User:Blade (Japanese singer)/sandbox

Blade ブレイド 

BLADE ブレイド was a UK based pop singer released in the Japanese & South East Asian Territories in the late 1990's.

BLADE ブレイド, real name Ken Wallace, was born in Selkirk Scotland on 26th December 1970. His parents, orginally from Edinburgh, emigrated to live in Adelaide South Australia in the immigration period, arriving in Australia in November 1972. Ken was raised in Adelaide with siblings Ross Alexander Henderson Wallace, Kirsty Anne Wallace (Coleman) & Anastazia Muzyka. Ken came from a very 'colourful' background and was always a very creative/talented child, it was during his High School year's that he was scouted by a swimming club head coach, after years as a competitive swimmer he made both State and National levels, this was to become the building blocks that would carry on in his creative outlets.

Ken left Adelaide in 1986 and moved to Sydney, New South Wales. It was during this time that he was discovered by the Director of Television for Channel 10 (who helped establish the popular TV series 'Neighbours). Through this development period Ken was signed by leading Sydney model agency Ursula Hufnagl, Ken was later scouted by a UK based model agency, it was in August 1989 that Ken left Australia and moved to the UK.

Within the first couple of year's in the UK, Ken became a successful model in Glasgow and throughout the UK and was a regular on TV programmes such as Taggart, Take The High Road etc. During this period Ken was introduced to Garry Wilson (Liberty X, Worlds Apart, Ultimate Kaos) who was in turn introduced to music mogul Simon Cowell. Through working with both Simon Cowell and 80's popstar Sinitta, Ken was spotted by a Japanese music agent who signed Ken direct to his agency, Brain Music. Through the development period for the Japanese recording deal, Ken was turned into a 'manga' cartoon character by the same team the devised the cartoon image for Betty Boo, with a new character in place a stage name was born: BLADE ブレイド

BLADE was signed direct to the Japanese domestic market as an "idol" artist via Kitty/White Garden Records - a subsiduary of Polygram Records Japan.

Japanese popstar Blade's 1st single release in Japan & South East Asia, titled "This Time" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsREjnjToQ4 ハートを抱きしめて～ディス・タイム became a huge hit, achieving the most played song on radio for the whole of 1995. Blade (or as some Japanese would refer: Braid) won the Japanese Radio Committee "Gold Award" for this single, beating Madonna and Take That. Following the first single, a mini album and debut album "Blade 1st" was released. The second album "Hungry Love" was released as a follow up album. After the release of "Hungry Love" Blade parted ways with both Polygram Records Japan and his management Hyperactive Music Management.

BLADE ブレイド was later signed to Polydor Records Germany, the same label as boyband Worlds Apart. BLADE created a new sound, working with legendary Pop/Dance producers Sven Kirschner & Alex Trime of Haddaway, Centory fame. BLADE toured Europe as a support act on the very successful WORLD APART concert tours before parting ways with the German label. A new manager was found, Jacqueline Lowe of Miss Music Management along with a new sound/image including a 'live' band. BLADE was often seen gigging around famous London music spots and was carving out a new sound to undergo a "rebirth". BLADE was spotted by a top A&R man for GUT Records who was looking to sign a new exciting act, BLADE plus one other band MUSE were being considered for the one slot that the record label could afford, unfortunately due to financial constraints the label could not sign both, the rest is history. BLADE retired from the industry.

BLADE - real name Ken Wallace, relocated to the North East of England (Durham) with Jacqui Lowe, they were married on 7th May 2000 and on 7th July 2001 they gave birth to their son Stone Jay Jay Wallace. Ken and his new family remain friends with industry celebrities such as Simon Cowell, Sinitta, Robbie Williams, Nadine Coyle (Girls Aloud), Blu James from Basement Jaxx, Paul Danan etc. Ken is now an Events Manager for leading event management company She's Gott It!