Born in Yokohama, Japan to a Korean mother and African-American father, Crystal Kay grew up in a musical family, and has been performing from a young age—her first album, C.L.L Crystal Lover Light, was released when she was just 14. While that record leaned toward lighter indie-pop, she soon switched to a more urban sound that better showcased her American soul and R&B influences, mixed with J-pop and ballads. Her breezy singles epitomize the rise of Japanese R&B in the 2000s, and her mainstream success has opened doors for other mixed-race artists in the country.