Influence
Crystal Kay is considered a pioneer for interracial acts in Japan. She debuted in 1999 when R&B began to take off in Japan thanks to local acts MISIA, Double and Hikaru Utada. Her success paved the way for the mainstream success of many interracial acts in the mid-00s such as Thelma Aoyama, Anna Tsuchiya, Angela Aki and African-American/Japanese enka singer Jero.
In 2009 Kay stated that "There is still some racial thing going on, people are getting used to it. You can see a lot more mixed people on TV, and even (among) models in magazines." At a summer festival that year half-Japanese half-Papua New Guinean singer Emi Maria left Kay a demo and a note saying "You're my idol, I'm sad I couldn't meet you in person."
Nevertheless Kay has commented, "I consider myself a Japanese artist because I was born and raised here, but nationality-wise I look, and am, foreign."
Read more about this topic: Crystal Kay
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