Monthly Archives: May 2008

Veteran singer Wada Akiko (58) announced this week that she will perform her first ever overseas concert, and the venue will be none other than the Apollo Theater in New York’s Harlem. The September 29 concert is to mark the 40th anniversary of her distinguished career. She has always regarded the late Ray Charles as her idol, and she says she is excited to finally have a chance to perform on the stage that he and so many other soul and R&B stars made their own. Charles was a guest performer at her 30th anniversary show in Tokyo in November 1998. She says the inspiration to become a singer came when she heard Charles’ 1958 hit “I Can’t Stop Loving You” when she was in junior high school. She made her wish that she would someday perform at the Apollo four years when shooting a TV show in New York (photo). But if “Akko” had been a bit more serious about her English language studies, she might have had her chance many years ago. Early in her career Hori Takeo, the founder of her Hori Pro management agency, saw in her powerful voice and larger-than-life aura the makings of a singer who could succeed in the U.S. But Wada was more interested in playing pachinko than going to English classes and the plan never materialized. In 1975, she recorded the song “Mienai Sekai” in Los Angeles, and was the first Japanese artist to use black backing singers. She is taking her upcoming overseas debut seriously, is going to the gym two or three times a week to get into shape, and has cut back on her renowned drinking and socializing. Before heading to the U.S., she will have a Japan tour from June 20 to mid-September.

Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson (71) turned on the old school charm yesterday in Tokyo. In town to promote his latest movie, “The Bucket List,” he hammed it up for the cameras during a PR event at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel. The movie, directed by Rob Reiner, is about two elderly terminal cancer patients (Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who share a hospital room and decide to write a list of things to do before they die. Nicholson’s billionaire character pays for a final big trip that takes the pair sky-diving, to the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and a safari in Africa (…but not to Japan). The promotional visit is Nicholson’s fourth time in Japan but the first in 14 years. Throwing kisses to fans, he said that top among his remaining goals in life was “one last big love.” Asked what had been the best kiss of his life he just gave that famous grin and said “So many!” Though Nicholson and Freeman have several Oscars between them, their on-screen collaboration has received generally poor reviews.

• Musician-producer Tsunku (39) is the father of twins. He announced yesterday that his wife Kanako (27) gave birth to a boy and a girl on April 29. Tsunku is the Svengali-like man behind the Hello! project and groups such as Morning Musume.