The Way You Are

Kina Grannis and David Choi teamed up to write an amazing, original song, "The Way You Are".  When this music video first came out in February of 2011, I listened to it non-stop for about a week.  "The Way You Are" is the only song in my iTunes that has over 1,600 plays.  It's one of those love songs you don't get tired listening to (at least not for me).  The song talks about loving and accepting another, just the way they are.  Kina and David's voice together create a beautiful, harmonization amongst the guitar and ukulele chords.  The music video shows David playing his ukulele, and Kina playing her guitar, while singing to each other in a park.  It's a simple music video, but it just draws viewers to watch it over and over again.  The song was available for purchase on iTunes, but it is no longer on iTunes.  David mentioned on his YouTube channel that he may put it back on iTunes someday.  But for now, everyone can enjoy the song on his YouTube channel.  This music video has a lot of shots of David smiling, too!

Another reason why I'm posting this song is because I recently put together a slideshow video for my friend and her fiancé (Congrats E&E!).  When I first heard this song I thought it would be the perfect song to put in a slideshow for them.  Anyways, check out the music video to "The Way You Are", below!

Breakaway

"Breakaway" is like Bollywood meets "Mighty Ducks" meets "Bend it Like Beckham"... all in Toronto, Canada.  The film's trailer, alone, looks exciting and fun.  The film stars Vinay Virmani, Russell Peters, Camilla Belle, Anupam Kher, Rob Lowe, Sakina Jaffrey, Gurpreet Ghuggi, and Noureen DeWulf.  There also cameo appearances by Akshay Kumar, Drake and Ludacris.  It will be fun to see Russell Peters act (I didn't watch "Source Code", which Peters is in, and I'll probably watch "Breakaway" before I watch "Source Code"), as he is known for his stand-up comedy performances.  "Breakaway" is a cross cultural drama film, where Rajveer, Virmani's character, is torn between his traditional Sikh family's expectations and his dream to play the game of hockey.  "Breakaway" will be released in theaters on September 30th, 2011.  Check out the trailer to "Breakaway" below!

Love, Laugh & Live

Megan Lee is a 15 year-old, Korean American, born and raised in California. She caught my attention when I saw a video clip of her singing in Season 1 of MBC's Star Audition. I was blown away that such a powerful and beautiful voice came from this young teen. When watching her videos on her YouTube channel, Megan is so comfortable in front of the camera and sings soulfully from her heart.  In a KoreAm post, she said, “My parents told me, that as a Christian, I should use my talent for a good cause. They always tell me, ‘This is not to show off your talent, this is to make other people happy, to change people, to connect. You’re doing this for a reason.’”

In the beginning of July, Megan released the music video to her song, "Love, Laugh & Live" on her YouTube channel.  "Love, Laugh & Live" is composed by Brite Ma, and produced by Smash Hitta. In the description box of her video she says:

          Love Laugh & Live is about spreading the love and happiness with everyone
          around the world! you shouldn't waste your precious life looking back at the
          past or mistakes but instead you should move forward and simply,
          Love, Laugh, Live :)

The music video shows different situations where people just don't seem happy, and Megan walks around singing, blowing bubbles and even dancing towards the end.  I like how the simple, childhood activity of bubble blowing brought a smile to everyone's face. Megan has amazing talents, but she is still young and has room to continue to learn and grow. I'm excited to see her career bring happiness and connect with others on a different level. You can buy "Love, Laugh & Live" on iTunes, and check out Megan's music video to "Love, Laugh & Live"!

Slippin' Away

Today, Aziatix released their music video to "Slippin' Away" onto their YouTube channel.  "Slippin' Away" is a song featured in Aziatix's latest album, Nocturnal.  Nocturnal was also released on iTunes, today.  "Slippin' Away" was produced and arranged by Jae Chong, composed by Jae Chong and Eddie Shin, and with lyrics by Jae Chong, Flowsik, and Eddie Shin.  The song talks about trying to win back the one you love as they are "slippin' away".  Aziatix once again delivers an amazing track, with beautiful harmony, and a music video that makes you feel like you are slipping away.  You can buy their album on iTunes for $3.99!  Check out their music video for "Slippin' Away"!

Going Crazy

In February of 2011, Song Ji Eun of Secret, a four member South Korean girl group, released her solo debut single, "Going Crazy". "Going Crazy" was composed and produced by Kang Ji Won and Kim Kibum. The song feature rapper, Bang Yong Guk. The music video features actress, Min Hyo Rin who is seen driving the majority of the video until the end where she surprises the viewers by doing something crazy. Ji Eun and Yong Guk create a conversation with the lyrics talking about how a girl wants to end her relationship with a guy, but the guy won't let the girl go, and it ultimately has the girl "going crazy". The piano melody, with Ji Eun's amazing vocals, and with Yong Guk's raspy rapping, create a passionate and beautiful song. Check out the song and music video to "Going Crazy".

