Two Blasian "Asias" Strive for Fame

A new show about a Blasian in search of fame aired on Lifetime in the summer of 2014. Raising Asia is a docuseries that debuted on July 29. Season 1 included 13 episodes that aired through September 9. The show follows the daily life of Asia Monet Ray, a nine year old dancer, and her family. Asia's father, Shawn Ray (African American) is a former professional bodybuilder who was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame of professional bodybuilding in January 2007. Her mother, Kristie (Alvarado) Ray, is of Filipino and Mexican descent and was a fitness model and bodybuilder.

Raising Asia is a spin-off of Dance Moms. Dance Moms, currently in its 5th season, follows the Abby Lee Dance Company's Junior Elite Competition Team of 9-13 year old girls. Asia was discovered via YouTube and was selected to appear on the reality show, Abby Lee’s Ultimate Dance Competition, and placed 3rd in the competition. She went on to appear in season 3 of Dance Moms, which led to her getting her own show.

Asia Monet Ray is not the 1st blasian Asia on reality TV.  Back in 2007, Asia Nitollano appeared on The CW's The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll. The 9 episode series followed 9 finalists auditioning to join The Pussycat Dolls. The Pussycat Dolls were an American pop girl group and dance ensemble founded as a burlesque troupe. The contestants lived together during the series and were groomed by the group's founder, Robin Antin. The girls were judged on their vocal and dancing ability. During the season finale of the show, Asia Nitollano was chosen to become the newest member of the group and performed with The Pussycat Dolls. Here's a clip from Asia's performance with The Pussycat Dolls.

Asia is the daughter of Joe Bataan (born Bataan Nitollano), a Latin soul musician born to a Filipino father and an African American mother. “My father was Filipino, my mother was African American, and my culture was Puerto Rican,” Joe has said. Asia's mother is Puerto Rican. Asia only performed live with The Pussycat Dolls only twice. Soon after her selection as the 7th Pussycat Doll, Asia decided to pursue a solo career and is working on her solo album, although she is unsigned. She is also a professional dancer, formerly of the New York Knicks City Dancers. Since the airing of the show, The Pussycat Dolls have disbanded.  

Blasian Singers in Asia

I was recently reflecting on a trip to Shanghai and remembered the story of Lou Jing, the black-Chinese young woman who appeared on a talent show in China in 2009. Her appearance on a popular Chinese television show was a subject of much debate. Jing appeared on "Go! Oriental Angel" for 2 months, and though the show nicknamed her "Chocolate Angel" and "Black Pearl", she and her mother received constant negative criticism.

Jing's Chinese mother had a relationship with an African American man, to whom she was not married. Lou Jing has never met her father. Raised in Shanghai, she is fluent in Mandarin and Shanghainese and identifies as Shanghainese. After receiving hurtful comments online following her television appearances, she questions her place in China. One post read, "Ugh. Yellow people and black people mixed together is very gross."

Lou Jing and her mother

This situation shows how far behind China is in moving beyond its monocultural ideal image of itself. As China emerges as a world power, it is vital that its people open up their minds to the multicultural contexts that exist in other countries and that is also slowly becoming a reality in China. The lack of awareness in the comments directed toward Lou Jing clearly demonstrates the long way that China has to go to better interact and understand the diversity beyond its borders.

While China is struggling to deal with this mixed race person in their midst, neighboring countries, Japan and Korea, have already been coping with public figures with black ancestry for some time now. A very popular singer in Japan right now, who happens to be blasian, is Crystal Kay. She's actually black and Korean, like Yoon Mirae (Tasha Reid), who is successful in Korea. While it's not easy being biracial - especially half black - in Asia, it used to be a lot more difficult. In Korea, Insooni helped pave the way.

Yoon Mirae

Crystal Kay

Born to an African American father and Korean mother in 1957, Kim Insoon was born soon after the Korean War. In the 1960s, multiracial Koreans were an extremely new phenomenon and suffered extreme discrimination. Insooni began performing in the late 1970s, receiving more attention for her appearance than her talent. She has now been making music for over 30 years.

Insooni is a musical legend in Korea, and the difficult situations she experienced as a biracial person in a monoracial country served her well. Mixed race Koreans have become much more common, but Insooni's childhood must have been indescribably tough. Compared to being black in Korea, the trying times and insensitive criticism of the entertainment world surely seemed simple to endure.

