In 2001, BoA moved to Japan. She embraced the challenge of penetrating a totally different music market. Intelligent as she is talented, BoA learned Japanese within two years. She released Listen to My Heart in 2002 which debuted at the very top of the charts and won over her Japanese audience with her pop sensibilities and superior dance skills. She couldnt be stopped.
Throughout the early 2000s, specifically from 2003 to 2006, BoA seamlessly shifted between Korea and Japan releasing several albums. Her second Japanese CD Valenti moved more than 1.2 million units. During this time, BoA also toured in support of her releases bringing her energetic and engaging stage show to the masses. And then BoA came into her late teen years and she was poised for the challenge of transitioning into that young adult phase of her life.
In 2008 the announcement was made that BoA, a triumphant artist in Korea and Japan, would make her American debut in 2009. More than 200 journalists from Japan, China, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States descended upon Korea to hear the tri-lingual, dancing and singing music marvel reveal her imminent plans of focusing on an American music career.
BoAs first full English album, the self-titled gem, features a collection of hip, R&B influenced, pop tunes a unique sound that has become her forte. Her stellar and strong vocals continue to play the front while the production provides the perfect pop backdrop. One listen to BoAs debut single Eat You Up with its aggressive synthesizer ridden instrumental playing under BoAs crisp, clear, and sonically sturdy vocals and theres no question that the victories amassed in Korea and Japan are on the horizon here in the United States.
In fact, the singer hooked up with Atlanta, Georgias go-to super star songwriter and producer Sean Garrett (Usher, Ciara, Chris Brown, Beyonce Knowles, Whitney Houston) for the smash hit I Did It For Love. A contagious, body moving, dance floor, riot inciting, melodic duet, I Did It For Love is a guaranteed night club banger. Also penned and produced by hit record maker extraordinaire Sean Garrett is the aptly titled Energetic. This futuristic sounding tune falls fittingly in the line of dance tracks featured on the album. Its mesmerizing chorus intoxicates the sound waves as BoA's vocals swim in and out of the instrumental. In the same vein, Hypnotic Dancefloor, a sizzling, percussion pushing tune perfectly complements BoA's cosmic and compelling vocals.
But its not just about heating up the night club with BoA. In Obsessed, she candidly and artfully addresses going insane over an individual in the name of love all over a syncopated and pulsating heartbeat paced drum arrangement. And BoAs Scream, with its grand instrumental opening, brings a subtly aggressive charge to the rest of the album, further displaying BoAs powerful vocals as she sings: Scream/theres nobody to hear/it doesnt matter/its only me and you and all of your fears. And of course, it is the hubris and harmony of the boastful Look Whos Talking with its provocative lyricism and hip winding instrumentation that takes the CD to another level of enjoyment.
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