Without You

In the beginning of July, AJ Rafael released his music video for "Without You".  The song is off his first full-length album, Red Roses.  AJ lost his father at the young age of ten, and just last fall he lost his godfather to cancer.  AJ stated in the description of his music video:

          I wrote this song not about a death or losing someone to an illness, but about 

          wanting to be with someone so bad that you couldn't go another day without 

          them-- but this song spoke differently to my Kuya Frank's wife Ate Rhea. 

          She told me that she listened to this song as if it was Kuya Frank singing to her, 

          fighting for her, and wanting to be there for her through all of this. Thus, the original 

          concept for this video was born and it stuck in my head-- and I pray that this video 

          helps you realize that you are not alone in your struggle, whether it is you or a loved 

          one going through it.  Don't forget to let your loved ones know that you love them... 

          We never know what tomorrow might bring.  

The music video is based on the Five Stages of Grief.  The video takes you along the five stage journey of the main character's life changing event.  Once again, AJ and his band deliver an amazing music video, but this time it is an encouragement to others who feel like they are alone in a difficult situation.  Check out the music video to "Without You" below!

The One You Say Goodnight To

Kina Grannis is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter.  Kina is hapa - half Japanese, and the other half consists of English, Irish, French, Dutch, Welsh and Scottish.  She is another amazing artist gaining fans through her YouTube channel with cover and original songs.  In April of 2011, Kina released her deluxe album of "Stairwells", which includes twenty-two tracks total.  You can check out this album on iTunes, here.  In the beginning of July, Kina released her music video for "The One You Say Goodnight To".  The music video features Keith Tutt II playing the cello, Derek Rock playing the percussion, and Chester See searching for Kina.  This song will make you want to clap your hands along, and you possibly might catch on to the melody and start singing with her. Check out the video to "The One You Say Goodnight To" below!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was released on July 15th, and is a film based on the Lisa See's novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.  It is directed by Wayne Wang, who is known for his work with "The Joy Luck Club" and "Maid in Manhattan".  Snow Flower and the Secret Fan stars a diverse cast with actors from China, South Korean, Australia, and America.  The film stars Li Bingbing, Jun Ji-hyun, Vivian Wu, Hugh Jackman, Archie Kao, and Russell Wong.  Li Bingbing plays the character of Lily, and Jun Ji-hyun plays the character of Snow Flower.  The story is centered on an everlasting friendship between Lily and Snow Flower, who create their own secret language to communicate with each other.  See's novel alone is an amazing story of women's friendship in the nineteenth century and their journey, so you should check out her book.  Here is See's inspiration and behind the scenes on writing "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan".  I haven't seen the movie yet, but I look forward to seeing the diverse cast work together as they bring the novel to life.  Check out the trailer to "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" below.

Good-Bye Baby

Miss A is a South Korean girl group under the management of JYP Entertainment.  Miss A consists of Fei, Jia, Min and Suzy.  Fei and Jia are originally from China, while Min and Suzy are from South Korea.  Miss A released their first full-length album, "A Class", today in South Korea.  To help with promoting their album, Miss A also released the music video to "Good-Bye Baby" on their YouTube channel.  The song conveys a women's lack of interest to her boyfriend's news of wanting to break-up.  Miss A knows how to put on a performance with a sequenced choreography, balanced with amazing vocals.  Check out their music video to "Good-Bye Baby".

Don't Fall For Me

JR Aquino is a Filipino American singer and songwriter from Anchorage, Alaska. JRA was on Season Four of American Idol, and made it to the top 44. He created a fan-base through his YouTube channel, where he uploaded cover and original songs. He usually ends his videos with his tagline "...eat some cucumbers." In 2010, JRA released his debut album, "Exposure", onto iTunes.  Most of the JRA's original songs that I have heard were acoustic-based, but I came upon "Don't Fall For Me" and enjoyed this rhythm and blues feel. JRA stated in the description of the music video, "As far as the song goes, this is basically about a guy that just wants to 'have fun'. Nothing more. Yeah, I know it sounds a bit harsh, but it's real."  His music video, "Don't Fall For Me" takes place in a hotel and casino.  He is either sitting at the edge of a bed with a girl sleeping in the background, outside in the hallway of the hotel, or seen walking around the casino floor.  Check out JRA's smooth voice in "Don't Fall For Me".  I recommend just listening to the song first before watching the music video because you just might end up falling for him. 

Is This All

Van Ness Wu is a Taiwanese American actor, singer, producer, and director. Van Ness came to fame as one of the main actors in the popular 2001 Taiwanese drama series, Meteor Garden. Van Ness now lives in Taiwan and is actively singing, acting, producing and directing around Asia. This past June, Van Ness released his fifth album, "C'est La V". His fifth album revolves around the concept of "Love, Faith and Live", and takes listeners on a journey of his life. This track, "Is This All", features Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. The song has incredible instrumentals that go beautifully with Van Ness' melodic voice.  Check out the song and music video to "Is This All", below!

Mariel Martin & Keone Madrid

Mariel Martin and Keone Madrid are dancers and choreographers. Both are part of Movement Lifestyle and Choreo Cookies.  Keone and Mari are so creative when it comes to dancing.  What I like about Keone and Mari is that they are able to take a song, regardless of the music genre, and create an amazing performance piece.  Mari and Keone were inspired to create a stage performance from Adele's "Daydreamer" and performed this number at a 2010 Make-A-Wish Foundation event in San Diego.



