Beckii Cruel

Beckii Cruel

Beckii Cruel in Rome, April 2015
Background information
Birth name Rebecca Anne Flint[1][2]
Born 5 June 1995
Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Origin Ramsey, Isle of Man [2]
Genres Pop, J-Pop
Occupation(s) Singer
Entertainer, Vlogger, YouTuber
Instruments Vocals, synthesizer, programming
Years active 2008–present
Labels Life Is So Cruel, Ltd.
Tokuma Japan Communications
Associated acts Cruel Angels, Area 11
Website beckii.co.uk

Rebecca Anne Flint (born 5 June 1995), better known by her stage name Beckii Cruel, is a British pop dancer and singer. She reached popularity in Japan after her YouTube videos of her dancing to dance pop songs were posted around the Internet. She was the 17th most subscribed user (3rd most in the Musician category) in Japan on YouTube as of 25 August 2010.[2] Her YouTube account has reached 20 million upload views and over 100,000 subscribers.[1]

Biography

1995-2009: Early life and beginnings

Flint was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, the daughter of a police inspector and a former dance instructor. She moved with her family at the age of 2 to Ramsey on the Isle of Man, where she attended Ramsey Grammar School.[1] She became interested in anime and manga at the age of 11, when she first started reading Fruits Basket.[2] On 22 July 2007, she began a YouTube channel under the name "xBextahx" (from a nickname she had when she was younger).[3] Some of her very early uploads included vlogs she did with her older brother on their mother's MacBook. On 19 January 2008, she started posting videos of herself dancing to Japanese pop and anime songs, with some of her own choreography. On 15 April 2009, she posted a video of herself dancing to Danjo, a popular Japanese Internet meme. Danjo is Japanese for boy and girl. Her YouTube video was uploaded to the Japanese video streaming website Nico Nico Douga, where she instantly attracted fans.[2]

According to Japanese media, Flint was named "the next Leah Dizon."[4] Her looks and interest in cosplay made her popular among Japanese fans for being a moe idol.[5] Despite this, during a press conference, she informed the media that she was well-aware that her age and her image would attract unwanted attention from the Internet, as her father had warned her.[2]

Flint was approached with half a dozen marketing campaigns before being signed onto a talent ageny, Life Is So Cruel, Ltd., in August 2009. Emerging under the stage name "Beckii Cruel" she flew to Japan, where she was able to perform with Taro in Akihabara. Although Cruel had experience in dancing, having taken ballet for most of her life, she was required to undergo vocal training. She began seeking advice from David Holland, and, according to her father, "works with him at least once a week".[1]

2009–2010: This is Beckii Cruel!, Tsubasa wo Kudasai and Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14

In October 2009, Cruel visited Japan with a group called the Cruel Angels, with 18-year-old French college student, known by her stage name Sarah Cruel, from Lyon, and a 17-year-old student from Portsmouth known by her stage name as Gemma Cruel.[2][6] She was signed onto Tokuma Japan Communications, the same label as hit technopop group Perfume.

On 4 November 2009, Cruel herself released two songs on two different albums, titled "No, Upper Matsuri" (の、アッパー祭 No, Appā Matsuri) and "No, Ballad Matsuri" (の、バラード祭 No, Barādo Matsuri) as part of the "No, Matsuri" (の、祭り) CD series which features other singers popular from the Japanese Nico Nico Douga Video community.[3] On 7 November, she started her second YouTube channel under the name "xBextahx2", her channel for vlogs, tutorials and practice shots. On 9 December, she released her first idol DVD, titled This is Beckii Cruel!.[7][8] It debuted at number 8 on Japan's DVD charts.[2]

She released her first single featuring the Cruel Angels, "Tsubasa wo Kudasai" (翼をください, "Please Give Me Wings"), on 10 February 2010, a cover of a 1970s song by Japanese pop rock band Akai Tori.[8] On 14 February 2010, she appeared at live events at Lazona Kawasaki Plaza and in Shibuya, Tokyo to promote the new single.[9] The single reached #84 on Oricon's single charts, and charted for two weeks in the top 200.[10]

On 12 August 2010, BBC Three premiered a documentary about her, entitled Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14.[11] This documentary brought her to a mainstream UK audience.

