Bonnie Pink
Bonnie Pink | |
|---|---|
| File:Bonnie Pink.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Japan |
| Years active | 1995–present |
Bonnie Pink (born April 16, 1973 in Kyoto, Japan, real name Kaori Asada (浅田香織)) is a Japanese singer. She moved to New York in 1998 and speaks English. She writes and composes all her songs, and plays guitar and piano.
Bonnie Pink debuted in 1995 with her single, Orange, under her real name, Asada Kaori. Her first album, Blue Jam, was released that same year under the Pony Canyon record label. She described it as “mixture of bitter honey, blues music, momentary silence, irresistible madness, teardrops, sourgrapes, hopeful bombs, big big love, and a few green apples” in the jacket. It introduced her unique style of music that has been defined as an off-beat mix between Jazz, Blues, Pop, and Rock. The next year she met Tore Johansson, Swedish producer for the Cardigans, who became her good friend and produced much of her work. She wrote her third album, Evil and Flowers (1998), while in isolation in the Swedish countryside. She hoped to find inspiration there, but became depressed. She put her feelings of frustration into the songs.
On her fourth album, Let Go, she worked with Mitchell Froom, New York producer of Elvis Costello, Cibo Matto, and Suzanne Vega. He gave her co-production credit for the album because he was so impressed with her. Her fifth album, Just a Girl, came out in 2001. The next year she collaborated with other artists and released re*PINK, a remix album. Present came in 2003 and Even So in 2004. Golden Tears which features the single "So Wonderful" came out in 2005. Bonnie released a new single "Love is Bubble" in May 2006. Bonnie's newest single "Perfect Sky" reached number 3 on the Oricon singles charts making it the most successful single in Bonnie Pink's career. Her new "Best of..." album sold out quickly at Amazon Japan and reached number one on the Oricon charts and continues to chart in the top 10.
The name Bonnie Pink has a debatable origin. The popular belief is that Bonnie derives from the story of Bonnie and Clyde and the color of her hair was pink during her first few years as a performer. However, Miss Asada has made several references on interviews and in her lyrics that she does not want to be a 'good girl'. That might indicate that the name comes from a character of a Martin Amis book, a prostitute of the same name, Bonnie Pink.
Her song "Cotton Candy" is being used as the ending theme for the anime Guyver:Bioboosted Armor 2005, and "Love is Bubble" is the theme song for the Japanese movie Memories of Matsuko (嫌われ松子の一生), which also casts her.
Taiwanese bubble tea chain ICE MONSTER(冰館) is offering a special "LOVE IS BUBBLE" collaboration drink called "Pao Pao"(泡泡) for a limited time. "Pao Pao" means "bubble(s)" in Chinese.<ref>http://www.icemonster.co.jp/menu_gentei.html</ref)
Discography
Albums
- Blue Jam (September 21, 1995)
- Heaven's Kitchen (May 16, 1997)
- Evil & Flowers (April 17, 1998)
- Bonnie's Kitchen 1 and 2 (December 17, 1999) (compilations)
- Let Go (April 5, 2000)
- Just a Girl (October 24, 2001)
- re*PINK BONNIE PINK REMIXES (February 27, 2002)
- Present (February 19, 2003)
- Pink in Red Live DVD / Live Album (August 6, 2003)
- Even So (May 12, 2004)
- Reminiscence (June 22, 2005) (cover album)
- Golden Tears (September 21, 2005)
- Every Single Day -Complete Bonnie Pink (1995-2006)- (July 26, 2006)- Reached #2 for weekly Oricon charts
Singles
- ORENJI(Orange) (October 20, 1995)
- Surprise! (April 19, 1996)
- We've Gotta Find a Way Back to Love Limited Vinyl (June 28, 1996)
- Do You Crash? (September 20, 1996)
- Heaven's Kitchen (April 18, 1997)
- Heaven's Kitchen Limited Picture Vinyl (April 18, 1997)
- It's Gonna Rain! (June 18, 1997)
- Lie Lie Lie Limited Clear Vinyl (October 3, 1997
- Forget Me Not (March 4, 1998)
- Kingyo (Goldfish) (May 20, 1998)
- e.p. Limited Picture Vinyl (May 20, 1998)
- Inu to Tsuki Limited Picture Vinyl (October 21, 1998)
- Inu to Tsuki (A Dog and the Moon) (October 21, 1998)
- Daisy (October 16, 1999)
- You Are Blue, So Am I (March 1, 2000)
- Fish 12-inch Limited Vinyl (April 5, 2000)
- Kako to Genjitsu (Past and Reality) (June 7, 2000)
- Sleeping Child Remix 1 12-inch Limited Vinyl (July 12, 2000)
- Sleeping Child Remix 2 12-inch Limited Vinyl (July 12, 2000)
- Sleeping Child (July 12, 2000)
- Take Me In (February 7, 2001)
- Thinking of You (May 9, 2001)
- Nemurenai Yoru (A Sleepless Night) (August 21, 2001)
- Tonight, the Night (January 22, 2003)
- Private Laughter (January 21, 2004)
- Last Kiss (April 7, 2004)
- So Wonderful (August 3, 2005)
- Love Is Bubble (May 10, 2006)
- A Perfect Sky (June 28, 2006)- Reached #3 on the Oricon Singles Chart
Various Artists
- SXSW2005 Japan (February 15, 2005)
DVD
- B.P.V. VOL.1 (February 20, 2002)
- B.P.V. VOL.2 (February 26, 2003)