Mari and Keone were inspired again by Adele's beautiful music, and created a piece with Adele's "He Won't Go".  This was performed at UCSD's Fusion XII featuring Fabian Tucker and Nicole Aguas of Choreo Cookies. 

Break Up

Brave Brothers is known for working behind the scenes of tracks and producing popular songs for many artists.  Brave Brothers has worked with artists like Jay Park, Son Dam Bi, Lee Min Woo, Davichi's Kang Min Kyung, U-KISS, 4minute's Hyuna, T-ara's Hyomin, and V.O.S.  Brave Brothers recently collaborated with Electroboyz and Kikwang of BEAST in creating "Break Up".  Yesterday, Brave Brothers released the music video on their YouTube channel.  The music video features the artists meeting in the studio, and recording the song, "Break Up".  "Break Up" has a simple and soothing piano melody, with a beautiful harmonization between Brave Brothers, Electroboyz and Kikiwang.

Star in My Eyes

The first blog post I wrote was about Gowe's music video, "I Wonder".  Last weekend, Gowe released his latest music video for "Star in My Eyes" on his YouTube channel.  "Star in My Eyes" has a different sound than "I Wonder", but Gowe once again delivers an amazing track with Erin Kim.  The music video also features Yoshi Wright & Hip Hop Anonymous.  The song, "Star in My Eyes", talks about staying true to yourself in a world where fame can get you carried away to be someone you aren't.  With that concept, I like how the music video gives viewers a glimpse of Gowe's playground of Seattle.  Check out Gowe's song, "Star in My Eyes" on iTunes or Amazon.        

Vincent Chin

In 1982, Vincent Chin was beaten to death in Detroit, Michigan.  During this time, there were lots of layoffs within the Detroit auto industry due to the increase in market shares of the Japanese automakers.  The day before his wedding day, two men shouted racial slurs at Chin, who was Chinese, and blaming the Japanese for taking away job opportunities from American automakers.  The two men beat Chin with a baseball bat, which resulted in Chin slipping into a coma.  Four days after being admitted to the hospital, Chin passed away.  The two men were sentenced by a judge to three years probation, no jail time, $780 in court fees and a fine of $3,000.

Model Minority is a group comprised of D-One, Grand Master Chu, and INGLISH.  Model Minority incorporates issues Asian-Americans face into their lyrics.  The group takes negative ethnic stereotypes that Asian-Americans are faced with and turn them into a positive through music.  A friend of mine shared this song with me, and it talks about the story of Vincent Chin.  Model Minority has a lyrical gift and flow that captures your ears, to want to listen and to learn about the story of Vincent Chin.

By My Side

David Choi is a Korean American, singer-songwriter.  David has an extensive musical journey, and his journey continues to grow to this day.  If you are curious about his story, you can read about it on his website, here.  Whenever I hear David sing, it always amazes me because he is able to produce, write and sing his original songs.  A little over a year ago, David released his album, "By My Side".  His music and YouTube videos have caught the attention of people around the world.  David's song, "By My Side" was even featured in a Samsung refrigerator commercial in South Korea, starring Lee Seung Gi.



For his latest music video, David partnered with Wong Fu Productions to create a video for "By My Side". Wong Fu Productions directed, produced and edited this music video. And once again, both parties did an amazing job with their talents.  In May of 2010, Wong Fu Productions worked with David in creating an amazing video piece for David's song, "That Girl", and it received over 4.6 million views.  In May of 2009, Wong Fu Productions worked with David in producing the music video for "Won't Even Start", which has over 2.3 million views.  I can't wait to see their next project together.  

The "By My Side" music video features Jenny Ong who is being sung to by David.  In past videos, many fans wondered why David doesn't smile that much, but in this music video David is constantly smiling.  And of course, one can't help but smile along as he sings about staying by a loved one's side.  Wong Fu Productions did an amazing job with the production set.  While David is singing to Jenny, he is blowing up white balloons and tying them to small rocks.  My favorite scene is where the ground is slightly wet, and there is a reflection of white balloons, as David and Jenny walk hand in hand, side by side. 

Are We There Yet

Dumbfoundead is a Korean American rapper who hails from Los Angeles.  Dumbfoundead has a gift of putting words together and letting the lyrics flow into a story.  He is one of those freestylers that catches the attention of fans through social media outlets.  He has captured the hearts of fans all over the world, and I feel one of the reasons is that he keeps it real and is true to himself.  Today, Dumbfoundead released the music video to "Are We There Yet" on his YouTube channel.  This song talks about some life stories that has shaped him to be who he is today.  Dumbfoundead is another artist I want to see succeed in his talents, and it's not because he is Korean American but because he's extremely gifted.  He is the artist that tells a story with his rhythms and lyrics, and the type of artist that should be on the radio more so than some mainstream artists.  Check out "Are We There Yet", and it may captivate you to have this song on repeat all day.