It truly is a week of firsts for Japanese pop star Jin Akanishi. Sure, the singer has charted eleven consecutive number one hits back in his native country, but this week he officially launched in to the United States. On Tuesday, Akanishi released Japonicana, his debut U.S. album. This Friday, the Asian star kicks off his first ever North American tour. But before either of those took place, Jin made his American radio debut on Monday. Akanishi checked in to “The Ralphie Radio Show” via Skype from Tokyo, in an interview that was taped the previous week.

“I’m expecting a lot of dancing, partying… drinking,” Akanishi semi-joked when asked what he was looking forward to in his first go round in North America. “I just want to have a good time.”

The singer will cover a good amount of land – starting this week in Los Angeles before touching down in Vancouver, Honolulu, New York, and wrapping up in San Francisco. Akanishi recorded Japonicana in LA, but he revealed that there is a special connection between him and the Big Apple.

“It’s different, but it’s kind of similar to Tokyo,” Akanishi explained. “I was staying in LA for a long time, and I was kind of missing Tokyo. When I went to New York, I felt [like] I was back home.”

It was on the west coast where Akanishi linked up with the likes of Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, and Jason Derulo – the later whom he collaborated with for “Test Drive.”

“I learned a lot of things from him,” Jin said of working with Derulo. “I was happy to hear his ‘Jason Derulo’ in the introduction, with my name.”

But besides hearing Jason’s trademark signature, Akanishi was able to witness firsthand how the multi-platinum recording artist works.

“Jason works on a track hard,” he said. “He’ll sing over and over and over until he’s satisfied. I really like that.”

Akanishi won’t just be using his voice – but also his acting ability to make a good first impression in America. The 27 year-old was cast for the movie “47 Ronin,” starring Keanu Reeves.

“I taught him how to play Japanese chess,” Akanishi revealed before light-heartedly adding. “I guess I can brag about it.”

Clearly, he’s adapting to his new surroundings quite nicely.

Chris Brown’s attorney Mark Geragos wouldn’t speak about his client earlier this week, but did mention that he might be able to talk about the singer on Friday. Geragos believes that Friday morning, the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Florida State Attorney’s Office will announce the direction of their investigation regarding the alleged iPhone “snatching” incident.

It was over a week ago that Christal Spann claimed Brown took her iPhone after she tried snapping a photo of the R&B singer with it. According to multiple reports, the “Forever” singer was leaving a night club with rapper Tyga and a couple of “groupies” in tow. Brown is currently dating model Karrueche Tran but rumors are rampant that he and former girlfriend Rihanna are planning to reunite.

Every report from Miami alleges something different either about the chain of events from the morning of February 19 or ensuing investigation. Geragos on his Twitter has been “re-tweeting” messages from concerned fans – most of the tweets either asking if or stating that Brown is okay. Regardless, it seems most of the speculation will be laid to rest by the weekend.

“The Voice” season one contestant Raquel Castro doesn’t care what the media says about Christina Aguilera.

“To me, Christina was a very good role model because she taught us about her mistakes,” the 17 year-old singer said in a Skype interview that aired Tuesday on “The Ralphie Radio Show.” “She told us to learn from them, and if something like this happens, just don’t worry about it, don’t stress about it.”

Aguilera picked Castro on first season of the NBC competition to join her team, and the teenager found the superstar’s knowledge priceless.

“She’s experienced things that some people haven’t yet, so she can kind of guide you in a way, so you don’t make those same mistakes yourself,” Castro said. “I think that makes a great role model.”

Castro has experienced quite a bit herself for only being 17. The Long Island native received her big break in showbiz at age 9, co-starring with Ben Affleck in the movie, “Jersey Girl.” Since, she’s appeared in a number of film and TV shows – and was even cast for Ludacris’ “Runaway Love” music video.

The artist now finds herself working on her own music video. Castro filmed the piece for her new single, “Diary” last Saturday, and expects to release it within a month. The song is about a relationship, although the New Yorker says that she kept a private journal while growing up.

“I had like three different diaries,” recalls Castro, even remembering the cover of a specific diary. “My first one was a Britney Spears diary I got in first grade.”

Ironic given that while she was writing daily happenings and private crushes in a book with Spears on the cover, she would eventually come to work with and learn about how to obtain her dreams firsthand from the woman compared to and with Britney the most.

Before The Grammy’s, and before TMZ reported that Mark Ballas’s girlfriend crashed his Audi, the singer, songwriter, and dancer extraordinaire was looking forward to Valentine’s Day.

“I have a Valentine’s date this year, so I’m looking forward to it,” Ballas said, not naming dropping aspiring singer Tiffany Dunn. “I haven’t had a Valentine’s date in a while, so it’s going to be nice to do something.”

Before flying back west, Ballas performed inside Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. The “Dancing With The Stars” pro is in the studio working on the follow-up to HurtLoveBox.

“I’m not sure when it’s going to be out yet, but it’s a lot different to my old stuff,” he noted. “My other two records are just acoustic albums, they’ve been kind of more singer/songwriter. So this next record, we’re going a little more urban/pop with it.”

