BoA
Encyclopedia
Boa Kwon commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym
for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music".
Born and raised in Gyeonggi-do
, South Korea, BoA was discovered by SM Entertainment
talent agents when she accompanied her older brother to a talent search. In 2000, after two years of training, she released ID; Peace B
, her debut Korean album. Two years later, she released her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, becoming the first Korean pop star to break through in Japan following the fall of barriers that had restricted the import and export of entertainment between the countries since the end of World War II
.
On October 14, 2008, BoA debuted in the United States with the single "Eat You Up
" and released her debut English-language album, BoA
on March 17, 2009.
BoA's multilingual skills (she speaks Japanese and English along with native Korean and has recorded songs in Mandarin Chinese) have contributed to her commercial success throughout East Asia. She is the only foreign artist to have two albums selling more than one million copies in Japan and is one of only two artists to have six consecutive number-one studio albums on the Oricon
charts since her debut, the other being Ayumi Hamasaki
. BoA has sold 60 million albums worldwide.
BoA underwent two years of training (involving vocal, dance, English, and Japanese lessons), and at the age of thirteen released her debut album ID; Peace B in South Korea on August 25, 2000. The album was moderately successful; it entered the Top 10 of the South Korean charts and sold around 156,000 units. Meanwhile, her Korean record label, SM Entertainment, made arrangements with Japanese label Avex Trax
to launch her music career in Japan. She was forced to quit school to prepare and in early 2001, BoA released her first mini-album
, Don't Start Now
; it sold around 90,000 units. After its release, she took a hiatus from the Korean music industry to focus on the Japanese market at which time she worked to solidify her skills in Japanese.
BoA began her Japanese music career singing at the Avex-owned club Velfarre
. In 2001, she released her debut Japanese single, a Japanese version of the song, "ID; Peace B" (originally from the eponymous album). The single reached #20 on the Oricon chart and was followed by "Amazing Kiss
", "Kimochi wa Tsutawaru
", and "Listen to My Heart"; the last became the singer's first single to enter the Oricon's Top Five. After the September 11, 2001 attacks
, BoA recorded the charity single "The Meaning of Peace
" with Kumi Koda
as part of Avex's Song Nation
project to raise funds for charity.
Her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, was released on March 13, 2002. The album was a breakthrough in BoA's career: it became an RIAJ-certified million-seller and debuted atop the Oricon, the first album by a Korean artist to do so. A single, "Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi", was released on the same day as the album. After the release of Listen to My Heart, BoA released her second Korean studio album, No.1
, a month later. The album sold around 544,000 units and became the fourth-best-selling record of the year in South Korea. Jumping into the World (a Japanese re-release of the mini-album Don't Start Now) and the Japanese single "Don't Start Now
" were released a month later on the same day.
" and "Jewel Song / Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe", both which also peaked at the number-three position. At the end of the year, BoA released her second Korean mini-album Miracle
.
BoA's second Japanese studio album, Valenti
(2003), became her best-selling album, with over 1,249,000 copies sold. In support of the album, BoA launched BoA 1st Live Tour Valenti, her first Japanese concert tour. Later that year, she released two Korean albums, Atlantis Princess
and the mini-album Shine We Are!
. The former was the fifth-best-selling South Korean record of the year with around 345,000 units sold; the latter sold around 58,000 units.
Her third Japanese studio album, Love & Honesty
(2004) was a musical "change in direction": it contained a rock
-dance
song ("Rock with You") and "harder" R&B. Though the album failed to match Valenti in sales, it topped the Oricon chart for two weeks and became RIAJ-certified triple-platinum. In support of the album, BoA held a tour, Live Concert Tour 2004: Love & Honesty. In contrast with 1st Live Tour, which "emphasized exotic Asian design", the Love & Honesty tour had an "outer-space, sci-fi" theme; among the props were a three-story-high space ship and the robot Asimo
. The tour, which started in Saitama
and ended in Yokohama
, spanned nine performances and attracted approximately 105,000 attendants. Her first compilation album
, Best of Soul
(2005), however, sold over a million copies, making BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two million-selling albums in Japan.
BoA reinvented her image on her fourth Korean album, My Name (2004); she left the "cute" and "youthful" style that had characterized previous years and presented herself as "sexy" and "sultry". The album was the beginning of a foray into the Chinese market and contained two songs sung in Mandarin Chinese. The sales of BoA's Korean albums began to decline: the album sold 191,000 units and became the eleventh-best-selling South Korean album of the year. Her fifth Korean album, Girls on Top
, continued her image change. The album portrayed the singer as more "mature and self-confident" and was a "declaration of war on male chauvinism"; the "bohemian
" look of the cover photograph represented "freedom and depth", while music videos and album photographs that portrayed BoA in traditional Korean dress
brought the "idea of Korean womanhood" into her music. The album also continued BoA's foray into the Chinese market and, like the previous album, contained Mandarin Chinese songs. The album sold less than the previous album; it was the fourteenth-best-selling record of the year in South Korea with 113,000 units sold.
". Her fourth Japanese studio album, Outgrow
, was released on February 15, 2006. The album reached the number-one spot on the Oricon chart for its first week of release, making it her fourth consecutive original Japanese album to do so. With 220,000 copies sold, it became her lowest-selling first-week debut for a studio album at that point. "Do the Motion
", the first single from the album, reached the top spot, making her the fourth non-Japanese Asian to have a number-one single on the Oricon charts. "Merry Christmas from BoA
" (2005), the album's last single, was the singer's first digital single. In support of Outgrow, BoA launched a special Zepp
tour, B0A The Live, on September 29, 2006. The tour, which lasted until October 29, started from Nagoya and contained twelve shows, two in each of the following cities: Nagoya, Fukuoka
, Osaka
, Tokyo, Sendai, and Sapporo. She staged her first Christmas concert on December 7, 2006.
BoA's fifth Japanese studio album, Made in Twenty (20)
(2007), continued her transition from a "teenage girl" image to a more mature image. The album, which contained R&B and dance songs as well as ballads, debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making the album her sixth in a row to do so (including one compilation). She began using a personal computer for composing one of the songs ("No More Make Me Sick"). On March 31, 2007, she launched a nationwide tour of Japan in support of the album. The tour, which sold about 70,000 tickets, was, according to BoA, "the biggest concert" she had ever given. Two tracks from the singles of Made in Twenty (20) were used as theme songs; "Your Color", from the single "Nanairo no Ashita: Brand New Beat / Your Color" (2006), was used as the ending theme song for the Japanese release of the Xbox 360
game Ninety-Nine Nights
. "Key of Heart", from the single "Key of Heart / Dotch
" (2006), was the ending theme for the Japanese release of the movie Over the Hedge
. She also released an English version of "Key of Heart", which was only available on the first press edition of the single. Later in 2007, Anycall
(a Samsung
brand) signed BoA, Xiah
(of TVXQ
), Tablo
(of Epik High
), and jazz pianist Jin Bora onto "Anyband
", a band created specifically to promote Anycall. The band released only one single, "AnyBand".
With her sixth Japanese album, The Face
(2008), BoA took more creative control over her music. At this time, BoA was influenced by electro-pop. Additionally, BoA included "happy spring" songs (the lead single "Sweet Impact
" and its B-side, "Bad Drive"), a guitar-driven "groovy dance" song (2007's "Lose Your Mind
"), and ballads. Lyrically, BoA focused mainly on love, though "Be with You.
