Hmm, nobody has posted up a thread for Erika yet?? T_T



PROFILE:

Name: Sawajiri Erika (沢尻エリカ)
Birthplace: Nerima, Tokyo, Japan
Date of Birth: April 8, 1986
Nicknames: Deco (Childhood), Kacchan, Aachan
Height: 160cm (5'2 ft.)
Ethnicity: Half Japanese, Half Algerian-French
Blood type: A
Star Sign: Aries
Bust: 83cm
Waist: 58cm
Hips: 86cm
Charming Point: Long eyelashes, forehead and small ears
Hobbies: People-watching, shopping, collecting cheap candies & cooking
Talent: Jazz dance, horse riding, swimming
Bad Habit: playing with her hands
Character: My-Pace
Idol: Amuro Namie
Strong Points: incredibly beautiful, healthy, smart and talented girl who is bursting with energy
Another Strong Point: a good friend who helps out and gives advices
Weak Points: a really moody person, day-dreaming, doesn't finish things (LOL)
Likes: Salmon, olive, avocado, sushi, meat, blue and red clothes, karaoke
Appeal: appealing to both sexes, girls like her fashion and males buy her photobooks (of course there are also normal fans who like her for her acting)
Goal/Aim: becoming a person who has a good influence on other people (reaching them in a good and positive way)
Ideal Man: kind

( Profile taken from http://www.erika-sawajiri.net/index.php?topic=261.0 )

Despite being more reknown as an actress and a model, Sawajiri Erika pursued a musical career as well following Taiyou no Uta. It was an instant hit, striking no. 1 on the Oricon Charts and going on to become the best selling female single of 2006. (Erika vs Koda Kumi, Ayumi Hamasaki, BoA, Otsuka Ai, Utada Hikaru, YUI...phew what a win!)

She also released a new single, FREE, under just the name, ERIKA. It also went on to reach no. 1 on the Oricon Charts, making her the first singer in 24 years (and second singer overall) to have their first two singles reach number one.

In addition to that, the song FREE was used in the Subaru CM to advertise their new Subaru Stella, and FANTASY was used as the commercial song to music.jp

It's possible that it may have been her cute face that brought her this success but her vocals are actually pretty good. She does have the ability to sing in tune at the very least, and it got stronger in FREE when compared to Taiyou no Uta. The arrangements of her songs are also rather good, being quite difficult to get bored of.

 

1. Taiyou no Uta
   
2. Stay with me
   
3. Taiyou no Uta <acoustic version>
   
4. Stay with me <acoustic version>
   
5. Wish <original instrumental>
   
6. Taiyou no Uta <instrumental>
   
7. Stay with me <instrumental>

For an awesome review by Rinoa, go to http://www.channel-ai.com/blog/2006/09/24/taiyou-no-uta/

1. FREE
   
2. FANTASY
   
3. Time to go home
   
4. FREE (Instrumental)

For another awesome review by Rinoa, go to http://www.channel-ai.com/blog/2007/07/11/erika-free/

Erika apparently will also be releasing a new single sometime in November ( http://erika-fantasy.blogspot.com/search/label/news ) so there's something exciting to look forward to! At her current rate of improvement, the next single should no doubt not be disappointing!

13th September 2007:
Recently, there was a survey taken by the magazine 'De View' for women...which woman had the "perfect" face?? Well, Erika duh! Voted number 1...equal first with Yui Aragaki. Personally, I don't see the competiton between the two, I would've thought Erika would have won by a landslide but that's just my perspective. But with a face like Erika's, who could possibly deny her anything other than top spot!?



I think she looks amazingly cute in this image ^^

Credit:

http://www.channel-ai.com/viewtopic.php?p=76208#76208

omg thx sljinu for creating this thread. Didn't expect someone to create this.

Like most of the ppl did, i got to know erika through the drama 1 litre of tears. After that, i watched taiyou no uta. Tried my best not to cry though, haha.

