Crystal Kay

Overview

Crystal Kay Williams (born February 26, 1986, in Yokohama, Kanagawa) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actress and radio host. After debuting with "Eternal Memories" in 1999, she broke through with her third album, Almost Seventeen (2002), which debuted at number 2 on the Oricon chart and was certified platinum by the RIAJ. Her seventh album, All Yours (2007), became her only number-one album on Oricon. As of April 2021 she had released thirteen albums, collaborating with m-flo, BoA, CHEMISTRY and others, and has sold over 5 million records.

Background

Her father was an African-American bassist from New Jersey and a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Yokosuka; her mother is a Korean singer, known as shunkay. Taken to concerts from childhood, she met artists such as Diana Ross and Bobby Brown and idolized Michael and Janet Jackson. She attended American schools in Yokosuka and Yokohama and graduated from Sophia University in September 2008. She studied Korean in Seoul in 2011, is fluent in English and Japanese, and took up acoustic guitar in summer 2015. Her nickname is "Kuri-chan," and her friends include fellow Yokohama native SHELLY and BENI.

Career

1999–2001: Debut

She began singing in TV commercials at age 4. A jingle for Suntory Vitamin Water, composed by Yoko Kanno, drew attention and was expanded into her debut single "Eternal Memories" (July 1, 1999) when she was 13. Her first album, C.L.L Crystal Lover Light, followed in March 2000 with an indie and acoustic feel. After a year of inactivity, "Lost Child" (2001), the theme for the film Satorare, raised her profile, and she began working with m-flo, featuring Verbal on "Ex-Boyfriend." Her second album, 637: Always and Forever (August 2001), debuted at number 19.

2002–2006: Rise in popularity

"Hard to Say" (August 2002), produced by ☆Taku, became a long-running hit, and Almost Seventeen followed in October 2002. In 2003 she released "I Like It" (Crystal Kay loves m-flo) and "Reeewind!" (m-flo loves Crystal Kay), both top ten. From 4 Real she moved from R&B toward pop, and she issued the all-English NATURAL -World Premiere Album- for Asian markets. In 2004 her first ballad, "Motherland" (ending theme of Fullmetal Alchemist), reached the top ten, followed by the fan-voted album CK5 for her fifth anniversary and a period of training in New York. Crystal Style (2005) debuted at number 2 for the fourth consecutive time, and "Koi ni Ochitara" became her most commercially successful song. She also released "Two As One" with CHEMISTRY. In 2006 came "Kirakuni/Together," with Jam & Lewis producing, and the album Call me Miss....

2007–2013

All Yours (June 2007) reached number one. That year she hosted J-WAVE's THE UNIVERSE and released the mini-album Shining. In 2008 she sang "ONE," theme of a Pokémon film in which she also voiced Lucky, and released Color Change!. Her first best-of, BEST of CRYSTAL KAY, arrived in 2009 for her tenth anniversary. Her February 2011 tour was cancelled due to illness. In 2011 she moved from Epic to Delicious Deli Records (Universal) and released "Superman," followed by the album VIVID (June 2012). In January 2013 she released "Inochi Rhythm" as DANCE EARTH PARTY.

2013–present

From March 2013 she based herself in New York for about two years, writing over 60 songs. She moved to LDH management in November 2014 and returned to Japan in January 2015. She relaunched with "Kimi ga Ita kara" (June 2015), then released "Revolution" with Namie Amuro (September 2015) and the album Shine (December 2015), followed by a 2016 national tour. In June 2018 she released For You, mixing earlier singles with R&B-flavored songs reminiscent of her debut.

Musical style

Her early work leaned on R&B, later broadening into pop and kayokyoku-style songs. Her debut album had an indie, acoustic feel, and urban influences emerged around 2001. She cites Janet Jackson, Brandy, Aaliyah and Michael Jackson as influences, and in J-pop Tetsuya Komuro's acts, notably Speed and Namie Amuro. Her songs regularly blend Japanese and English.