" (2008) was about a person's relationship with his dog. The album debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making BoA one of only two artists in Japan to have six consecutive studio albums top the Oricon weekly charts (the other is Ayumi Hamasaki
, who has eight consecutive number-one albums).
BoA's debut American single "Eat You Up," produced by Thomas Troelsen
, was released online on October 21, 2008;so BoA ,who has another meaning,Bring on American and Best of Asia. The physical single was to be released in stores on November 11, 2008, but SM instead released a promotional CD containing dance remixes of "Eat You Up". "Eat You Up" placed at #9 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play
chart. The remix of "Eat You Up" featuring rapper Flo Rida
was slated for release in late November and leaked onto the internet in December. BoA performed "Eat You Up" as well as other songs at YouTube
's Tokyo Live concert, and performed in New York City on December 3, 2008, as well as the Jingle Ball
at the Anaheim Honda Center on December 6, 2008. She also performed the song "Look Who's Talking" at the event.
BoA released a triple-A-side single in Japan on February 18, 2009, "Eien/Universe/Believe in Love
". On the same day, the Ravex
single "Believe in Love" was released, featuring vocals by BoA.
BoA's self-titled English album
was released in the US on March 17 and featured tracks by renowned producers Bloodshy and Avant as well as a duet with Sean Garrett
. Her second Japanese compilation album, Best & USA
was released on March 18 tying together a compilation of recent hits in Japan with her English-language debut.
BoA stated that "It has always been my dream to debut in America" and was tutored English in LA, but found the language is tougher to learn than Japanese. She lived in West Beverly Hills but admitted finding it tough to make friends.
BoA headlined as a performer for the San Francisco Pride Festival
on June 28, 2009 alongside Solange Knowles
and The Cliks
. She debuted her next single "Energetic", performing it for the first time in public. She also performed "Eat You Up" and "I Did It for Love."
On August 31, SM USA released BoA Deluxe
, a repackaged version of her debut English album. The album contained two new tracks and the radio edit version of "Energetic".
With her US career struggling to gain traction, BoA returned to the Japanese market to release a new single entitled "Bump Bump!
" (October 2009), which features label-mate Verbal
from M-Flo
. BoA then released "Mamoritai: White Wishes" (December 2009) and held a Christmas concert in December.
Her seventh Japanese album, Identity
was released on February 10, 2010, but only charted at #4, selling just 37,606 copies in its first week. With little promotion from her label, it ended her run of six consecutive #1 albums, suggesting that it would be impossible for her to sustain her career in three territories simultaneously.
announced that BoA would make a comeback in South Korea for her 10th debut anniversary and would release a first full-length Korean album after five years.
On July 21, 2010, Avex released the "Woo Weekend
" single, the lead song of which was used to promote Disney on Ice's 25th Anniversary in Japan. BoA's official Korean website announced on July 23, 2010 that her comeback sixth Korean album would be entitled Hurricane Venus
. Hurricane Venus
was released on August 5, 2010 and debuted at No.1, where it stayed for 2 weeks. The two singles, "Game" and "Hurricane Venus" charted at No.6 and No.1 respectively. A repackaged version of the album with two new songs under the name of "Copy & Paste" was released on September 27, 2010. The album made her one of the recipients of the Bonsang Awards from the Golden Disk Awards
in 2010, making it the first time in her career to receive the award. On December 6, 2010, Avex released a digital single, "I See Me", for a commercial that promotes new Audio Technica headphones in Japan.
In October BoA represented Korea and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival
, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.
BoA has released information regarding her Hollywood movie debut. The dance film, directed by Save the Last Dance
screenwriter Duane Adler
and produced by Robert Colt, will be titled 'COBU 3D' and is set for an early 2012 release. BoA will play a character called Aya while Derek Hough (known from the U.S. TV show Dancing with the Stars
) will play the male lead of Donny. Aya and Donny fall in love, even though their families are enemies on the dance scene. Filming is set to begin in Spring in New York City and Toronto, Canada.At that time ,BoA invite her best male friend who is also a famous artist in both Korea and Japan called U-know to play a role in.
It was reported on BoA's twitter account that on October 1, 2011 she wrote, "Many ppl asking me when I'm gonna release my next single in Japan... I'm preparing my single now. So you'll be able to listen to it soon!" and on October 6, 2011, "Heading to the set for my new music video. 今日はPV撮影！！ 楽しみにしてねーヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ." She will be making a comeback in Japan with a new single called "Milestone" and will be released on December 7, 2011. However, the audio of the song has debuted through J-WAVE RADIO 'paradiso,' and can be found on YouTube. On November 21, 2011, however, the PV of the song debuted through MTV Japan and can also be found on YouTube.
, Janet Jackson
, Nelly
, Britney Spears
, Brian McKnight
, Justin Timberlake
, Pink
, and Jay-Z
; as a result, much of BoA's music is either dance pop or R&B. Because she also sings ballads, she is often compared to fellow Japanese singers Ayumi Hamasaki
and Hikaru Utada. Her debut album, ID; Peace B, contained urban pop, "slickly produced" ballads, and "upbeat dance
tunes". As her career went on, she began experimenting with different styles: Valenti contained mostly ballads; Love and Honesty was an experiment with "harder" R&B and rock music.
Because the composition and writing of BoA's songs is handled mostly by her staff, BoA has been criticized as being a "manufactured pop star".BoA has composed three songs, "Nothing's Gonna Change" from Listen to My Heart, "No More Make Me Sick" from Made in Twenty (20) and "Girl in the Mirror" from The Face. The former was composed by BoA herself, and these latter were co-composed. In response to such criticism, BoA said that "if one person were to force their own will on something, then things that should have gone right could easily go wrong" and that she is "not all that unhappy with the expression that [she is] a manufactured star. In a way, that is true. Because SM Entertainment created the environment and all the surrounding conditions, [she is] able to be successful in the way [she is] now." Though her earlier releases were marked by a "cute" and "youthful" style, BoA began to present a more "mature" image starting from the album My Name. In a Talk Asia interview, Anjali Rao
noted that some felt that My Name marked the beginning of BoA's decline in popularity and asked if the public would always see the singer as "Little Baby BoA"; BoA replied, "So while I apologize to those people who still want the baby BoA, in fact, what can I do? I just keep growing up! I can't stop that from happening."
BoA has collaborated with high-profile artists. Among the Japanese artists she has performed with are the hip hop group M-Flo
(for the single "The Love Bug
"), pop singer Kumi Koda
, and house
DJ Mondo Grosso
. She has performed with Western artists: the song "Flying Without Wings" from her album Next World was a collaboration with Irish band Westlife
covering the original song
; the Bratz
single "Show Me What You Got" was performed with Howie D of the American band Backstreet Boys
. She also worked with Akon
, singing the song "Beautiful
", which was featured on the Japanese release of his third album, Freedom
. Other artists she has collaborated with are Soul'd Out
, Dabo, Verbal (of M-Flo), Rah-D, Seamo
, TVXQ
, Yutaka Furakawa (of the band Doping Panda), and Crystal Kay
(for her single After Love: First Boyfriend/Girlfriend
). American rock band Weezer
covered "Meri Kuri
" on the Japanese version of their album Weezer (The Red Album).
