Kumi Koda Essentials

Few J-pop artists have been as consistently good at pushing boundaries as Kumi Koda. Hailing from Kyoto, she caught attention early on for her aggressive pop sound, which blends elements of R&B and American hip-hop with a style reminiscent of Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera. Her focus on subjects usually taboo in mainstream J-pop, such as sexuality, has been every bit as headline-grabbing. Koda's also been ahead of the curve in integrating new sounds, including bass-blasted shards of EDM. Adept at turning heads, she has carved out new frontiers for herself and any who dare to follow.