Quite surprised to find out that she was a gravure idol *heart broken*. Plus she has a lot of bad rumours surrounding her. But anyway her image in me as a good singer, actoress will not change anyway. I got her movies "angel's egg", "tegami" but i still havent mange to watch them...

Her first single, taiyou no uta is indeed a change for her into the music industry afterher acting career. The second single, FREE, would be a huge breakthrough for her. Not only her vocal improves, the songs are addictive too. I prefer FANTASY the most, secondly Time to go home, and lastly, strangely, the main song FREE...

FANTASY really gives me a lot of fantasy, like drowning in space...

Haha it's alright, I was kinda awaiting somebody to make this as well but because nobody did, I thought "what the hell, why dont I make one??"
It's true, she had huge improvement from Taiyou no Uta to FREE. FANTASY was quite an addictive song as well. Normally I'd stay away from such electronic styles but I can honestly say even if the singer wasn't Erika, I still would've enjoyed it. Except I still like FREE the most. Time to Go Home is also pretty good but I cant prioritise it over FREE and FANTASY.
Also, I felt the exact same way when I realised she was a gravure idol...but her image has changed no doubt, considering the types of movies she has acted in. Tegami was really good...but I have seen Angel's Egg yet.

i actually got into her through YUI. i wanted to watch the movie Taiyou no Uta, but i could only get hold of the drama, so i watched it and i loved it. and then i heard a lot (and i mean A LOT) about 1 litre of tears, and i pretty much reacted the same way everybody else did when watching that one.

anyway, i'm not that into her Taiyou no Uta single, but i really like FREE. or i'm actually kinda splitted... i like the songs on FREE better, but i'm not very fond of the PVs. i like her with less make up better, like in Taiyou no Uta. well, that's my thoughts. 

i've watched some movies with her too. Shinobi - Heart Under Blade, Sugar and Spice and Otoshimono. i'm awaiting her next movie, Closed Note. can't wait to see it since YUI is singing the theme song.

Yes. I agree too. I dont like her with that much makeup...I think she looks prettier 
The only dramas I watched that starred Erika were Taiyou no Uta and 1 Litre of Tears.

Haha.. and I have a bad habit of playing with my hands too.. 
I love people-watching as well if its what I think it is- watching people

Wah, I got into Erika Sawajiri through browsing the Channel-Ai blog, . I really do like her FREE single, it was very composed and polished. Great "official" debut for her, in my opinion. If she really is releasing another single in November, then YAY! 

Sawajiri is actress for long time, but singer only recently, starting last year in this TV series Taiyou no uta which I watched on my computer DVD player last year while traveling to Houston so many times for work. This TV series was very fine! so sad, I became cry every episode! but anyway she is great actress and will be fine singer too. She is acting in some new movie and YUI will make music for it, in production this year.

Do you know: her father died from cancer when she was junior high school student, also her brother was killed by car crash, such things are terrible experiences, I know this personally. When she is acting in sad movies, she knows such feelings from personal experience, but she is still never give up in her personal life, which is proper Japanese attitude, I admire very much and I wish everyone will support her please!

Hi, mangomalte! It is fun to see you here! like meeting a school friend in some other part of the city on weekend!

My experience is similar to Erika's, my parents left this world in car crash when I was age 13, this is why I live in USA now, my relatives sent me to here to my aunt's family, they believed my education and future would be better. She is lucky to have her mother still with her, a connection to life! and I am happy for her for this! Japanese attitude toward our entertainers is very personal, we like to feel close to them and we know about their interests and their daily lives, not so much separation as in America. So strange, I think of all other idols and celebrities by their family names, but I only think of Sawajiri as "Erika" as if personal relationship. Strange.

I actually really like Erika, got to know her through her "Kaoru Amane" release [only started watching the dorama because I liked the songs on the single  ] - so I was really happy about her releasing more music. FREE is a great single!