Becky (television personality)
| Becky | |
|---|---|
| Native name | ベッキー |
| Born |
Rebecca[1] (レベッカ Rebekka, surname unknown) March 6, 1984 Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Other names | Becky♪♯ (ベッキー♪♯ Bekkī) |
| Occupation | Singer, model, actress |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Employer |
Sun Music Productions EMI Music Japan |
| Website |
www |
Becky (ベッキー Bekkī, born March 6, 1984) is a Japanese television personality, or tarento, signed with the entertainment company Sun Music Productions. Beginning in late 2009, she began a music career under the name Becky♪♯, with the eighth note and sharp representing "a different half of Becky stepping up".[2]
History
Becky was born in Kanagawa Prefecture[3] to a British father and Japanese mother. She has a younger sister named Jessica who lived in the United States to study dance and has other family in England, as seen in an episode of Sekai no Hatemade Itte Q! (世界の果てまでイッテQ!).[4] Becky held dual citizenship status in both Japan and the United Kingdom.[5]
She debuted as a regular on the popular children's show Oha-Suta in 1999 reading out the English names of various Pokémon characters in a section of the show called Pokémon: The World. She became a popular mascot of the show, and eventually started landing spots on various Japanese variety shows. On television, she has also appeared in numerous commercials and has lent her voice to the characters of many anime shorts and movies.
She graduated from Tokyo's Asia University with a degree in business administration on March 15, 2006.[6]
In 2008, she was named by Japan Today as the most popular female television personality because she appeared in more commercials (14) than any other female in Japan. Australian airline Jetstar Airways used her in advertisements and promotions aimed towards Japanese audiences.[7] Jetstar reported her full name as being "Rebecca-Eri Rabone",[8] whereas The Japan Times reports her full name as "Rebecca Eri Ray Vaughan",[9] but neither Becky nor her representation agency have stated this in Japan.
In January of 2016, Becky's reputation as Japan's most popular female personality took a negative hit after Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun revealed that she had an affair with musician Enon Kawatani who at the time was married. Following the scandal, Kawatani announced that he officially divorced his wife. In order to appease the public backlash and as a condition for her comeback to show business in Japan, Becky tried to officially apologize to Kawatani's wife. However, having no direct channel to her, Becky contacted the Shukan Bunshun’s editorial department instead. Shukan Bunshun published the full contents of Becky’s letter at the end of April of 2016.[10] The letter acknowledges her affair but also implies implies that she has not seen Kawatani since the scandal broke and that she no longer has feelings for him. As a result of her apologies, Becky was to make her comeback with an appearance on TBS. In her first appearance back on TV, she appeared on "Full Chorus - Music is Full Chorus” on the cable channel BS Skyperfect TV.[11]
Filmography
Television series
- Churasan (NHK, 2001)
- Ultraman Cosmos (TBS, 2001)
- Tsūhan Man (TV Asahi, 2002)
- Boku no Mahou Tsukai (NTV, 2003)
- Blue Moshiku wa Blue (NHK, 2003)
- Stand Up!! (TBS, 2003)
- Ace o Nerae! (TV Asahi, 2004)
- Hikeshiya Komachi (NHK, 2004)
- Rondo (TBS, 2006)
- Yaoh (TBS, 2006, in episode three)
- Toritsu Mizusho! (NTV, 2006)
- Taiyou no Uta (TBS, 2006)
- Detective Conan (YTV, 2006)
- Anna-san no Omame (TV Asahi, 2006)
- Walkers (NHK, 2006)
- Nodame Cantabile Special Lesson (Europe Special) (Fuji TV, 2008)
Variety shows
Becky is currently a regular panelist on the following programs:
- Pokémon Sunday on TX
- Hanamaru Market on TBS
- Gekko Ongaku-dan on TBS
- Tensai! Shimura Zoo on NTV
- Kiyoshi to Kono Yoru on NHK
- Watashi no Kimochi on NHK
