Anna Tsuchiya

Anna Tsuchiya (土屋 アンナ, Tsuchiya Anna, born March 11, 1984) is a Japanese singer, actress, and semi-retired model. Since 2005, she is primarily known as a singer.

Biography

Early life

Tsuchiya was born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and an American father (the surname of her father is Heider). In her earliest years, she spoke English and Japanese. Tsuchiya's parents divorced when she was seven. She has an older sister, Angela.

Modeling career

Tsuchiya's modeling career began at the age of fourteen after her older sister Angela, a former fashion model, suggested it. She entered her sister's former agency, and was picked up by an agent who specialized in magazine-modeling, and her first jobs consisted of modeling for an open collection in Kobe and for Japanese Seventeen in 1998. Demand for her grew, and by 2002, she was doing television ads for Uniqlo and Edwin.

Tsuchiya spent her mid-teens modeling, and made friends, notably Yoshika, and soon she began to stay at their apartments. It has been reported that she also began smoking and drinking around this time.

Pushim

PUSHIM (プシン), born Paku Pushin (朴 冨心)　on November 26, 1975 is a Zainichi Korean reggae artist. She is signed to Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records division.

She began performing in the Kansai reggae scene in 1995. In 1998, she contributed back-up vocals for the Refugee Camp's "It's Too Late", a Carroll King cover. After being signed to Sony Music Japan, she recorded and released her first single, "Brand New Day" on June 19, 1999 to much critical acclaim. In September 1999, she released her second single "Strong Woman", which also a commercial success. The following spring, her debut album Say Greetings was released, having been recorded in Jamaica the previous year. She performed at Reggae Sumfest in 2003. Her 2006 album Sing A Song... Lighter! featured Luciano on one track. She has regularly visited Jamaica to record, and in 2007 she recorded in Jamaica with musicians including Sly & Robbie.

In 2010 she was nominated for the 'Best Reggae Video' award at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) Japan.