BoA is a "top artist" in South Korea and Japan; her popularity in the latter is attributed to her linguistic skills (she speaks and records in Japanese, Korean, and English) and a Japanese interest in Korean pop culture
started in the early 2000s when the two countries began promoting cultural exchanges. BoA's popularity extends throughout East Asia; she has fans in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
, Malaysia, and Singapore
. She has expressed plans to enter a global market; she stated in an interview, "I will [...] get recognition in the U.S. and Europe to become a world-renowned Diva." In June 2006, the music video of her Korean song "My Name" became the first music video ever shown on MTV K
, an MTV
music channel directed at Korean American
s.
Because of her wide appeal, BoA has appeared in advertisements for many brands. Among the brands she has promoted are Olympus
, Nike, L'Oréal
, Japanese cosmetic company Kosé, Skechers
, Audio-Technica
, and GM Daewoo
. Four of her songs have been used as themes. "Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi" was used as the ending theme for the anime
InuYasha
; "Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe" was used as the opening theme for the anime Monkey Typhoon
; "Key of Heart" was the theme song for the Japanese release of Over the Hedge; "Your Color" was the theme song of the video game Ninety-Nine Nights; and "Mamoritai: White Wishes" was the theme song of the video game Tales of Graces
.
Her widespread popularity has also made her a "cultural ambassador"; she has represented South Korea in inter-Asian musical events and has appeared in an Oxford University Press
-published English-language textbook.
50 million to a memorial project for Korean independence
activist and nationalist An Jung-geun
. BoA voiced Heather the opossum in the Korean and Japanese version of Over the Hedge. In 2008, Korean jewelry brand Ramee released Ramee by BoA, a line of jewelry designed by the singer herself. On June 9, 2008, BoA and nine other artists from around the world recorded an English cover of Wei Wei
's "Dedication of Love". Produced by Roald Hoffmann
and Brian Alan, the single was used to raise funds for victims of the Sichuan Earthquake.
English studio albums
Japanese studio albums
Compilation albums
Remix albums
Videos
Backronym
A backronym or bacronym is a phrase constructed purposely, such that an acronym can be formed to a specific desired word. Backronyms may be invented with serious or humorous intent, or may be a type of false or folk etymology....
for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music".
Born and raised in Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
, South Korea, BoA was discovered by SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment
S.M. Entertainment is an independent Korean record label, talent agency, producer, and publisher of pop music, founded by Lee Soo-man in South Korea...
talent agents when she accompanied her older brother to a talent search. In 2000, after two years of training, she released ID; Peace B
ID; Peace B
ID; Peace B is BoA's debut Korean album. It peaked at #10 in the Korean album chart. ID; Peace B was released in Japan, two months after her Japanese debut. It reached #30 in Oricon chart. ID; Peace B sold 166,452 copies nationwide making it the fifty-ninth best selling album of 2000 in...
, her debut Korean album. Two years later, she released her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, becoming the first Korean pop star to break through in Japan following the fall of barriers that had restricted the import and export of entertainment between the countries since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
On October 14, 2008, BoA debuted in the United States with the single "Eat You Up
Eat You Up
"Eat You Up" is Korean singer BoA's first English single, produced by Henrik Jonback, from her English debut album BoA. This is BoA's first single to be released in a digital format. The song was originally set for release on October 14, 2008, but was then pushed back to October 21, 2008. It is...
" and released her debut English-language album, BoA
BoA (album)
*1Cover of the 2007 B-side by German girl group Monrose.*2English self-cover of the song with the same name from her fifth Korean studio album.-BoA: Deluxe bonus tracks:Note: * The bonus tracks are on the CD track 1, 2 and 3...
on March 17, 2009.
BoA's multilingual skills (she speaks Japanese and English along with native Korean and has recorded songs in Mandarin Chinese) have contributed to her commercial success throughout East Asia. She is the only foreign artist to have two albums selling more than one million copies in Japan and is one of only two artists to have six consecutive number-one studio albums on the 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...
charts since her debut, the other being Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
. BoA has sold 60 million albums worldwide.
2000–2002: Debut and Japanese expansion
At age eleven, BoA accompanied her older brother to an SM Entertainment talent search. Though her brother was the one who auditioned as a break-dancer, SM talent scouts instead took notice of BoA and offered her a contract on the same night as the auditions. Her parents initially opposed the notion of BoA's leaving school to enter the entertainment business but eventually consented at her older brothers' persuasion. She has said that her early influence as a singer was Seo Taiji.BoA underwent two years of training (involving vocal, dance, English, and Japanese lessons), and at the age of thirteen released her debut album ID; Peace B in South Korea on August 25, 2000. The album was moderately successful; it entered the Top 10 of the South Korean charts and sold around 156,000 units. Meanwhile, her Korean record label, SM Entertainment, made arrangements with Japanese label Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
to launch her music career in Japan. She was forced to quit school to prepare and in early 2001, BoA released her first mini-album
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Don't Start Now
Jumping into the World
Jumping Into the World is Korean singer BoA's first mini-album, released in South Korea in March 2001. It consists of eight new tracks, plus six English and Chinese language versions of some her songs...
; it sold around 90,000 units. After its release, she took a hiatus from the Korean music industry to focus on the Japanese market at which time she worked to solidify her skills in Japanese.
BoA began her Japanese music career singing at the Avex-owned club Velfarre
Velfarre
was a disco located in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, Japan. Velfarre was the self-professed "largest disco in Asia" with a capacity of 1,500 people, with three floors above ground and three floors below; owned by Komuro Tetsuya and Avex Trax. Velfarre was, and still is, known for Trance,...
. In 2001, she released her debut Japanese single, a Japanese version of the song, "ID; Peace B" (originally from the eponymous album). The single reached #20 on the Oricon chart and was followed by "Amazing Kiss
Amazing Kiss
"Amazing Kiss" is BoA's second single in Japan. It was released July 25, 2001, and went to number 23 on the Oricon chart.-Track listing:# Amazing Kiss # Someday, Somewhere # Amazing Kiss ~English Version~...
", "Kimochi wa Tsutawaru
Kimochi wa tsutawaru
is BoA's third single in Japan. It reached number 15 on the Oricon charts.-Track listing:# Kimochiwa Tsutawaru # Next Step # Amazing Kiss # Kimochiwa Tsutawaru...
", and "Listen to My Heart"; the last became the singer's first single to enter the Oricon's Top Five. After the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, BoA recorded the charity single "The Meaning of Peace
The meaning of peace
"The Meaning of Peace" single was made to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Kumi Koda collaborated with Korean pop singer BoA and fellow artists under the Avex Trax record label on the charity album Song Nation with the single "The Meaning of Peace", which was produced by Tetsuya...
" with Kumi Koda
Kumi Koda
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game...
as part of Avex's Song Nation
Song Nation
Song Nation is a charity compilation album featuring some of the most important Japanese performers from the Avex Trax label. The CD was made to raise money for the September 11, 2001 attacks....
project to raise funds for charity.
Her debut Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, was released on March 13, 2002. The album was a breakthrough in BoA's career: it became an RIAJ-certified million-seller and debuted atop the Oricon, the first album by a Korean artist to do so. A single, "Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi", was released on the same day as the album. After the release of Listen to My Heart, BoA released her second Korean studio album, No.1
NO.1
No. 1 is BoA's second Korean language album. This album is currently her best-selling album in South Korea.- Album editions :The Japanese issue of No.1 includes an exclusive bonus track "No.1 "....
