Talento Suzuki Sarina (30) really seems to have found her way in the world of reggae. It was revealed yesterday that Suzuki, who in addition to her regular TV variety show appearances is a reggae singer, is engaged to be married to Tela-C (photo top left), a member of the reggae duo Infinity16. The couple, who have visited Kingston, Jamaica several times together, have been living together for the last two years and are planning to get married next spring. Tela-C formed Infinity16 in 1994 and was joined by Desem two years later. After several years in New York and Jamaica, they starting performing in Japan in 2002. This March, they won first prize at the “International Cup – Garrison Showdown” World Reggae Soundclash competition in New York. With five independent label albums under their belt, in April they made their major label debut with a collaboration number “Dream Lover” with other reggae acts including Shonan no Kaze and Minmi (32). The song made the Oricon singles chart Top 10, a first for a debut by a reggae artist. Suzuki debuted as a pop singer in 1997 but switched to reggae using her real name, Kanako, in 2003. She changed that to her family name, Munehiro, in 2005.
• The Japan Today website included the following quote translated from the Shukan Gendai/Mainichi: “She’s appeared in several dramas and the evaluation of her performances has been pretty much unanimous: she can’t act.” The quote, attributed to a “Fuji TV drama production crew member”, refers to top model Ebihara Yuri but let’s face it – it could just as easily apply to any number of talentos, male or female. But according to the article “Ebi-chan,” who turns 28 in October, is considered past her “use-by” date in Japan’s showbiz world and now finds her career at the crossroads.