Beckii Cruel
Encyclopedia
Rebecca Anne Flint better known by her stage name Beckii Cruel (ベッキー・クルーエル), 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 is the 17th most subscribed user (3rd most in the Musician category) in Japan on YouTube (as of 25 August 2010). Her YouTube account has reached 14 million upload views and over 51,000 subscribers.
, 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 attends Ramsey Grammar School
. She became interested in anime
and manga
at the age of 11, when she first started reading Fruits Basket
. On 22 July 2007, she began a YouTube channel under the name "xBextahx" (from a nickname she had when she was younger). 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.
According to Japanese media, Flint was named "the next Leah Dizon
." Her looks and interest in cosplay
made her popular among Japanese fans for being a moe idol
. 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.
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".
, and a 17-year-old student from Portsmouth
known by her stage name as Gemma Cruel. 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 and as part of the CD series which features other singers popular from the Japanese Nico Nico Douga
Video community. 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!. It debuted at number 8 on Japan's DVD charts.
She released her first single featuring the Cruel Angels, , on 10 February 2010, a cover of a 1970s song by Japanese pop rock band Akai Tori. On 14 February 2010, she appeared at live events at Lazona Kawasaki Plaza
and in Shibuya, Tokyo
to promote the new single. The single reached #84 on Oricon
's single charts, and charted for two weeks in the top 200.
On 12 August 2010, BBC Three
premiered a documentary about her, entitled Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14. This documentary brought her to a mainstream UK audience.
As of September 2010, Cruel is no longer affiliated with the Cruel Girls, 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.
entitled "Beckii Cruel de Eigomimi". There is an business English version and a casual conversation version. They debuted in the top-fifteen of the English language learning section in the Japanese book stores.
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 is expected for a Summer of Fall 2011 release. This will be her first song targeted towards the British market.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop dancer and singer. She reached popularity in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
after her YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos of her dancing to dance pop songs were posted around the Internet. She is the 17th most subscribed user (3rd most in the Musician category) in Japan on YouTube (as of 25 August 2010). Her YouTube account has reached 14 million upload views and over 51,000 subscribers.
1995-2009: Early life and beginnings
Flint was born in BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the daughter of a police inspector and a former dance instructor. She moved with her family at the age of 2 to Ramsey
Ramsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, where she attends Ramsey Grammar School
Ramsey Grammar School
Ramsey Grammar School is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school located in Ramsey, on the Isle of Man.A grammar school has existed in Ramsey since 1681. It moved to Lezayre Road in 1933 and was housed in a building that now forms the east building of the present school...
. She became interested in anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
at the age of 11, when she first started reading Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket
, sometimes abbreviated , is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya. It was serialized in the semi-monthly Japanese magazine Hana to Yume, published by Hakusensha, from 1999 to 2006. The series was also adapted into a 26-episode anime series, directed by Akitaro...
. On 22 July 2007, she began a YouTube channel under the name "xBextahx" (from a nickname she had when she was younger). 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
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
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
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
. Danjo is Japanese for boy and girl. Her YouTube video was uploaded to the Japanese video streaming website Nico Nico Douga
Nico Nico Douga
is a popular video sharing website in Japan managed by Niwango, a subsidiary of Dwango. Its nickname is "Niconico" or "Nico-dō", where "nikoniko" is the Japanese ideophone for smiling. Nico Nico Douga is the thirteenth most visited website in Japan...
, where she instantly attracted fans.
According to Japanese media, Flint was named "the next Leah Dizon
Leah Dizon
Leah Dizon is an American-born former gaijin tarento, singer, and model in Japan. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, she moved to Tokyo, Japan in 2006 to pursue a career in entertainment...
." Her looks and interest in cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
made her popular among Japanese fans for being a moe idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
. 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.
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
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
. 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".
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 LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and a 17-year-old student from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
known by her stage name as Gemma Cruel. She was signed onto Tokuma Japan Communications, the same label as hit technopop group Perfume
Perfume (group)
Perfume is a Japanese all-girl trio from Hiroshima, Japan, consisting of Ayano Ōmoto, Yuka Kashino, and Ayaka Nishiwaki. They debuted locally in 2001 and made their transition to a major label in 2005, focusing more on electropop...
.
On 4 November 2009, Cruel herself released two songs on two different albums, titled and as part of the CD series which features other singers popular from the Japanese Nico Nico Douga
Nico Nico Douga
is a popular video sharing website in Japan managed by Niwango, a subsidiary of Dwango. Its nickname is "Niconico" or "Nico-dō", where "nikoniko" is the Japanese ideophone for smiling. Nico Nico Douga is the thirteenth most visited website in Japan...
Video community. 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
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
DVD, titled This is Beckii Cruel!. It debuted at number 8 on Japan's DVD charts.
She released her first single featuring the Cruel Angels, , on 10 February 2010, a cover of a 1970s song by Japanese pop rock band Akai Tori. On 14 February 2010, she appeared at live events at Lazona Kawasaki Plaza
LAZONA Kawasaki Plaza
is a shopping mall in Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The mall adjoins the west side Kawasaki Station.The project designed by Ricardo Bofill in association with Yamashita Sekkei for Mitsui & Toshiba was inaugurated in September 2006....
and in Shibuya, Tokyo
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
to promote the new single. The single reached #84 on Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
's single charts, and charted for two weeks in the top 200.
On 12 August 2010, BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
premiered a documentary about her, entitled Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14. This documentary brought her to a mainstream UK audience.
As of September 2010, Cruel is no longer affiliated with the Cruel Girls, 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.
2010-2011: whatacruelday and Beckii Cruel de Eigomimi
On 31 October 2010, Cruel opened another YouTube project with her friend, Amy Day, titled "whatacruelday", and the pair posts weekly videos on themes and perform challenges. On 24 December, Cruel released two language learning books through ASCII Media WorksASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
entitled "Beckii Cruel de Eigomimi". There is an business English version and a casual conversation version. They debuted in the top-fifteen of the English language learning section in the Japanese book stores.
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
Tom Nichols
Tom Nichols is an ASCAP Award–winning Songwriter/producerLiving in London and New York.His first release, Black Coffee, by All Saints went to No.1...
, who has previously worked with Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, 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 is expected for a Summer of Fall 2011 release. This will be her first song targeted towards the British market.
External links
- Official Website
- Official Website (Japanese version)
- YouTube account
- Twitter account
- Artist information page on Tokuma Japan Communications' website
- Official Fanclub 'MyBeckii'
- Official Blog
- http://www.ustream.tv/user/BeckiiCruel
- Beckii Cruel on her rise to fame and her love for Haruhi Suzumiya | MANGAUK Blog