, a month later. The album sold around 544,000 units and became the fourth-best-selling record of the year in South Korea. Jumping into the World (a Japanese re-release of the mini-album Don't Start Now) and the Japanese single "Don't Start Now
Don't start now
"Don't Start Now" is a BoA's first recut single. IT reached number 17 on the Japan Oricon charts.- Track listing :# Don't Start Now # Don't Start Now # Don't Start Now...
" were released a month later on the same day.
2003–2005: Commercial success
BoA then released her seventh single "Valenti". It peaked at the number-two position on the Oricon chart. BoA released two more singles "Kiseki / No.1Kiseki / No.1
"Kiseki/ No. 1" is BoA's seventh single in Japan. It is also her seventh highest selling single. This single was featured on her second full Japanese studio album Valenti as a promotional track along with No. 1 and Flower.-Track listing:# Kiseki# No. 1...
" and "Jewel Song / Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe", both which also peaked at the number-three position. At the end of the year, BoA released her second Korean mini-album Miracle
Miracle (BoA album)
Miracle was a re-release of some of BoA's Japanese songs rerecorded and re-mixed in Korean, it is her "2.5 album".#No.1 Top 50 album in monthly chart#No.22 Best selling album of 2002 in Korea.Sales:+First week sales: ~21,200 copies....
.
BoA's second Japanese studio album, Valenti
Valenti
Valenti was released in 2003 and is BoA's highest selling Japanese album and sold over 1.2 million copies.Valenti debuted at number on the weekly charts with over 615,000 copies in its first week. It was also number one in its second week with another 222,000 copies sold...
(2003), became her best-selling album, with over 1,249,000 copies sold. In support of the album, BoA launched BoA 1st Live Tour Valenti, her first Japanese concert tour. Later that year, she released two Korean albums, Atlantis Princess
Atlantis Princess
Atlantis Princess is BoA's third Korean album. The album debuted at #1 in the Top 50 Korean Monthly Charts, with initial monthly sales of 213,000 in May...
and the mini-album Shine We Are!
Shine We Are!
Shine We Are! is the third mini-album by Korean singer BoA, released on December 4, 2003. The last track in the album features the Irish band Westlife.-Track listing:# "B.I.O"# "Shine We Are!"# "세상의 어디에서도 "# "Discovery"...
. The former was the fifth-best-selling South Korean record of the year with around 345,000 units sold; the latter sold around 58,000 units.
Her third Japanese studio album, Love & Honesty
Love & Honesty
Love & Honesty is BoA's third Japanese album and it also had a "Perfect Edition" which had two discs: the standard CD and a DVD. It was number one on the Oricon charts for two weeks. In its first week the album sold 296,781 copies and 145,325 in its second. Love & Honesty has been certified Triple...
(2004) was a musical "change in direction": it contained a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
song ("Rock with You") and "harder" R&B. Though the album failed to match Valenti in sales, it topped the Oricon chart for two weeks and became RIAJ-certified triple-platinum. In support of the album, BoA held a tour, Live Concert Tour 2004: Love & Honesty. In contrast with 1st Live Tour, which "emphasized exotic Asian design", the Love & Honesty tour had an "outer-space, sci-fi" theme; among the props were a three-story-high space ship and the robot Asimo
ASIMO
is a humanoid robot created by Honda. Introduced in 2000, ASIMO, which is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility", was created to be a helper to people. With aspirations of helping people who lack full mobility, ASIMO is used to encourage young people to study science and mathematics...
. The tour, which started in Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
and ended in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, spanned nine performances and attracted approximately 105,000 attendants. Her first compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Best of Soul
Best of Soul
-Charts and sales:-Singles:-External links:*...
(2005), however, sold over a million copies, making BoA the first non-Japanese Asian singer to have two million-selling albums in Japan.
BoA reinvented her image on her fourth Korean album, My Name (2004); she left the "cute" and "youthful" style that had characterized previous years and presented herself as "sexy" and "sultry". The album was the beginning of a foray into the Chinese market and contained two songs sung in Mandarin Chinese. The sales of BoA's Korean albums began to decline: the album sold 191,000 units and became the eleventh-best-selling South Korean album of the year. Her fifth Korean album, Girls on Top
Girls on Top
Girls on Top is BoA's 5th album in Korean. A "MOTO" repackaging was released on August 25, 2005. Girls on Top has sold 115,000 copies in 2005. It placed #10 on the sales for albums of that year...
, continued her image change. The album portrayed the singer as more "mature and self-confident" and was a "declaration of war on male chauvinism"; the "bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
" look of the cover photograph represented "freedom and depth", while music videos and album photographs that portrayed BoA in traditional Korean dress
Hanbok
Hanbok or Chosŏn-ot is the traditional Korean dress. It is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means "Korean clothing", hanbok today often refers specifically to hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear...
brought the "idea of Korean womanhood" into her music. The album also continued BoA's foray into the Chinese market and, like the previous album, contained Mandarin Chinese songs. The album sold less than the previous album; it was the fourteenth-best-selling record of the year in South Korea with 113,000 units sold.
2006–2008: Continued success in Japan
In 2006, BoA was mostly inactive in South Korea as she focused her attention on Japan; however, on September 21, 2006, she released her first digital single in Korea, a Korean version of "Key of HeartKEY OF HEART / DOTCH
"Key of Heart" is BoA's 20th Japanese single and 6th Korean single. The single was available solely in CD+DVD format in Japan with a "special summer low price" and first pressing to commemorate this for being her 20th single....
". Her fourth Japanese studio album, Outgrow
Outgrow
Outgrow is BoA's 4th original Japanese album. The album features the singles Do the Motion, Make a Secret, Dakishimeru, and Everlasting. The album also features the track "First Snow" from BoA's special digital single, Merry Christmas from BoA...
, was released on February 15, 2006. The album reached the number-one spot on the Oricon chart for its first week of release, making it her fourth consecutive original Japanese album to do so. With 220,000 copies sold, it became her lowest-selling first-week debut for a studio album at that point. "Do the Motion
Do the Motion
"Do the Motion" is BoA's 15th Japanese CD single , and third highest selling. This was also BoA's first number one single, and made her the first non-Japanese Asian singer to top the Oricon charts in over 21 years. This single scored commercial endorsements for every song on the single and is...
", the first single from the album, reached the top spot, making her the fourth non-Japanese Asian to have a number-one single on the Oricon charts. "Merry Christmas from BoA
Merry Christmas from BoA
"Merry Christmas from BoA" was a digital single released by BoA to commemorate Christmas. One of the songs, "First snow" was on her 4th Japanese studio album Outgrow as a bonus track.-Tracklisting:# Meri Kuri # White Christmas...
" (2005), the album's last single, was the singer's first digital single. In support of Outgrow, BoA launched a special Zepp
Zepp
The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located...
tour, B0A The Live, on September 29, 2006. The tour, which lasted until October 29, started from Nagoya and contained twelve shows, two in each of the following cities: Nagoya, Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Tokyo, Sendai, and Sapporo. She staged her first Christmas concert on December 7, 2006.
