The name Kisean Anderson may sound unfamiliar to night animals in Shanghai, and the name Sean Kingston may ring a distant bell. But when you hear the melody and famous lyrics of "Beautiful Girls," you're likely to think, "Hey, I know him. I love that song."
The 19-year-old overnight star wanted a stage name that "represents my music, my heritage and me." Hence, Sean comes from his first name Kisean and Kingston his cultural and musical heritage - capital of Jamaica in the Caribbean, where he grew up since he was six years old.
The Miami-born singer has created a refreshing vibe with his skillful blending of rap, reggae, pop and doo-wop. His first single, "Colors," was a good start and the second one, "Beautiful Girls," pushed him to stardom overnight.
The irresistible and sexy song reached No. 1 on numerous rankings, including the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart. It's based on the bass line of lyrical "association" of the 1961 hit "Stand By Me" by Ben King.
It remained No. 1 in Canada longer than any other song in 2007. And the gritty/party anthem vibe also made the song a standard in clubs all over the world before the then-17-year-old turned the legal drinking/clubbing age.
Party animals in Shanghai, as elsewhere, love that song. It doesn't matter whether the place is packed with young locals or expats.
And the 19-year-old overnight star took his unique love music to Shanghai on Valentine's Day last Saturday at M1nt on Fuzhou Road. Kingston did a mini-concert as a M1nt member and featured performer of the club's Valentine's events. Shortly before he came out around midnight, the huge space was packed and many more who failed to squeeze in waited outside.
One of the world's fastest-developing music markets, Shanghai has hosted many big names for concerts, promotions and commercial events. Thousands of singers, movie stars and DJs have showed up in stadiums, department stores, night clubs, and other venues.
Three years ago, locals and expats were thrilled to hear the news that the Rolling Stones would throw a concert. Now, it is difficult to impress them, whoever decides to come.
On the other hand, most working-the-way-to-fame singers haven't made a major stop in the city. Naturally and traditionally, they establish and reinforce their domestic markets before going on world tours. Commonly, tours include the United States, Canada, many stops in Europe and maybe a few cities in Japan or Hong Kong, at the most.
