Biography
Japanese singer and actor Jin Akanishi first gained recognition as one of the two lead vocalists in the enormously successful J-Pop group Kat-Tun. Prior to the band’s 2001 debut, he had already performed as a singer with acts including B.A.D., J2000, and Musical Academy Dancing while appearing on Japanese television in comedies and musical programs. Although Kat-Tun had built a strong following through live shows, the group did not issue its initial recordings until 2006, at which point Akanishi emerged as its standout member. His 2006 relocation to Los Angeles for several months of English study created widespread surprise across the J-Pop scene. After returning in 2007, he and the band resumed their streak of chart-topping singles and albums. Akanishi also maintained his screen work, voicing Speed in the Japanese edition of Speed Racer and taking a starring role in the 2009 film Bandage. Around the same period he began separating from Kat-Tun to develop an independent musical path. Using the name LANDS he cut the theme for Bandage and issued Olympus in early 2010. Shortly afterward he formally left Kat-Tun and started a solo career under his own name. His debut single “Eternal” arrived in March of 2011, followed by an American-market push in November of 2001 with the “Test Drive” single. Both that track and its successor “Sun Burn Down” reached number one on online dance charts, confirming Akanishi’s international reach. Warner Bros. released his first album, Japonicana, in early 2012.
Singles
