SINGAPORE — Pop music and fashion have always gone hand in hand, ever since Elvis Presley went onstage in that leather jacket-and-pants combo back in the 1950s. Through the years, we’ve seen how style and music have affected pop culture, whether it’s the Beatle mop top, the punk slap-dash look, Madonna’s lace underwear-as-outerwear, emo rock’s preppy look and of course, Lady Gaga’s just-go-extreme identity.
So it’s only natural that this weekend’s inaugural Asia Style Collection (ASC) show will also feature some of the brightest stars of pop music today, including Korean sensations Girls Generation and 2NE1, Japan’s Thelma Aoyoma, AKB48 and Mai Kuraki, as well as Singapore pop band The Sam Willows.
Organised by MediaCorp’s online fashion portal StyleXStyle, the ASC will see Asian fashion brands like Azul By Moussy, Murua, Jade and Qnigirls showcase their latest pieces.
Fashion has definitely played a part in Mai’s music career. “We pick the clothes to match the atmosphere of the song to sing that day at the time of recording,” she revealed in an email interview.
Mai, who made her debut in 1999 with the single, Love, Day After Tomorrow, is one of a few female singers in Japan to have her first four studio albums to debut at the top of the Oricon album chart (the Japanese pop charts). To date, she has had seven No 1 albums (including two compilations) and two No 1 singles.
What fans like about Mai-K, as she’s affectionate called, is her no-nonsense style. Unlike other J-Pop singers, who, like their Chinese pop contemporaries, tend to go all flashy with loads of stagecraft and occasionally over-the-top costumes to wow the crowd, Mai doesn’t wear flashy outfits, but keeps it simple and comfortable.
Indeed, the singer prefers to wear “casual basics” (“it will change depending on the situation at that time,” she added).
She added that style isn’t everything to a successful career. “I think many elements might also be important, but the most important thing of all is the musical element.”
Then again, things don’t always go according to plan, just because you’re one of the top female performers in Japan. While she hasn’t experienced any wardrobe malfunctions on stage, she has encountered the odd faux pas now and again, like when she was supposed to issue a birthday greeting live onstage.
“By mistake, I went on and instead said ‘A Happy New Year!’”
According to Mai, the key to success is to learn from those mistakes and “believe in yourself and do not give up the dream, even if you experience a hard time”.
And what would she like her legacy to be? “(That my) music will be able to inspire hope and courage,” she said.
Considering that she and her fan base are still going strong, after almost 15 years in the business, that could very well happen indeed.
Asia Style Collection happens on June 22 at the Singapore Expo Halls 3 and 4. The carnival starts at 3pm, while the concert and fashion show starts at 6pm. Tickets from EventClique (https://tickets.eventclique.com/stylexstyle/Online/default.asp).
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