2010 will also bid farewells to other HUGE Pop artists, Utada Hikaru and Rain! I know, all my favourite artists are leaving me! Utada and Rain are not retiring but they are bidding temporary farewells to their fans.
Utada announced on her website that she will be taking a break from the music industry for an indefinite period of time. She has grown up in the industry and she has felt that it is time to explore a different side of life. Before the end of the year, she is releasing new compilation albums (1 in Japanese and 1 in English). New songs will be included on her Japanese compilation album and this week she released the PV to her newly released single ‘Goodbye Happiness’. I love the Music clip to this song, it’s very kawaii (cute) and it will surely put a smile on your face. It’s a simple clip, the whole MV takes place in a typical Japanese bedroom and she is singing at the desk with cute puppets popping in to frame. I love her Music clips, it’s creative and unlike American artist MV’s it’s not sexual. Utada never wears sexy clothes and dances with topless male dancers, she said it’s not her style. I admire that she stayed true to herself and didn’t succumb to pressures to be sexy to sell records.
Rain!!! Will also be taking a break from the music industry to serve his compulsory military duty. Rain has been delaying his enlistment for a long time now due to work and study commitments. It has been announced that he will enlist the start of 2011. This year has been a big year for Rain, he made his comeback on the small screen, starring in the popular TV drama ‘Fugitive: Plan B’, released a new single, there are plans that he will star in one more movie and also he is studying a masters degree. In addition, on December 31 this year he will be holding 2 special concerts in Seoul! It’s been a jammed packed year for Rain.
It hasn’t been an easy year for Rain, he has been caught up in a lot of bad media coverage over J Tune’s embezzlement drama, gambling debts. The next few years won’t get easier while he serves in the military.
I look forward to Utada and Rain’s comeback in the future. I think after their break they will be back with so much creative energy and producing remarkable music.