BoA's fifth Japanese studio album, Made in Twenty (20)
Made in Twenty (20)
Made in Twenty is the fifth studio album by South Korean pop singer BoA. It was released on 17 January 2007 on Avex Trax Records. The title of the album refers to the fact that this is her first album since leaving her teenage years and her first album made in her 20s - specifically, when she was...
(2007), continued her transition from a "teenage girl" image to a more mature image. The album, which contained R&B and dance songs as well as ballads, debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making the album her sixth in a row to do so (including one compilation). She began using a personal computer for composing one of the songs ("No More Make Me Sick"). On March 31, 2007, she launched a nationwide tour of Japan in support of the album. The tour, which sold about 70,000 tickets, was, according to BoA, "the biggest concert" she had ever given. Two tracks from the singles of Made in Twenty (20) were used as theme songs; "Your Color", from the single "Nanairo no Ashita: Brand New Beat / Your Color" (2006), was used as the ending theme song for the Japanese release of the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game Ninety-Nine Nights
Ninety-Nine Nights
Ninety-Nine Nights received mixed reviews from various media outlets. On the review aggregator GameRankings, the game had an average score of 63% based on 81 reviews...
. "Key of Heart", from the single "Key of Heart / Dotch
KEY OF HEART / DOTCH
"Key of Heart" is BoA's 20th Japanese single and 6th Korean single. The single was available solely in CD+DVD format in Japan with a "special summer low price" and first pressing to commemorate this for being her 20th single....
" (2006), was the ending theme for the Japanese release of the movie Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge (film)
Over the Hedge is a 2006 computer animated family action comedy film based on the characters from United Media comic strip of the same name. Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, and produced by Bonnie Arnold, it was released in the United States on May 19, 2006.The film was produced by...
. She also released an English version of "Key of Heart", which was only available on the first press edition of the single. Later in 2007, Anycall
Anycall
Anycall is a South Korean mobile phone brand established by Samsung Electronics in 1993. Like other mobile phone brands in South Korea, they provide technology such as cameras, internet access, and digital TV through Digital Multimedia Broadcasting.Samsung mobile phones are sold through the...
(a Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
brand) signed BoA, Xiah
Xiah
Kim Junsu , also known by his stage name Xiah , is a South Korean singer-songwriter, composer and occasional actor...
(of TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
), Tablo
Tablo
Daniel Armand Lee, whose Korean name is Lee Seon-Woong , is more commonly known by his stage name Tablo . He is a hip hop musician, rap artist, songwriter and lyricist. He is best known as the rapper and leader of the South Korean hip hop group Epik High...
(of Epik High
Epik High
Epik High is a South Korean indie hip hop group from Seoul, South Korea. The group is composed of Tablo, Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz...
), and jazz pianist Jin Bora onto "Anyband
AnyBand
AnyBand is the K-pop EP, released by South Korean project group AnyBand. It featured two songs "TPL" and "Promise U"....
", a band created specifically to promote Anycall. The band released only one single, "AnyBand".
With her sixth Japanese album, The Face
The Face (album)
The Face is BoA's sixth studio Japanese album which was released on 27 February 2008. The album was released a week after her single, "Be with You." The full album is known to have total of fifteen tracks along with 3 different types of packaging: regular CD, CD+DVD, and first press...
(2008), BoA took more creative control over her music. At this time, BoA was influenced by electro-pop. Additionally, BoA included "happy spring" songs (the lead single "Sweet Impact
Sweet Impact
"Sweet Impact" is BoA's 22nd Japanese single. It was released on April 25, 2007 and it hit #5 on the Oricon chart on its first day of release. The song "Sweet Impact" was first featured in Japan's FASIO commercial in January 2007. The video was inspired by Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. The single...
" and its B-side, "Bad Drive"), a guitar-driven "groovy dance" song (2007's "Lose Your Mind
Lose Your Mind
"Lose Your Mind" is BoA's 24th Japanese single. Alongside the title track is one B-side, "Smile Again". Lose Your Mind was released on December 12, 2007.-Music video:...
"), and ballads. Lyrically, BoA focused mainly on love, though "Be with You.
Be with you.
"Be with You." is BoA's twenty-fifth Japanese single. In addition to the title track are "Precious," instrumental versions of both songs, and the spring acoustic mix of "Be with You." The single was released on February 20, 2008. "The Face" was scheduled for release the same day, but was pushed...
" (2008) was about a person's relationship with his dog. The album debuted at the top of the weekly Oricon charts, making BoA one of only two artists in Japan to have six consecutive studio albums top the Oricon weekly charts (the other is Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
, who has eight consecutive number-one albums).
2008–2010: Foray into America and return to Japanese market
On September 2, 2008, SM Entertainment announced that BoA would make her American debut under a new subsidiary label, SM Entertainment USA. A press conference was held on September 10, 2008 at the Seoul Imperial Palace Hotel to clarify the details.BoA's debut American single "Eat You Up," produced by Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen is a composer and producer from Denmark.- History :Thomas Troelsen is a singer, songwriter, and producer responsible for chart-topping hits, like Junior Senior's "Move Your Feet", Monrose's "Hot Summer", PRIVATE's "My Secret Lover", and BoA’s “Eat You Up." He was also the lead...
, was released online on October 21, 2008;so BoA ,who has another meaning,Bring on American and Best of Asia. The physical single was to be released in stores on November 11, 2008, but SM instead released a promotional CD containing dance remixes of "Eat You Up". "Eat You Up" placed at #9 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart. The remix of "Eat You Up" featuring rapper Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
was slated for release in late November and leaked onto the internet in December. BoA performed "Eat You Up" as well as other songs at 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....
's Tokyo Live concert, and performed in New York City on December 3, 2008, as well as the Jingle Ball
Jingle Ball
Jingle Ball is an annual concert produced on by KIIS-FM radio station in Los Angeles. The concert series has been staged at various venues around southern California including the Shrine Auditorium and Staples Center in Los Angeles,and the Honda Center in Anaheim...
at the Anaheim Honda Center on December 6, 2008. She also performed the song "Look Who's Talking" at the event.
BoA released a triple-A-side single in Japan on February 18, 2009, "Eien/Universe/Believe in Love
Eien/Universe/Believe in Love
is BoA's twenty-seventh Japanese single. It was released on February 18, 2009 in two formats, are CD-only and CD+DVD. The CD edition also comes in a first press limited edition. The second A-side, Universe, features fellow J-pop singer Crystal Kay and label mate, Verbal of M-Flo. The third A-side...
". On the same day, the Ravex
Ravex
Ravex is a Japanese electronic music group, consisting of Shinichi Osawa, Tomoyuki Tanaka and Taku Takahashi. Established to mark the 20th anniversary of the Avex label, their productions are usually based on collaborations with other artists on the label...
single "Believe in Love" was released, featuring vocals by BoA.
BoA's self-titled English album
BoA (album)
*1Cover of the 2007 B-side by German girl group Monrose.*2English self-cover of the song with the same name from her fifth Korean studio album.-BoA: Deluxe bonus tracks:Note: * The bonus tracks are on the CD track 1, 2 and 3...
was released in the US on March 17 and featured tracks by renowned producers Bloodshy and Avant as well as a duet with Sean Garrett
Sean Garrett
Garrett Hamler, better known by his stage name Sean Garrett is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He has produced fifteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number...
