Rina Chinen

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In this Japanese name, the family name is Chinen.

Rina Chinen (知念 里奈) is a female former Japanese popular music artist, turned Japanese TV Drama Actress. Her blood type is O.

Cover of 1998 "Growing" Album
Cover of 1998 "Growing" Album

Rina was born in Okinawa in February 9, 1981. Although Okinawa is now part of Japan, it has evolved its unique culture and music blended from Chinese, Japanese, and Pacific influences. Rina was trained in dance and song at the Okinawa Actors School, whose graduates include Namie Amuro and SPEED.

Contents

[edit] Music career

Debuting in 1996 with the Single "Do-Do for Me", Rina's career transitioned through bouncy pop songs and ballads to rock and then R&B. Rina had a powerful and versatile voice and could deliver powerful rock ballads such as "In Your Eyes", hard rock "Yes!" or bouncy pop-cum-dance "Baby Love". Her voice is at its best when she sings at lower, throaty pitches. Some earlier songs such as "God Bless the World" and "Wing" sung in a high-pitched voice, perhaps in an attempt to come across as cutesy, are not so pleasant to the ear. Although there are many high-pitched singers in Japan, in Rina's case this tended to polarise listeners in a way seldom seem.[1], The songs were hits nonetheless. Like other Okinawa Actors School alumni, she is an accomplished dancer.

Her last album "Breath" was released in 2001. This took on a more R&B flavour which Rina said on her SONY homepage was more to her interests.[2] At this point her music career seems to have stalled. Unlike her earlier albums, this one was not well promoted. Rina made only a few media appearances.[3] This is telling because unlike MTV in the US, in Japan the record companies decide who appears on the TV shows. The career of most J-Pop Idols are brutally short; Idols are developed, heavily promoted and subsequently dropped in favour of new acts. At five years Rina lasted longer than most. Departing idols go when told and go quietly. The latter part of an Idol's career receives little or usually no coverage in the press.[4] Indeed as the case of Ami Suzuki demonstrated, idols who dare take on the industry are savaged.

Rina spent the early years of her singing career doubling as on-air talent for the Yoru mo Hippare TV show. Hippare did give Rina a chance to sing a wider range of songs, and show the public what a capable voice she actually has. She subsequently dropped off the musical radar. Reportedly her record contract with SONY was not renewed following the "Breath" album. Although SONY Music continues to host her home page, it has not been updated since 2001. Her SONY blog was last updated 2003.[5]

[edit] Drama actress

In 2002 Rina appeared in the Japanese TV Drama "Yume no California" (夢のカリフォルニア, "Dream of California" also known as "California Dreamin'"). She subsequently moved to another drama, "Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho" (こちら本池上署, Central Ikegami Police) and was with the successful show for its entire five season run.[6] In 2007, she appeared[7] in the Tokyo Production of Les Miserables.[8]

[edit] Marriage

On August 10, 2005 Rina at age 24 registered her marriage to model Kentaro Kakamura age 22. The couple were expecting a child at the time she was cast in the December musical "Jekyll and Hyde". Her part was consequently reassigned to Ranran Suzuki. Rina announced she planned on taking maternity leave after the drama finished its season, and will continue working after becoming a mother.[9]

Rina at age 25 gave birth to a baby boy on March 14, 2006,[10] and got a divorce on March 15, 2007.[11]

[edit] Ancestry

On the Internet it is sometimes claimed Rina is half Japanese and half Caucasian.[12] However there is no proof or reference given to back this up. Rina was born in [[Okinawa]. It may be her Okinawan looks, which differ from Japanese mainland looks, have lead some to mistakenly conclude she is part Caucasian. Even if she were half-Caucasian, it would be more accurate to describe her as half Okinawan and half Caucasian. That the claim describes her as "half Japanese", it would suggest the claim is based on someone's assumption.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

[edit] Albums

[edit] DVD

[edit] Video

[edit] References

  1. ^ j-p00p.com :: View topic - The X List
  2. ^ Rina Chinen New Album "Breath"
  3. ^ Chinen Rina@Everything2.com
  4. ^ Microsoft Word - PooleMT.doc
  5. ^ SONY blog (in Japanese)
  6. ^ Chinen Rina - DramaWiki
  7. ^ http://www.toho.co.jp/stage/lesmis/cast.html
  8. ^ http://www.toho.co.jp/stage/lesmis/top.html
  9. ^ http://www.japan-zone.com/news/archives/2005_08.shtml
  10. ^ http://www.japan-zone.com/news/archives/2006_03.shtml
  11. ^ Entertainment News from Japan: Chinen Rina Divorced
  12. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Eurasians

[edit] External links

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