[article] Kumi goes 'modest' at Live Earth

[nmskalmn]

Excerpt:

An exodus followed the end of Linkin Park's set, which meant many missed out on the event's unofficial "battle of the divas" between J-pop superidol Kumi Koda and Barbados-born pop sensation Rihanna.

Koda, who is currently riding high on the Japanese singles charts with her song Freaky, sported a sultry, vampish look: black hat, suit jacket, shirt with dog collar, sequined hot pants and knee-length black boots.

Not be outdone, headliner Rihanna followed up Koda's brief set of high-energy dance pop with her own remarkable outfit — a figure-hugging cat suit. She played the 2005 summer smash Pon de Replay and the Justin Timberlake-penned Rehab. Judging by the number of lensmen homing in on her, Rihanna won this battle of the divas hands down.

Earlier in the day, a buff Xzibit had the crowd putting their hands up. The West Coast rapper — who a few days ago was hanging out in the city of Nagoya with sumo grand champion Hakuho, no less — wore black baggy slacks, a sleeveless vest and Live Earth towel wrapped around his head. "Answer the call," read the poster beside the stage. And that's what the crowd did when Xzibit demanded the crowd "put 'em up!"

Xzibit's antics helped make up for the lackluster start to the event, futher complicated by the swelteringly hot venue. Despite kicking off in surreal style with an obligatory appearance from Al Gore — by hologram — and a rabble-rousing set from homegrown rap-metal act RIZE, by the early afternoon some of the crowd — mainly young professionals in their 20s and 30s — had taken to sleeping on the venue's concrete floors.

Ai Otsuka is another cute J-pop idol, but her set, like that of Ayaka's ballad-heavy selection before her, underwhelmed the crowd. Otsuka largely forsook any boring "save the earth" talk and instead took time to plug her new single. Only her hit Chu-Lip induced mass handclapping and waving of fans.

Read it: Live Earth dispatches from around the world

[nmskalmn]

USUALLY she goes all out to raise temperatures with her skimpy outfits.

But J-pop siren Kumi Koda was restrained in the Japan leg of the Live Earth music marathon that was held in seven countries and broadcast worldwide over the weekend.

As she gyrated on stage, she teased the audience in a translucent white blouse over conspicuous black bra and sequined hot pants.

Perhaps she was doing her part to fight global warming.

Kumi, 25, was indisputably the biggest Japanese performer in the Japan segment headlined by US rock band Linkin Park.

The nine-hour concert, powered by a solar generator, reportedly drew a crowd of 10,000.

But apparently Kumi was no fight against sizzling R&B sensation Rihanna from Barbados.

USA Today called their face-off the 'unofficial battle of the divas', and Rihanna won for the 'number of lensmen homing in on her'.

Kumi was said to be 'sultry, vampish', but Rihanna's figure-hugging catsuit was 'remarkable'. Still, UK-based music website Nme.com described Kumi as the 'Japanese Britney Spears'.

In her green message to the world, she said: 'It's like a diet. We shouldn't try to do drastic things, but do small things that we can continue every day.

'It may be small, but if everyone here does it, it would add up to something big.'

Perhaps the least notable Japanese performer was cutesy Ai Otsuka, 25.

Clad in a baby doll dress that seemed too big for her, she reportedly 'underwhelmed' the crowd.

USA Today said she 'took time to plug her new single' instead of giving any 'boring 'save the earth' talk'.

Fortunately, her delivery of her new single, Chu-lip, managed to induce 'mass handclapping and waving of fans'.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/st...135476,00.html

[ayumisrael]

Are they nuts!?

KUMI IS A LOT BETTER THAN RIHANNA AND BRITNEY SPEARS!!!!

[minna]

KODA JAPANESE BRITNEY SPEARS??
WHAT IS THEIR PROBLEM!!!!?????
there is no way they are similar!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

KUMI IS A LOT BETTER THAN RIHANNA AND BRITNEY SPEARS!!!!

Totally agree with you!!!!!
KODA IS THE BEST!

[salina]

britney sucks koda is great

[Kodayumi]

OMG they are comparing Rihanna and Koda Kumi together. Im glad they mentioned Ai Otsuka

[Weslicious]

The only reason Rihanna and Linkin Park got more lensmen is because I doubt there was ever anything in the plans to show the Japanese singers to the world. Same goes for all the other non UK, U.S. dates. They only showcased names big in the West. I think it's a shame. They let German, Japanese artists etc perform to lure their Countries to watch them.

[ayu_fan929]

After reading this, I want to see that USA Today article now.

[Cloudsoldier]

I don't like this article! =(

[Beauty4123]

kuu is 10,000 times better than rihanna.

but the dress that was too big for ai otsuka part made me laugh.