- Nakai Masahiro no kin'yōbi no Sma-tachi e on TBS
- Tabegoro Manma! on NTV
- Pittanko Kankan on TBS as a semi-regular
- Sekai no Hate Made Itte-Q! on NTV
Films
- Hello! Oswald (2001)
- Makoto (2005)
- Mask 2 (2005)
- The Simpsons Movie (2007, Japanese Voice over for Lisa)
- Monsters vs. Aliens (2009, Japanese Voice over for Susan Murphy/Ginormica)
Discography
In addition to her work as an actress and model, Becky has also had several musical releases. Beginning in late 2009, Becky began recording under the name "Becky♪♯" (ベッキー♪♯ Bekkī), and her first single under EMI Music Japan debuted in the top 10 of the Oricon's Daily and Weekly Charts.[12]
Albums
| Title | Release date |
|---|---|
| Kokoro no Hoshi (心の星) | February 24, 2010 |
| Kaze to Melody (風とメロディー Kaze to Merodī) | July 13, 2011 |
Singles
| Stage name | Title | Release date | Notes | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Becky | "Sora Tobu Pokémon Kids" ( そらとぶポケモンキッズ Sora Tobu Pokemon Kizzu) |
July 17, 1999 | N/A | |
| "Densetsu no Stafy" ( 伝説のスタフィー Densetsu no Sutafī) |
September 4, 2002 | Densetsu no Stafy theme | ||
| "Sarara" ( さらら) |
December 4, 2002 | |||
| "Horiken Size II" ( ホリケンサイズII Horiken Saizu II) |
March 12, 2003 | |||
| "Hello! Thank You!" ( ハロー！サンキュー！ Harō! Sankyū!) |
April 29, 2005 | Pokémon The Park theme | ||
| "Himawari" ( 向日葵) |
February 22, 2006 | |||
| Becky♪♯ | "Kokoro Komete" ( 心こめて) |
December 2, 2009 | B-side serves as Crayon Shin-chan theme | Kokoro no Hoshi |
| "Suki Dakara" ( 好きだから) |
February 3, 2010 | |||
| "Emerald" ( エメラルド Emerarudo) |
July 20, 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon Japanese theme | Kaze to Melody | |
| "Fuyusora no Love Song" ( 冬空のLove Song) |
December 1, 2010 | Happy Music theme | ||
| Goocky (グッキー Gukkī) | "Good Lucky!!!!!" | March 2, 2011 | Universal Studios Japan 10th anniversary theme, Collaboration with Greeeen | |
| Becky♪♯ | "Kaze no Shirabe" ( 風のしらべ) |
June 15, 2011 | Universal Studios Japan 10th anniversary summer TV commercial song | |
| "Yaruki Switch" ( ヤルキスイッチ Yaruki Suitchi) |
June 27, 2012 | Onegai! Ranking July ending theme | TBA | |
| "My Friend ~Arigato~" (MY FRIEND ～ありがとう～ MY FRIEND ~Arigatō~) | December 12, 2012 | B-side used for "Vis" advertisement campaign |
Other appearances
- Act4 (December 8, 2004)
- Features the songs "Himawari", "Deco Boco", and "Chocorate" off of her single "Himawari"
- Tribute to Avril Lavigne: Master's Collection (October 25, 2006)
- Track 10: "Sk8er Boi"
- Yesterday Once More: Tribute to the Carpenters
- Track 6: "Sing"
References
- ↑ Tunnels no Minasan no Okagedeshita (とんねるずのみなさんのおかげでした Tonneruzu no Minasan no Okagedeshita) May 1, 2008, episode
- ↑ New Domoto Brothers (新堂本兄弟 Shin Dōmoto Kyōdai), March 7, 2010, episode
- ↑ "べき子製鉄所/所長". Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
- ↑ "世界の果てまでイッテQ!". 2008-05-11. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
- ↑ "ゲスト ベッキー♪＃ | 関西コレクション/KANSAI COLLECTION/2011 AUTUMN-WINTER/関コレオフィシャルweb". Retrieved 2011-11-14.
- ↑ nikkansports.com March 16, 2006 経営学部に入学,亜大卒業
- ↑ Easdown, Geoff (1 January 2009). "Against all odds, Jetstar rocks Japan". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
- ↑ "Jetstar Enlists Japanese Icon 'Becky' to Boost Gold Coast Tourism". etravelblackboardasia.com. 12 November 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ↑ "SMAP dodges bullet; Becky isn't so lucky". japantimes.co.jp. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- ↑ https://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/end-of-a-saga-becky-to-return-to-showbiz-kawatani-divorces-wife-following-scandal
- ↑ https://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/talent-becky-officially-returns-to-japanese-tv-after-affair-controversy
- ↑ "歌手デビューのベッキー♪♯が初のTOP10入り". Oricon (in Japanese). 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
External links
- Official Sun Music website (Japanese)
- Official EMI Music Japan profile (Japanese)
- Becky at the Internet Movie Database