. Her second Japanese compilation album, Best & USA
Best & USA
Best & USA is the second greatest hits album by South Korean pop singer BoA. The album was released on March 18, 2009 in three formats: CD, 2CD and a limited 2CD+2DVD edition.The album is certified by RIAJ for shipment of 100,000 copies .-Information:...
was released on March 18 tying together a compilation of recent hits in Japan with her English-language debut.
BoA stated that "It has always been my dream to debut in America" and was tutored English in LA, but found the language is tougher to learn than Japanese. She lived in West Beverly Hills but admitted finding it tough to make friends.
BoA headlined as a performer for the San Francisco Pride Festival
San Francisco Pride
The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration, usually known as San Francisco Pride, is a parade and festival held in June each year in San Francisco to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies...
on June 28, 2009 alongside Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
and The Cliks
The Cliks
The Cliks are a Canadian rock band consisting of Lucas Silveira , Tobi Parks and Brian Viglione . The Cliks' major label debut album, Snakehouse was released on April 24, 2007 by Warner Music in Canada and by Tommy Boy Records in the United States.-History:In an In The Life interview, Silveira...
. She debuted her next single "Energetic", performing it for the first time in public. She also performed "Eat You Up" and "I Did It for Love."
On August 31, SM USA released BoA Deluxe
BoA (album)
*1Cover of the 2007 B-side by German girl group Monrose.*2English self-cover of the song with the same name from her fifth Korean studio album.-BoA: Deluxe bonus tracks:Note: * The bonus tracks are on the CD track 1, 2 and 3...
, a repackaged version of her debut English album. The album contained two new tracks and the radio edit version of "Energetic".
With her US career struggling to gain traction, BoA returned to the Japanese market to release a new single entitled "Bump Bump!
Bump Bump!
"Bump Bump!" is BoA's twenty-eighth Japanese single. It was produced by Verbal from M-Flo, who wrote both songs and featured as a rapper on both tracks. The single was released on October 28, 2009.-CD:# Bump Bump! feat. Verbal # IZM feat. Verbal...
" (October 2009), which features label-mate Verbal
Verbal (rapper)
Verbal is a Japanese third generation Zainichi Korean hip-hop MC, who debuted in 1998 as a member of the J-Pop hip-hop duo m-flo....
from M-Flo
M-flo
is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of producer and DJ Taku Takahashi and emcee Verbal.Former member Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career, and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists for each song over three albums, including the...
. BoA then released "Mamoritai: White Wishes" (December 2009) and held a Christmas concert in December.
Her seventh Japanese album, Identity
Identity (BoA album)
Identity is Korean singer BoA's seventh Japanese studio album, released on February 10, 2010, nearly two years since The Face.-Promotion:...
was released on February 10, 2010, but only charted at #4, selling just 37,606 copies in its first week. With little promotion from her label, it ended her run of six consecutive #1 albums, suggesting that it would be impossible for her to sustain her career in three territories simultaneously.
2010-present: Korean comeback and Hollywood film
On March 1, 2010, SM EntertainmentSM Entertainment
S.M. Entertainment is an independent Korean record label, talent agency, producer, and publisher of pop music, founded by Lee Soo-man in South Korea...
announced that BoA would make a comeback in South Korea for her 10th debut anniversary and would release a first full-length Korean album after five years.
On July 21, 2010, Avex released the "Woo Weekend
Woo Weekend
-Charts:Oricon Chart...
" single, the lead song of which was used to promote Disney on Ice's 25th Anniversary in Japan. BoA's official Korean website announced on July 23, 2010 that her comeback sixth Korean album would be entitled Hurricane Venus
Hurricane Venus
Hurricane Venus is the sixth Korean language studio album by South Korean recording artist BoA, released in South Korea on 5 August 2010 by SM Entertainment. The release marks the tenth anniversary of BoA's career debut, and is her first Korean-language album since the release of Girls on Top in...
. Hurricane Venus
Hurricane Venus
Hurricane Venus is the sixth Korean language studio album by South Korean recording artist BoA, released in South Korea on 5 August 2010 by SM Entertainment. The release marks the tenth anniversary of BoA's career debut, and is her first Korean-language album since the release of Girls on Top in...
was released on August 5, 2010 and debuted at No.1, where it stayed for 2 weeks. The two singles, "Game" and "Hurricane Venus" charted at No.6 and No.1 respectively. A repackaged version of the album with two new songs under the name of "Copy & Paste" was released on September 27, 2010. The album made her one of the recipients of the Bonsang Awards from the Golden Disk Awards
Golden Disk Awards
The Golden Disk Awards is an awards show founded in 1986 that is presented annually by the Music Industry Association of Korea for outstanding achievements in the music industry in South Korea...
in 2010, making it the first time in her career to receive the award. On December 6, 2010, Avex released a digital single, "I See Me", for a commercial that promotes new Audio Technica headphones in Japan.
In October BoA represented Korea and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival
Asia song festival
Asia Song Festival, aka A-Song-Fe or ASF, is an annual Asian pop music festival held in South Korea, since 2004. It is hosted by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and features artists from Asian countries...
, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.
BoA has released information regarding her Hollywood movie debut. The dance film, directed by Save the Last Dance
Save the Last Dance
Save the Last Dance is a 2001 romantic drama dance film produced by MTV Films, directed by Thomas Carter and released by Paramount Pictures on January 12, 2001. The film stars Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas as a teenage interracial couple in Chicago who work together to help the main...
screenwriter Duane Adler
Duane Adler
Duane Adler is a Hollywood screenwriter, producer, and director most known for his work on dance- and music-driven fare, particularly Save the Last Dance and Step Up ....
and produced by Robert Colt, will be titled 'COBU 3D' and is set for an early 2012 release. BoA will play a character called Aya while Derek Hough (known from the U.S. TV show Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
) will play the male lead of Donny. Aya and Donny fall in love, even though their families are enemies on the dance scene. Filming is set to begin in Spring in New York City and Toronto, Canada.At that time ,BoA invite her best male friend who is also a famous artist in both Korea and Japan called U-know to play a role in.
It was reported on BoA's twitter account that on October 1, 2011 she wrote, "Many ppl asking me when I'm gonna release my next single in Japan... I'm preparing my single now. So you'll be able to listen to it soon!" and on October 6, 2011, "Heading to the set for my new music video. 今日はPV撮影！！ 楽しみにしてねーヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ." She will be making a comeback in Japan with a new single called "Milestone" and will be released on December 7, 2011. However, the audio of the song has debuted through J-WAVE RADIO 'paradiso,' and can be found on YouTube. On November 21, 2011, however, the PV of the song debuted through MTV Japan and can also be found on YouTube.
Contract
In 2006, BoA renewed her contract with SM Entertainment until 2012. At the time it was noted that she had a shareholding in SM Entertainment of 100,000 (Approximately worth 1m USD).Image and artistry
BoA lists hip hop as her main musical influence, though she also enjoys R&B. Her favorite musicians are Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet....
, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
; as a result, much of BoA's music is either dance pop or R&B. Because she also sings ballads, she is often compared to fellow Japanese singers Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
and Hikaru Utada. Her debut album, ID; Peace B, contained urban pop, "slickly produced" ballads, and "upbeat dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
tunes". As her career went on, she began experimenting with different styles: Valenti contained mostly ballads; Love and Honesty was an experiment with "harder" R&B and rock music.