As of September 2010, Cruel is no longer affiliated with the Cruel Angels, and is no longer a member of the Cruel Angels Project, citing a dispute with her management as the reason for her departure from the project.[12]

2010–2011: whatacruelday and Beckii Cruel de Eigomimi

On 24 December, Cruel released two language learning books through ASCII Media Works entitled "Beckii Cruel de Eigomimi".[13]

2011-present: beckii.co.uk

In May 2011, Cruel launched her personal website http://beckii.co.uk.

As of July 2011, Cruel is no longer represented by Life Is So Cruel, Ltd., having sought termination of her contract, and neither has any further links with the company, nor with the Cruel Angels Project.

She has also worked with Tom Nichols, who has previously worked with Kylie Minogue, and various other artists. She recorded the song "You Can't Kiss Me" hoping she will be approached by a British recording contract. A CD single for the song was released in Autumn 2011. This was her first song targeted towards the British market.

In late 2012, Beckii recorded vocals for the debut album from British Gaijin Rock band Area 11, including the single 'Shi no Barado'.[14] The song reached 115 in the UK Official Singles Chart.

In August 2013, Beckii released her documentary 'Independent Idol' and new single 'Future Fantasy'. The documentary follows a then 17 year old Beckii recording her first song in Japanese in three years. The video for 'Future Fantasy' has amassed almost 180,000 views as of January 2015.

In 2014, Beckii was invited to perform at Idol Matsuri in Seattle, Washington, USA. The show was her first in the United States.[15]

bcky Couture

On 14 April 2014, Beckii launched her own clothing brand named 'bcky couture'. As of August 2014, it consists of two collections of handmade clothing. These collections are named 'The Debut Collection' and 'Garden Days Collection'. The Debut Collection includes 8 items, and the Garden Days Collection includes 4.

Discography

Singles

Year Song Peak Oricon
chart positions
2010 "Tsubasa wo Kudasai" feat. Cruel Angels 84[16]
2011 "Just Wanna Have Some Fun" —
"U Can't Kiss Me" feat. The Clones —
2013 "Future Fantasy" —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

As featured artist

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
2013 "Shi No Barado"
(Area 11 featuring Beckii Cruel)		 115[17] All The Lights In The Sky
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.

Videography

List of video releases
Title Album details Oricon DVD Chart
This Is Beckii Cruel [18]
  • Released: 9 December 2010
  • Format: DVD

54

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sam Williamson (10 December 2009). "Ramsey teenager is Japanese pop icon". Isle of Man Today. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Paul Gallagher (7 February 2010). "Isle of Man schoolgirl becomes an anime star in Japan". The Observer. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 「かわいすぎる」ベッキーさんの素顔－ディス・イズ・ベッキー・クルーエル！！（インタビュー編）. DHE Corp (in Japanese). 9 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  4. ↑ ディゾン超え！？英・ベッキーが日本デビュー. Sanspo (in Japanese). 14 October 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  5. ↑ Lulu Sinclair (10 February 2010). "Manx Teen 'Beckii Cruel' To Top Japan Pop Chart". Sky News Online. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  6. ↑ "British Anime Net Dancer Beckii Cruel Forms Girl Band". Anime News Network. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  7. ↑ "British Anime Net Dancer Beckii Cruel Gets DVD in Japan". Anime News Network. 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 ベッキー・クルーエル　-　徳間ジャパンコミュニケーションズ. Tokuma Japan Communications (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  9. ↑ "Beckii Cruel" (in Japanese). Tokuma Japan Communications. Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  10. ↑ "翼をください - ベッキー・クルーエル　ｆｅａｔ．クルーエル・エンジェルス". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  11. ↑ "Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14". BBC. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  12. ↑ "Spring.me". Formspring.me. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  13. ↑ "「かわいいにもほどがある」ベッキーと『英語耳』夢のコラボ!!". ASCII Media Works. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  14. ↑ "Jpop Go Interview". Retrieved 14 January 2013. In 2013 Beckii released 'Shi no Barado' with the band Area ll.
  15. ↑ "Selective Hearing Interview". Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "翼をください／ベッキー・クルーエル ｆｅａｔ．クルーエル・エンジェルス-レビュー一覧-ORICON STYLE ミュージック". Oricon.co.jp. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  17. ↑ http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/130511cluk.txt
  18. ↑ "「ディス イズ ベッキー クルーエル」 ベッキー・クルーエル│オリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2014-03-25.

External links