"Elegy" was a major radio success in Japan. The first of these was "Elegy", followed by "Kimi no Suki na Toko (Why I Love You)".
Both singles peaked at number 5 on the Oricon charts and sold around 100,000 copies. A cover of the song was featured on the rhythm game Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 for the Nintendo DS, and Namco popular drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin 8. The video for the song, which featured Hirai playing 7 different characters and animals, became an instant hit. Hirai's 2005 single, " Pop Star", was one of his career's biggest hits, spawning multiple imitations and reaching Number One on the Oricon Charts. The album spawned four singles, with "Hitomi o Tojite" ( 瞳をとじて, Close Your Eyes) being the most successful, becoming the highest-selling single of that year. In May 2004, Hirai launched his next album, Sentimentalovers. The music was primarily jazz oriented, but covers of many blues numbers were present as well. On the album, Hirai selected favorite songs and covered them in his own style. On December 1, 2003, a concept album, Ken's Bar, was released.
His 5th album Life Is., which contains "Strawberry Sex", "Ring", and his hit single "Ōki na Furudokei", was released on January 22, 2003. He was also interviewed by CNN The Music Room, which was televised in 210 countries, and watched by 230 million viewers. In 2003, Hirai performed for MTV Unplugged Live in New York, as the first Japanese male solo vocalist. A popular nursery rhyme, it was expected to be a minor success, but went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year. In the summer of that same year, Hirai earned the title of Best Male Artist at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards Japan, and appeared at the official FIFA World Cup 2002 concert with Chemistry and Lauryn Hill.Īlready an established star, Hirai went one step further when he released a cover of "Ōki na Furudokei" ( 大きな古時計, A Big Old Clock) a Japanese version of " My Grandfather's Clock" by Henry Clay Work) in 2002. Through the album, the artist showed a new part of himself to the audience, which appealed to club-goers and DJs for the first time. Hirai's 1st remix album, Kh Re-mixed Up 1 was released on November 28, 2001. Hirai was voted "Best New Japanese Act" in a pop poll organized by the RTHK radio station in Hong Kong. It was the first single, "Lakuen" ( 楽園, Paradise), that established him as a major player in the Japanese sales charts and overseas. Fans waited until 2000 for a third album from Hirai, The Changing Same. Hirai used the next four years to consolidate his style and take time out – he only released one single each in 19 and did not produce any new music during 1999. Signing with Sony, he released his first single in 1995, but to no great success.
Born on Januin Higashiōsaka, Osaka, Ken Hirai grew up in Nabari, Mie.
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