Because the composition and writing of BoA's songs is handled mostly by her staff, BoA has been criticized as being a "manufactured pop star".BoA has composed three songs, "Nothing's Gonna Change" from Listen to My Heart, "No More Make Me Sick" from Made in Twenty (20) and "Girl in the Mirror" from The Face. The former was composed by BoA herself, and these latter were co-composed. In response to such criticism, BoA said that "if one person were to force their own will on something, then things that should have gone right could easily go wrong" and that she is "not all that unhappy with the expression that [she is] a manufactured star. In a way, that is true. Because SM Entertainment created the environment and all the surrounding conditions, [she is] able to be successful in the way [she is] now." Though her earlier releases were marked by a "cute" and "youthful" style, BoA began to present a more "mature" image starting from the album My Name. In a Talk Asia interview, Anjali Rao
Anjali Rao
Anjali Rao is a television news anchor and a former broadcast journalist for CNN International, where she worked from January 2006 until August 2011. She anchored the 7 p.m...
noted that some felt that My Name marked the beginning of BoA's decline in popularity and asked if the public would always see the singer as "Little Baby BoA"; BoA replied, "So while I apologize to those people who still want the baby BoA, in fact, what can I do? I just keep growing up! I can't stop that from happening."
BoA has collaborated with high-profile artists. Among the Japanese artists she has performed with are the hip hop group M-Flo
M-flo
is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of producer and DJ Taku Takahashi and emcee Verbal.Former member Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career, and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists for each song over three albums, including the...
(for the single "The Love Bug
The Love Bug (song)
"The Love Bug" is one of M-Flo's most popular collaborations in the ongoing "M-Flo Loves" series. It features the iconic Asian singer, BoA. It was released on March 17, 2004, and reached #8 on the Oricon charts in Japan....
"), pop singer Kumi Koda
Kumi Koda
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game...
, and house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
DJ Mondo Grosso
Mondo Grosso
Shinichi Osawa , also known as Mondo Grosso, is an artist currently signed onto Avex Trax's "Rhythm Zone" label. Previously he was signed to Sony Music Japan's FEARLESS RECORDS division and released albums under the title of 'Mondo Grosso', which is Italian for "big world". He was born on February...
. She has performed with Western artists: the song "Flying Without Wings" from her album Next World was a collaboration with Irish band Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
covering the original song
Flying Without Wings
"Flying Without Wings" is a song released by Irish boyband Westlife from their self-titled debut album.-Background:The song became an instant hit in the United Kingdom and many parts of the world. The song became the group's third UK number 1 single, spending 13 weeks on charts. It is also one of...
; the Bratz
Bratz
Bratz is an American line of fashion dolls and merchandise manufactured by MGA Entertainment. Four original 10" dolls were released in 2001 - Cloe, Jade, Sasha and Yasmin...
single "Show Me What You Got" was performed with Howie D of the American band Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
. She also worked with Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, singing the song "Beautiful
Beautiful (Akon song)
"Beautiful" is the third single from Akon's third studio album Freedom. The song features American pop singer, Colby O'Donis and a rap verse from Canadian rapper, Kardinal Offishall. The song describes being in a nightclub and seeing a person that the singer is attracted to, but feeling shy to...
", which was featured on the Japanese release of his third album, Freedom
Freedom (Akon album)
Freedom is the third studio album by hip hop and R&B Senegalese-American singer and rapper Akon. The album was originally named Acquitted, however Akon changed it before it was released. It was released as a download on December 1, 2008, and in stores December 2, 2008...
. Other artists she has collaborated with are Soul'd Out
SOUL'd OUT
Soul'd Out is a Japanese hip-hop band that consists of three members: Diggy-MO' , Bro.Hi , and Shinnosuke . Their name is a pun of "soul " and "sold out"...
, Dabo, Verbal (of M-Flo), Rah-D, Seamo
SEAMO
is a Japanese rapper and hip-hop artist better known under his alias Seamo . He made his debut in 2004 using the alias , but later changed his name to Seamo. He made his solo debut in 2005 with the Japanese record label BMG Japan with the single...
, TVXQ
TVXQ
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang Xien Qi , is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki , often abbreviated by international fans as DBSK; they were later introduced in Japan as Tohoshinki under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone...
, Yutaka Furakawa (of the band Doping Panda), and Crystal Kay
Crystal Kay
Crystal Kay Williams , known by her stage name Crystal Kay, is a singer and songwriter from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan...
(for her single After Love: First Boyfriend/Girlfriend
After Love: First Boyfriend/Girlfriend
"After Love /Girlfriend" is Crystal Kay's 25th single. It was released on August 12, 2009.- Background :It is Kay's second double A-side single, and her first since "Kirakuni/Together" in 2006...
). American rock band Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
covered "Meri Kuri
Meri Kuri
is BoA's 14th Japanese solo single also 3rd Korean solo single. Two versions of the single were released simultaneously in both Japan and Korea. The songs were sung in Japanese on the version sold in Japan, and in Korean on the version sold in Korea...
" on the Japanese version of their album Weezer (The Red Album).
BoA is a "top artist" in South Korea and Japan; her popularity in the latter is attributed to her linguistic skills (she speaks and records in Japanese, Korean, and English) and a Japanese interest in Korean pop culture
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
started in the early 2000s when the two countries began promoting cultural exchanges. BoA's popularity extends throughout East Asia; she has fans in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Malaysia, and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. She has expressed plans to enter a global market; she stated in an interview, "I will [...] get recognition in the U.S. and Europe to become a world-renowned Diva." In June 2006, the music video of her Korean song "My Name" became the first music video ever shown on MTV K
MTV K
MTV K was a channel dedicated to mainly Korean Americans, Asian Americans and K-Pop lovers that showcased the best of Korean culture while providing a platform for Korean American talent...
, an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
music channel directed at Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
s.
Because of her wide appeal, BoA has appeared in advertisements for many brands. Among the brands she has promoted are Olympus
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
, Nike, L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, Japanese cosmetic company Kosé, Skechers
Skechers
Skechers is an American shoe company headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, founded by CEO Robert Greenberg. Greenberg started Skechers in 1992 after he left LA Gear which he also founded. Skechers was started with his son as a distributor for Doc Martens; they launched their own shoe line...
, Audio-Technica
Audio-Technica
, established in 1962 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a company that designs and manufactures professional wired and wireless microphones, headphones, phonographic magnetic cartridges, and other audio equipment. One of their most famous products was a battery-operated, portable record player...
, and GM Daewoo
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
. Four of her songs have been used as themes. "Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi" was used as the ending theme for the 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....
InuYasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
; "Beside You: Boku o Yobu Koe" was used as the opening theme for the anime Monkey Typhoon
Monkey Typhoon
is a Japanese manga written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Romu Aoi. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine between 2001 and 2002....
; "Key of Heart" was the theme song for the Japanese release of Over the Hedge; "Your Color" was the theme song of the video game Ninety-Nine Nights; and "Mamoritai: White Wishes" was the theme song of the video game Tales of Graces
Tales of Graces
is the 12th mothership title and the newest generation in the Tales series for the Wii and PlayStation 3. It follows lead character Asbel Lhant, who desires to obtain greater strength. Its characteristic genre name is . The opening theme is by BoA...
.
Her widespread popularity has also made her a "cultural ambassador"; she has represented South Korea in inter-Asian musical events and has appeared in an Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
-published English-language textbook.
