The phenomenal British singer Susan Boyle arrived in Tokyo for her first time on Dec. 29th to waiting fans and press. It was announced last week that she will be performing as a guest on the highly popular Japanese New Year’s Eve TV music special, the 60th Annual NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Boyle first entered into the Japanese spotlight when her story began to air on TV earlier this year after her surprising success on Britain’s Got Talent and on the internet. When her first album, I Dreamed A Dream, was released about a month ago, it quickly reached number one on Japanese music charts, according to the Mainichi.
NHK announced on Dec.24th that Boyle would be coming to Japan to be a guest performer for the Kohaku TV countdown special. Appearing on the highly viewed annual program, which pits only the most popular male musicians against their female counterparts in a two-group competition, is seen as a great honor among the Japanese. NHK told the Asahi Shimbun, “Susan is a person who grabbed her dream with the power of song. It synchronizes with this year’s theme,” – Music’s Infinite Power.
According to the Asahi, Susan arrived at Narita Airport outside of Tokyo on Dec. 29th, where a small crowd had gathered to wait for her. Some fans requested her to sing on the spot, but she casually declined while laughing, “Not yet, you’ll have to wait for the TV program.” Later that day she was taken on a brief cultural tour, seeing the Imperial Palace and visiting a Japanese shrine.
She is rehearsing on a secret set at the NHK Hall on Dec. 30th.
Susan Boyle will be performing I Dreamed A Dream in the second half of the four-and-a-half hour Kohaku Uta Gassen special, which begins at 7:15pm on Dec. 31st on NHK.
Read more news from Japan by the Japan Headlines Examiner
Comments
I just love Susan!
it must be a surprising phenomenon this year, a pure, countryside woman from the U.K. early this year, touching the hidden heart to be famous around the world.
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