If Ballas could compare – essentially he’d like to play the guitar like John Mayer, sing like Bruno Mars, and move like Justin Timberlake. Yes, he is taking the project in a much more mainstream direction, but Ballas insists that has nothing to do with the mainstream show he dances on.

“For me, this is what I wanted to do,” he revealed. “When I do my music, I don’t really do it because I think that it’s what should be done, I do it because it’s what I feel.”

As far as “Dancing” goes, season 14 kicks off next month, and one person Ballas feels would be great for the show is legendary actress Betty White.

“I think she would be amazing!” he gushed. “I think if Betty White were to come on, they’d bring my dad (Corky) back for her… it would be great to have my dad back, you know?”

Ballas will continue writing and recording throughout the year, and hopes to drop a single from his new project before 2012’s end. Since her appearance on “DWTS,” he has become close with singer Nicole Scherzinger, and hinted that they may collaborate in the future.

The Wanted has crossed the pond and made a relatively big splash given the recent track record of “boy-bands” in the United States. The UK-based group performed on “Ellen” and has “Chelsea Lately” on the docket for next week. “Glad You Came” is climbing the American charts and has been well-received on the radio.

But just as their U.S. career is taking off, the fellas are also experiencing other highlights, not related to music. For example, with the British tabloids documenting their every relationship and sighting, Tom Parker notes that their American lifestyle has been a welcome change of pace.

“It’s been good to just walk around the streets with no press or paps, or just not that many people noticing to be honest with you,” Parker told me when The Wanted chatted on “The Ralphie Radio Show.” “It does get a bit much, coming from being so normal to just being shot in to this lifestyle. It’s so bewildering sometimes.”

The band feels so comfortable in public that Siva Kaneswaran joked he might walk the streets of New York naked the next time they’re in town. The transition to the States has thus far been successful, including sneaking 18 year-old Nathan Sykes in to bars and clubs. Parker admits the five man group, with their lone underage singer, has already visited a number of alcohol-serving establishments here.

“I’ve done well so far,” Sykes said. “I’ve got a way about me somehow, which is hiding in the group.”

“It don’t cost him a penny!” Max George chimed in. “The other night all he did was stand in the corner going, ‘Uh, Max, can you get me a beer mate?’”

The Wanted already has three number one hits under its belt back in England. With the band’s exclusive announcement on my show that Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun has signed them, it looks as if there will be many more pennies, and possibly even celebratory beverages, to pass around.

Neon Hitch comes off as an aggressive ex-girlfriend in her track, “F*** You Betta,” the first single from her soon-to-be-released album, Beg, Borrow, and Steal. Apparently while shooting the music video, which will premiere online next month, she mimicked the aggressiveness of the song.

“I still have cuts from (the shoot),” Hitch said to me during a Skype interview, while showing me a bruise on her webcam. “I did a lot of training for it, but it was all worth it.”

The interesting thing is – the injuries are self-inflicted. The singer is the only person in the production.

“Me and a mannequin, we’re the only people in the video,” she divulged. “But there was a lot of dance routines, like there’s this one where I’m doing this whole dance routine in this black oil, and you know, it got pretty painful.”

Neon Hitch, yes that’s her real name, is no stranger to pain or bizarre. She was born in the UK and spent a good part of her childhood as a gypsy, traveling in a circus. Fast forward a few years to when super-producer Benny Blanco (Ke$ha, 3OH!3) found her on MySpace and flew her to the States, and voila, Neon Hitch has a record deal and a forthcoming LP.

Hitch is also featured on the latest single from Gym Class Heroes, “Ass Back Home.” Performing the track live with Travie McCoy and crew has taken her to Madison Square Garden and now next month, the Super Bowl.

“I’m so excited!” the singer exclaimed from her bed. “I’m so grateful to Gym Class Heroes for involving me. This is so amazing.”

The singer will join GCH at the VH1 Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam, airing live on the cable network Thursday February 2 at 9 PM from Indianapolis, the host city for this year’s big game.

Sammy Adams is ready to “blow up” and fill a void that he sees in the current pop music landscape.

“There’s not really a white pop star or singer/rapper/hybrid that really has footing like Katy Perry and Britney Spears and the female pop artists,” Adams said in a Skype interview from Miami this week. And he makes a point, although immediately when he gave that example, I thought of his record label-mate, Mike Posner.

“We are both making pop music, but he’s a little more R&B, even a little more urban, especially with some of his new records,” Adams explained, while also mentioning that he and Posner are good friends and he loves the singer’s music. “But yeah, we get compared.”

Adams, real name Samuel Adams Wisner, shares another similarity with the “Cooler Than Me” emcee: both attended college and began recording music in their dorm rooms. But while Posner graduated from Duke, Wisner ditched his political science major and soccer scholarship at Trinity College to tour the globe. He had attended college for a total of three and a half years.

“Once I started touring, my plans to get my work in…” Adams trailed off, while making a guillotine-like motion by his neck, signaling that the plans were cut off. “I was a college kid, traveling around the country, playing shows, making music that I wanted to hear; music that most college kids could relate to.”

