Rina Chinen

Rina Chinen
知念里奈
Born (1981-02-09) February 9, 1981
Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Occupation
Spouse(s) Kentaro Kakamura (m.2005-2007)
Children 1

Musical career

Genres J-pop
Years active 1996–present
Labels
Website Chinen

Rina Chinen (知念 里奈 Chinen Rina, born 9 February 1981) is a Japanese entertainer, former singer, model, and TV actress. She was born in Naha, Okinawa.

Music career

Debuting in 1996 with the Single "Do-Do for Me", Chinen's career transitioned through bouncy pop songs and ballads to rock and then R&B. Chinen 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 Chinen's case this tended to polarise listeners.[1]

Her last album, Breath, was released in 2001. This took on a more R&B flavour which Chinen 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. Chinen made only a few media appearances.[3]

Chinen spent the early years of her singing career doubling as on-air talent for the Yoru mo Hippare TV show. Hippare did give Chinen 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. Her Sony blog was last updated 2003.[4]

Drama actress

In 2002, Chinen appeared in the Japanese TV drama Yume no California (夢のカリフォルニア, literally, California of the dream — 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. In 2007, she appeared in the Tokyo production of Les Misérables.[5]

Marriage

On 10 August 2005, Chinen at the age of 24 registered her marriage to model Kentaro Kakamura, aged 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. Chinen announced she planned on taking maternity leave after the drama finished its season, and would continue working after becoming a mother.[6]

Chinen gave birth to a baby boy on 14 March 2006,[7] and got a divorce on 15 March 2007.[8]

Discography

Singles

Albums

DVD

Video

Musicals

References

External links

Preceded by
Puffy AmiYumi		 Japan Record Award for Best New Artist
1997 		Succeeded by
Morning Musume
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