You're not doing anything groundbreaking or original or all that difficult, really.

It depends on how well you can sing. Jero, the black guy is popular as enka singer in Japan now. Do you know enka? Enka is more "Japanese" music than J-pop. But he's popular in that field. So after all, it's all up to your singing skill.

To me, the role model for all gaijin who wants a career in the Japanese pop music business is Casey Rankin. Casey Rankin was born in 1946 in Kansas. In 1971, he moved to Japan and started his music career there as a guitarist and vocalist. He formed the first all-gaijin band to perform professionally in Japan. His big break came when his band Shogun got picked up for a TV show opening, and over half a million copies of the single were sold. Rankin continued to perform and write music in Japan, even after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. His last performance was in 2008. He passed away in early 2009, still in Japan for his whole professional musical career. Times have changes. Today, there is no shortage of gaijin musicians trying to make it in the Jpop industry. Many of them are non-Asian and are fluent in Japanese. The competition is fierce, but labels are hungry for any kind of talent that's different to sell in the face of declining CD sales. What Rankin had for him was that he had a real musical background. He was a studio musician, meaning even if his band had no gigs or recording contracts, he was available for hire to go into the studio to play guitar for a good price. He also wrote songs and composed music not only for his own band but also for jingles and other acts that he came to produce. Now, there are some songs that you could only write when you are 17, but that would be a limited selection compared to the breadth of music you can write with a strong musical background. For example, I don't know how much music training you've had already, but you should know what the difference is between a perfect cadence, an imperfect cadence, and a half cadence. You should know what the circle of 5ths is. Substitute chords, tension chords, and resolutions. These are basic building blocks in writing songs. Of course, you don't need song writing skills if you just need to be a vocalist. But then, keep in mind that vocalists are unique in that they need to let their instrument mature. It means they are only fully ready starting in their early 20s. Until then, a lot of vocal training is what you need. This is no different for a young vocalist who gets their label contract early. They still take voice lessons and practice hard. The reasonable thinking is that all indications are you're better off majoring in music in college even while you continue to wrote songs and perform. But there's also a saying in show business, opportunity doesn't knock twice. You're supposed to grab at any chance you get. It's perfectly a good idea to make a demo CD and send that to various labels. You're wondering but you haven't said if you need to put your life on hold to commit to something. For example, if you need to put your life on hold for a year to do a concert tour in Japan, that's a commitment. Going to Japan for a week to visit labels with your demo CD is not a commitment, yet. It's something you should be doing now if you're determined to succeed. Your question was, are you ready for it? Even if you get a recording contract with a label, that won't immediately get you relocated to Japan. It's the life of performing at night clubs twice every week that will get you to Japan. And even that is best done while you still go to school, so it's more likely you'll be learning music in college while you continue to burn new demo CDs every few months to send to the label exec in Japan.

Whatever you do, do not get wrapped up with organizations that will take advantage of you. Avoid any scheme or offer that seems too good to be true. The Jpop scene is a commercialized industry. They grow and develop faces with the image that can be sold in Japan. There is an emphasis on looks more than talent. The entertainment industry can be a dark place filled with people who only want to use people. My kids had a pre school teacher In Tokyo who was from Hawaii. He is half Japanese and can speak English and Japanese really well. How does this relate to you? He is an aspiring musician also. He does a rap/dance thing. He supports himself with a day job as a preschool teacher. At night he works the small club scenes with his crew looking for the big break. I had met him in our first year in Tokyo. I had sent my kids to the preschool where he was teaching and that is how I met him. After my kids grew older and went to regular schools, JJ was still there teaching pre school kids. What should you do? You need to start on your own career. Before a Japanese company is even going to consider you, they will need to see what you have done. Raw talent will not get you anywhere, you will need to have performance experience. Form a band, do some dance and singing jobs. Build your talent resume.

There are the occasional "gaijin stars" over here in Japan, but in my 30 years here, theres only been ONE REALLY SUCCESFUL performer, and still, she only lasted a year or so. To be brutally honest, unless your damn near native level in speaking, writing, reading ability(15+ years of learning), you dont stand a chance. Very few Japanese want to listen to english speaking gaijin over here, and again ill say it, unless you can speak NATIVE LEVEL Japanese, no record label will hire you. I would reccomend definetly starting of in America, working your way up, and you never know, one day you might become huge and then you could tour around Japan and Asia. The Jonas Brothers did it, Oasis did it, so why cant you ? Good luck

Himeka, a Canadian singer, may be a good role model for you. She made her dream come true at the age of 28. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sELL-nxccs For your realistic step, you should change the picture in myspace to the cute ones in your profile image here and photobucket pictures.