And can still relate to. “Blow Up” is a college kid’s anthem, for every student pulling all-nighters and wondering when enough is finally enough. When Adams had enough and focused solely on music, he believes he figured out what the key to success was.

“You have to find your identity as an artist,” he advised. “It really comes down to finding out who you are, what kind of music you want to make. Yunno, these days, a lot of stuff’s changed, and you got to be able to build your fan base and really stay true to yourself.”

Adams was in Miami finishing up the recording for his major label debut album, which he says is “probably 90 percent” done. He still has a couple working titles, and is looking at a spring release on RCA Records.

It’s official: Justin Bieber’s manager has signed another musical act. In an interview set to air this Monday on “The Ralphie Radio Show,” The Wanted confirmed that the band is now managed by Scooter Braun.

“Def Jam and Scoot got together and were like, ‘We want these boys,’” said The Wanted’s Tom Parker. The group, who are currently in the midst of a small U.S. tour, agreed that Braun’s previous work with Island Def Jam helped in the process.

Rumors first surfaced of the manager’s involvement with the UK-based boy band when reports emerged that it was Braun who landed The Wanted on “Ellen,” the group’s first American TV performance.

“I mean, he’s got a really good relationship with Ellen, and she heard about us in the UK and we were obviously trying to come to the U.S.,” Parker explained, before Nathan Sykes downplayed the notion that they appeared on the show simply because of Braun.

“She did say that she wouldn’t have us on the show unless she actually liked us,” the youngest of the five boys chimed in. “She did say, ‘I want to be the one to break them out here.’”

The Wanted’s current single, “Glad You Came,” is climbing up the charts here in the States. Braun and the band finalized the contract for management on Tuesday. This came on the heels of The Wanted finding out that the group will make their second national TV appearance in Los Angeles next week, although the guys would not divulge which show it will be on.

Boston-based female vocal group Jada is back with the release of Supersonique, a five track EP.

“This one was in the making for a while,” April Forrest said of the extended play. All four members of the group joined “The Ralphie Radio Show” via Skype. “We took some of our really older songs that we really wanted to release… recorded like, a year and a half ago, and then some of the other songs are brand new.”

“This Party is on Fire” is one of the older singles released with Supersonique, which also includes the new club-friendly title track, produced by RIO.
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Jada – “Supersonique”

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“You know when you go out and you just feel that beat and you want to put your arms up in the air?” Forrest asked, explaining the inspiration behind the song and its up-tempo sound. “But we didn’t want the message to be like, ‘We’re partying! Cool.’ It has a deeper message of how music inspires us.”

In addition to Forrest, Elle Wine, Jacyn Tremblay, and Lauren O’Keefe all talked about the EP’s creation and confirmed that the group will shoot a music video for “Supersonique,” while even extending an invite my way to appear in the video.

David Rush is signed to Pitbull’s Mr. 305, Inc. While the “Give Me Everything” rapper had an all-star type year in 2011, his artist’s past year and a half could be considered even more spectacular.

Rush, who first linked up with the Miami emcee on the 2007 track, “Go Girl,” received a kidney transplant, got married, and welcomed a baby son in to the world all within the span of about a year. Apparently that isn’t enough for Rush, who now returns to the music scene with “She Ain’t You,” an up-tempo single that features Jason Derulo crooning on the chorus.

“I work hard,” Rush stated from his New Jersey home in a Skype interview on “The Ralphie Radio Show.” “But now, it’s like I’m working not just for me, not for my wife, but just our son and it’s another inspiration, another reason to wake up, another reason to get what I want.”

The Jersey-native’s story is an inspiration in its own. Rush dealt with kidney issues for years, and traveled across the country supporting Pitbull on a 40 date tour with a dialysis machine in tow, used every night at every hotel room he stayed at before performing. The artist earned the distinction of the first person to successful tour cross-country with the piece of equipment.

In November of 2010, Rush received a kidney transplant from his brother, who also doubles as the rapper’s road manager. Currently, Rush is healthy, and ready to arrive back in DJ crates with a single that he says “fell on to his lap.”
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David Rush f. Jason Derulo – “She Ain’t You”

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“Mr. 305, they always want (their artists) to produce hits,” Rush explained. “We had an opportunity to get the record; I sent it back as a reference, not knowing where it was going to go.”

“She Ain’t You” struck Rush as such a big song he literally couldn’t wait to finish it, sending back the first treatment about two hours after it hit his e-mail. He didn’t even realize Derulo was on the hook until after he wrote to the track. Thankfully, Pitbull’s camp and Pit himself also liked the track, and made the necessary calls to secure it for their artist.

And despite his large amount of success and superstar status, Pitbull is just a call… or rather, text message, away from Rush at all times.

“He’s usually a great texter,” Rush said of Pitbull. “Calls is another deal. But text message, I can guarantee a text message or e-mail response within a day. Even if it’s just a, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ or ‘Chico, rooting for you,’ you know what I mean?”