Other work
From 2001 to 2007, BoA hosted Beat it BoA's World, a radio program on the Japan FM Network. In September 2004, BoA instigated controversy in Japan when she donated ₩South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
50 million to a memorial project for Korean independence
Korean independence movement
The Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
activist and nationalist An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun
An Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist....
. BoA voiced Heather the opossum in the Korean and Japanese version of Over the Hedge. In 2008, Korean jewelry brand Ramee released Ramee by BoA, a line of jewelry designed by the singer herself. On June 9, 2008, BoA and nine other artists from around the world recorded an English cover of Wei Wei
Wei Wei (singer)
Wei Wei is a Mandopop singer and actress. She was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia and was raised in Liuzhou, Guangxi.Wei Wei recently performed at the opening ceremony of the , as well as at the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics...
's "Dedication of Love". Produced by Roald Hoffmann
Roald Hoffmann
Roald Hoffmann is an American theoretical chemist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He currently teaches at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.-Escape from the Holocaust:...
and Brian Alan, the single was used to raise funds for victims of the Sichuan Earthquake.
Discography
Korean studio albums- 2000: ID; Peace BID; Peace BID; Peace B is BoA's debut Korean album. It peaked at #10 in the Korean album chart. ID; Peace B was released in Japan, two months after her Japanese debut. It reached #30 in Oricon chart. ID; Peace B sold 166,452 copies nationwide making it the fifty-ninth best selling album of 2000 in...
- 2001: Jumping into the WorldJumping into the WorldJumping Into the World is Korean singer BoA's first mini-album, released in South Korea in March 2001. It consists of eight new tracks, plus six English and Chinese language versions of some her songs...
(Mini Album) - 2002: No.1NO.1No. 1 is BoA's second Korean language album. This album is currently her best-selling album in South Korea.- Album editions :The Japanese issue of No.1 includes an exclusive bonus track "No.1 "....
- 2002: MiracleMiracle (BoA album)Miracle was a re-release of some of BoA's Japanese songs rerecorded and re-mixed in Korean, it is her "2.5 album".#No.1 Top 50 album in monthly chart#No.22 Best selling album of 2002 in Korea.Sales:+First week sales: ~21,200 copies....
(Mini Album) - 2003: Atlantis PrincessAtlantis PrincessAtlantis Princess is BoA's third Korean album. The album debuted at #1 in the Top 50 Korean Monthly Charts, with initial monthly sales of 213,000 in May...
- 2003: Shine We Are!Shine We Are!Shine We Are! is the third mini-album by Korean singer BoA, released on December 4, 2003. The last track in the album features the Irish band Westlife.-Track listing:# "B.I.O"# "Shine We Are!"# "세상의 어디에서도 "# "Discovery"...
(Mini Album) - 2004: My Name
- 2005: Girls On TopGirls on TopGirls on Top is BoA's 5th album in Korean. A "MOTO" repackaging was released on August 25, 2005. Girls on Top has sold 115,000 copies in 2005. It placed #10 on the sales for albums of that year...
- 2010: Hurricane VenusHurricane VenusHurricane Venus is the sixth Korean language studio album by South Korean recording artist BoA, released in South Korea on 5 August 2010 by SM Entertainment. The release marks the tenth anniversary of BoA's career debut, and is her first Korean-language album since the release of Girls on Top in...
English studio albums
- 2009: BoABoA (album)*1Cover of the 2007 B-side by German girl group Monrose.*2English self-cover of the song with the same name from her fifth Korean studio album.-BoA: Deluxe bonus tracks:Note: * The bonus tracks are on the CD track 1, 2 and 3...
Japanese studio albums
- 2002: Listen to My Heart
- 2003: ValentiValentiValenti was released in 2003 and is BoA's highest selling Japanese album and sold over 1.2 million copies.Valenti debuted at number on the weekly charts with over 615,000 copies in its first week. It was also number one in its second week with another 222,000 copies sold...
- 2004: Love & HonestyLove & HonestyLove & Honesty is BoA's third Japanese album and it also had a "Perfect Edition" which had two discs: the standard CD and a DVD. It was number one on the Oricon charts for two weeks. In its first week the album sold 296,781 copies and 145,325 in its second. Love & Honesty has been certified Triple...
- 2006: OutgrowOutgrowOutgrow is BoA's 4th original Japanese album. The album features the singles Do the Motion, Make a Secret, Dakishimeru, and Everlasting. The album also features the track "First Snow" from BoA's special digital single, Merry Christmas from BoA...
- 2007: Made in Twenty (20)Made in Twenty (20)Made in Twenty is the fifth studio album by South Korean pop singer BoA. It was released on 17 January 2007 on Avex Trax Records. The title of the album refers to the fact that this is her first album since leaving her teenage years and her first album made in her 20s - specifically, when she was...
- 2008: The FaceThe Face (album)The Face is BoA's sixth studio Japanese album which was released on 27 February 2008. The album was released a week after her single, "Be with You." The full album is known to have total of fifteen tracks along with 3 different types of packaging: regular CD, CD+DVD, and first press...
- 2010: IdentityIdentity (BoA album)Identity is Korean singer BoA's seventh Japanese studio album, released on February 10, 2010, nearly two years since The Face.-Promotion:...
Compilation albums
- 2004: K-pop Selection
- 2005: Best of SoulBest of Soul-Charts and sales:-Singles:-External links:*...
- 2009: Best & USABest & USABest & USA is the second greatest hits album by South Korean pop singer BoA. The album was released on March 18, 2009 in three formats: CD, 2CD and a limited 2CD+2DVD edition.The album is certified by RIAJ for shipment of 100,000 copies .-Information:...
Remix albums
- 2002: Peace B. RemixesPeace B. RemixesPeace B. Remixes is BoA's first Japanese remix album.-Track listing:#"Listen to My Heart" #"Amazing Kiss" #"Every Heart" —ﾐﾝﾅﾉｷﾓﾁ— #"Power"...
- 2003: Next WorldNext WorldNext World was BoA's second remix album after her Peace B. Remixes album in 2002. It featured many remixes of her hit songs, and collection of several English version of her songs from previous singles.-Track listing:...
Videos
- 2003: 8 Films & More
- 2003: History of BoA 2000-2002
- 2007: COMPLETE CLIPS 2004-2006
Tours
- 2003: First Live Tour 2003: Valenti
- 2004: Live Tour 2004: Love & Honesty
- 2005: Arena Tour 2005: Best of Soul
- 2006: BoA the LIVE "Ura BoA... Kikase Kei" (The Other Side of BoA... Listen)
- 2007: Arena Tour 2007: Made in Twenty (20)
- 2007: BoA THE LIVE "X'mas"
- 2008: Live Tour 2008: The Face
- 2009: BoA THE LIVE 2009 "X'mas"
- 2010: Live Tour 2010: Identity
- 2010: BoA THE LIVE 2010 "X'mas"
- 2011: BoA THE LIVE 2011 "X'mas" (11.12.10. - 12.11. in Tokyo)
TV Series
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Athena: Goddess of War Athena: Goddess of War Athena: Goddess of War is a South Korean espionage television drama series broadcast by SBS in 2010 and a spin-off of 2009's Iris... |
Herself (Cameo, ep 7-8) |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | COBU 3D | Aya |