Last month, Crystal Kay realized her longtime dream of touring in North America with her CK25 THE TOUR, celebrating 25 years in music. Born in Yokohama — one of Japan’s gateways to Western culture since the 1850s — to an American father and South Korean mother, the singer made her debut at 13 and has built a career as a bridge between Japan, the U.S., and South Korea, seamlessly blending the American music she grew up on and the J-pop she has released as a professional artist.
After initially gaining prominence in the R&B genre early in her career, Kay shifted gears in 2005, trying her hand at J-pop music with “Koi ni Ochitara” (When You Fall in Love) and scoring a massive domestic hit. Since then, she has continued to expand her activities and genres through J-pop covers, jazz, voice acting and acting (Happy Feet Two, Netflix’s Earthquake Bird), and appearances in the Japan production of the musical Pippin and the Japan/U.S. co-production of the musical RENT.
The singer had set her sights on the world stage from the beginning of her career. Armed with her overwhelming vocal prowess and native-level English skills, she traveled repeatedly to the U.S. in-between her activities in Japan, actively pursuing music production with local producers and creatives. Her signature collaborative track is “Kirakuni” (2006), produced by Jam & Lewis — the hitmaker duo behind No. 1 smashes by Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher and more — sung entirely in English. This number brought authentic R&B dance tracks dominating the U.S. market at the time to Japan and remains one of the most popular songs in her extensive catalog. “Kirakuni” was unavailable on streaming platforms for a long time, but fans rejoiced when it was finally released ahead of her recent tour.
The 39-year-old songstress’ long-standing friendship with Tremaine “Six7” Williams, the music producer who worked as an engineer on her “Color Change” album made her North American trek possible. Having also served as stage manager for artists including Mariah Carey, Bruno Mars, Swedish House Mafia and more, Trey provided full support as Kay’s U.S. Management and Tour Director for this outing. Adding further flair to the shows was a powerhouse three-piece band that included Josh Baker, a drummer who toured with Carey, along with Montez Garner on bass and Keith Phelps on keyboards.
For the Los Angeles stop during her seven-concert North American tour in as many cities marking her 25th anniversary, Kay chose a venue in Inglewood — The Miracle Theater — and not Hollywood or the downtown area. Formerly considered one of the city’s roughest neighborhoods, this area has seen significant redevelopment in recent years, including the opening of SoFi Stadium, which hosts NFL games and concerts by some of today’s biggest acts, and Intuit Dome, a multipurpose arena serving as the home of NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. While only a few sports bars in the area were open for business and the streets in the vicinity were quiet, the words “CRYSTAL KAY CK25 THE TOUR SOLD OUT!” lighted up the theater entrance and inside, the packed crowd brimmed with anticipation and excitement for the show about to begin.
Five minutes past the scheduled starting time, Crystal Kay appeared from stage right dressed in a chic, sophisticated ensemble composed of a sequined black top, black pants, and black gloves, to the live performance of “hard to say” by her backing band. The audience jumped to their feet and applauded enthusiastically the moment she began to sing. Supported by the trio of musicians playing keyboards, drums, and bass/keyboards positioned in that order from stage right, Kay went on to perform the up-tempo “Ex-Boyfriend” and “Girl U Love.”
The singer took a moment to address the crowd, mixing Japanese with her impeccable English. “L.A., Los Angeles… Good evening! It’s so so good to be back,” she said as the excitement in the venue surged. “Welcome to the show. We have super fun show for you guys and I really want you guys to sing your a** off and dance your a** off and just have the best time. I wanna make this an unforgettable moment!”
Next, she lovingly performed “Eternal Memories,” a song she first sang when she was only twelve years old. Noting that “I feel like I finally caught up to the lyrics,” she poured her heart into every word, captivating the audience. During “No Pressure,” she masterfully sang from the quiet piano intro to the energetic mid-section, drawing cheers from the crowd.
“Are y’all having a good time? I love your energy, L.A.!” Kay said, before declaring, “I wanna take it all the way back.” The vocalist launched into a gorgeous medley of throwback numbers starting with “TEENAGE UNIVERSE ~ Chewing Gum Baby,” followed by “think of U,” “Girl’s Night,” “What Time Is It?” and “Sweet friends,” bringing a sense of togetherness in the venue.
“I want to take this moment to tell you how much I appreciate your love and support over the past 25 years — now 26 years,” said, visibly overcome with emotion. Conveying her gratitude, she added, “I’ve always wanted to spread my wings to the world and connect with everyone around the world, and I’m here seeing you guys in person is a dream come true.”
After performing “ONE,” the anime movie theme song that she said expanded her fanbase, the singer showcased the breadth of her range with “Gimme Some,” displaying her rap skills in red lighting and strobes. “I’ve come all the way from Yokohama to Inglewood. I love it!” she gushed.
The artist then performed a couple of covers, including Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” and Janet Jackson’s “I Get Lonely,” sharing that she had aspired to be a performer since she was two years old.
Kay interacted with her fans during her live rendition of “Boyfriend -part II-,” encouraging them to jump, participate in call-and-response, and make heart shapes with their hands. The excitement in the venue reached its peak when she delivered “Kirakuni” — available to stream 19 years after its release — “Candy,” and her smash hit “Koini Ochitara.” She closed her main set with “That Girl,” inviting two fans onstage to dance alongside her for the performance.
Chants of “Crystal Kay!” erupted from the crowd before the encore, and the singer returned to perform the final song of the evening. Lights from smartphones illuminated the venue as the artist sang “Motherland,” and the approximately 90-minute concert ended on a high note amid thunderous applause. “Los Angeles, thank you so much. I love you. Can’t wait to see you guys again. Good night,” she said before leaving the stage.
Crystal Kay’s L.A. show featured a well-rounded selection of songs from her albums to date, condensing her career into a comprehensive showcase that included everything from hit singles to covers. The concert was enjoyable for both longtime fans and listeners who had only recently discovered her, and much fun was had by all with lots of singing and dancing, as she promised at the start.
While there were Japanese fans in attendance, the overwhelming majority were local fans and young audiences, reaffirming how music from Japan is reaching more listeners worldwide. While many Japanese artists experience difficulties in communication and struggle to convey their thoughts effectively when addressing their fans during shows outside their home country, Kay’s fluency in English enabled her to accurately express her feelings and share personal stories, fostering a strong sense of unity with the audience. Hopefully she’ll continue to expand her fanbase and broaden her horizons through performances on the global stage in the future.