Kim Insoon at 15 years old (1972)

Insooni's success has made the possibility of a career in the public sphere a realistic goal in Korea and serves as an excellent example across East Asia. She's a hero for blasians across the ocean too.

INSOONI

  
Selected Sources: 
* NPR, "Mixed-Race TV Contestant Ignites Debate in China", November 11, 2009.
* CNN World, "TV talent show exposes China's race issue", December 21, 2009. 
* Connections (Pearl S. Buck International newsletter), "Coming Full Circle With Korean Singer Insooni and Daughter Jasmine", Fall/Winter 2011.

Blasian Chart Toppers in the US

For the longest time, as far as I knew, there had never been a blasian American singer – until Amerie came out in the early 2000s.  When I found out she was Korean-African American, I decided to support her before I even heard her music.  It was such a novelty to purchase the music of someone who had the same parentage as me.

Amerie & her mother

Amerie's name tattoo in Korean

Born to an African American father (Charles Rogers) and a Korean mother (Mi Suk), Amerie's first language was Korean, and she lived in South Korea for 3 years as a child.

Amerie's debut album was released in 2002, and her debut single, "Why Don't We Fall in Love" peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

There have been a few other blasian singers since Amerie, but had there been incognito blasians recording in the US before Amerie hit the music scene wearing her ethnicity on her sleeve?  Then I discovered Sugar Pie DeSanto – the 1st blasian chart topper.

Sugar Pie DeSanto was born Umpeylia Marsema Balinton.  She is the daughter of an African American mother and a Filipino father.  As a child, she spoke English and Tagalog and still speaks a little Tagalog with family.

In 1960, DeSanto's single "I Want to Know" reached #4 on Billboard's R&B chart.  This was her biggest hit and her highest charting hit.

A blasian hit singer over 50 years ago.  Who knew?

Selected Sources:
* Intermix.org.uk: A website for the benefit of mixed-race families and individuals, "Amerie's Happy to Talk About Ethnicity", September 1, 2008.
* San Francisco Bay Guardian, "Gimme a Little Sugar", March 12, 2003.

First Blasian on TV

Alisa Gyse is a bit of a hero to me. She was Kinu Owens on the 1990s television series, A Different World. In 8 episodes between 1990 and 1993, Alisa was the Japanese-African American love interest of Dwayne Wayne. As a Korean-African American, seeing someone of Afro-Asian ethnicity on TV was amazing. She was the first half-black half-Asian character I had ever seen. It was thrilling to see someone similar to myself portrayed in such a popular vehicle.

A Different World, Episode: "Everything Must Change" (1990)

Kinu's blend of Asian and black features and identity pervaded her presence on the show. It went beyond her physical characteristics and made its way into the way she dressed, talked, and even cooked. She had a Japanese name, spoke the Japanese language, and prepared Japanese meals. Yet, she was still an African American character on an African American show. I could relate.

In 1990, Alisa backed up Sammy Cahn ― legendary lyricist, songwriter, and musician ― in a live performance piece. In an interview promoting the show, she noted that she had been to Japan three times. She said, "When I was going to Japan, I wondered what my relatives would think of me." "I'm half Japanese and half black, and the Japanese can be a very purist society. I wondered if they'd be old and traditional. They were the most wonderful, hospitable people. I got closer to them in a shorter amount of time than to some of my relatives I've known for years."

Alisa also acknowledged her luck in earning her first acting role in A Different World. "They were looking for someone who is black and Japanese!" she said.

Soloist in Sammy Cahn's "Words & Music" (1990)

Of her experience in Cahn's show, Alisa said, "I think Americans are ready and willing to be entertained by any race. Here I am, the only black person in the Sammy Cahn show, singing songs that are not from my heritage, but I love the songs, and I'm sure people enjoy my performance, and it has nothing to do with my being black or Japanese - or purple!"

Here are a few screenshots from Alisa Gyse's time as Kinu Owens on A Different World.

Selected Sources:

* Chicago Tribune, "On with the Show", December 3, 1990.

* Internet Movie Database, "Alisa Gyse-Dickens".