[alt.total-loser]

"Perhaps the least notable Japanese performer was cutesy Ai Otsuka, 25. Clad in a baby doll dress that seemed too big for her, she reportedly 'underwhelmed' the crowd."

HAHA. xD JAPANOPHAIL.

Didn't people used to call Ayu the Japanese Britney Spears? Lame.

Originally Posted by meerkitty

Didn't people used to call Ayu the Japanese Britney Spears? Lame.

Yeah, they used to call her that. Then she totally dissed Britney and was all: I don't want to be compared to her. She doesn't seem to do things her way... or something like that. Then she said she'd rather be like Madonna and now that she's getting older and reinventing herself, they call her the Japanese Madonna.

Koda is like Britney Spears since she barely ever writes her own songs and her record company tells her what to do. And we all know how that turned out for Britney...maybe Koda will shave it all off soon. T_T Oh noes!

I love how they called her modest...with her bra showing in sparkly hot pants. Sometimes...I don't like Koda. -sighs-

[Cloudsoldier]

Originally Posted by KaoriNeko

Yeah, they used to call her that. Then she totally dissed Britney and was all: I don't want to be compared to her. She doesn't seem to do things her way... or something like that. Then she said she'd rather be like Madonna and now that she's getting older and reinventing herself, they call her the Japanese Madonna.

Koda is like Britney Spears since she barely ever writes her own songs and her record company tells her what to do. And we all know how that turned out for Britney...maybe Koda will shave it all off soon. T_T Oh noes!

I love how they called her modest...with her bra showing in sparkly hot pants. Sometimes...I don't like Koda. -sighs-

i need to correct you.

Kuu writes about 85% of her songs in all her discography. Only except for those sexual songs like JUICY, Ima sugu hoshii and shake it she didn't write them. But most of her single, album tracks she wrote it.

[CatGirl]

... lolwut? How is what Kuu was wearing "modest"? xDD They call Kuu's outfit "modest" and then diss Ai Otsuka? What? xD I DON'T GET IT. That's kinda rude that she talked about her single instead of saving the Earth, though X_x; But I'll forgive her xD

[Psychotic_X]

Originally Posted by KaoriNeko

Yeah, they used to call her that. Then she totally dissed Britney and was all: I don't want to be compared to her. She doesn't seem to do things her way... or something like that. Then she said she'd rather be like Madonna and now that she's getting older and reinventing herself, they call her the Japanese Madonna.

Koda is like Britney Spears since she barely ever writes her own songs and her record company tells her what to do. And we all know how that turned out for Britney...maybe Koda will shave it all off soon. T_T Oh noes!

I love how they called her modest...with her bra showing in sparkly hot pants. Sometimes...I don't like Koda. -sighs-

get your facts straight...
Kuu writes 90% of her songs.. ever since she debut she wrote her own songs.. so don't even bother to compare Koda Kumi to Britney...
its an insult...

nice to know that you don't like her but why all the promotion...


The article was alittle harsh on Ai... the crowd was pretty much dead...
and usually Ai's songs get the crowd jumping.. maybe bad choice to start with Renai Shashin...
But like if you compare Kuu's performance to Ai's then you could say that the crowd was underwhelmed by her...

[[taskin.ayu]]

Originally Posted by meerkitty

"Perhaps the least notable Japanese performer was cutesy Ai Otsuka, 25. Clad in a baby doll dress that seemed too big for her, she reportedly 'underwhelmed' the crowd."

HAHA. xD JAPANOPHAIL.

Didn't people used to call Ayu the Japanese Britney Spears? Lame.

They call everyone the asian Britney Spears. XDD

BoA, Ayu, Koda, everyone. XDD
They even called Utada that to her face in an interview! :0

Originally Posted by [taskin.ayu]

They call everyone the asian Britney Spears. XDD

They even called Utada that to her face in an interview! :0

That was so embarassing >____<

It seems that whenever a Japanese female singer gets fairly popular they are then classed as the Japanese Britney.
It's pretty pathetic.

[sora2522]

hmm...lesse...


ayu = madonna (that's not bad, but how are they similar again?), britney spears (ew)
kuu = britney spears (EW)
yui = avril lavigne (EEEWWWWWW)






yea...and this is exactly why i don't listen to american music

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

Originally Posted by sora2522

hmm...lesse...


ayu = madonna (that's not bad, but how are they similar again?), britney spears (ew)
kuu = britney spears (EW)
yui = avril lavigne (EEEWWWWWW)






yea...and this is exactly why i don't listen to american music

ayu- not so much
kuu- sad to admit it, but yeah
yui- hell no!