Beckii Cruel

Rebecca Anne Flint (born 5 June 1995), better known by her stage name Beckii Cruel, is a Manx Businesswoman, YouTuber, singer, and dancer from England. In 2010 she reached popularity in Japan after her YouTube videos of her dancing to dance pop songs were posted around the Internet. She was the 17th most subscribed user (3rd most in the Musician category) in Japan on YouTube as of 25 August 2010.[2] Her YouTube account has reached 20 million upload views and over 100,000 subscribers.[1] In March 2019, she co-founded Pepper Studio,[3] an influencer marketing agency in London.

Beckii Cruel
Beckii Cruel in Rome, April 2015
Background information
Birth nameRebecca Anne Flint[1][2]
Born (1995-06-05) 5 June 1995
Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK
OriginRamsey, Isle of Man[2]
GenresPop, J-Pop
Occupation(s)
InstrumentsVocals, synthesizer, programming
Years active2007–present
LabelsLife Is So Cruel, Ltd.
Tokuma Japan Communications
Associated actsCruel Angels, Area 11
Websitebeckii.co.uk
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2007–present
Genre
Subscribers125,563
Total views6,521,910
100,000 subscribers
Updated: 14 January 2019

Biography

1995–2009: Early life and beginnings

Flint was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, the daughter of a police inspector and a former dance instructor. She moved with her family at the age of 2 to Ramsey on the Isle of Man, where she attended Ramsey Grammar School.[1] She became interested in anime and manga at the age of 11, when she first started reading Fruits Basket.[2] On 22 July 2007, she began a YouTube channel under the name "xBextahx" (from a nickname she had when she was younger).[4] On 15 April 2009, she posted a video of herself dancing to "Danjo", a song by Taro that was turned into an Internet meme in Japan. Her YouTube video was uploaded to Nico Nico Douga, where she instantly attracted fans.[2]

Flint signed onto a talent agency, Life Is So Cruel, Ltd., in August 2009. Emerging under the stage name "Beckii Cruel" she flew to Japan, where she was able to perform with Taro in Akihabara. Although Cruel had experience in dancing, having taken ballet for most of her life, she was required to undergo vocal training. She began seeking advice from David Holland, an agent who also worked with Samantha Barks.[1]

2009–2010: Japanese debut

In October 2009, Cruel visited Japan and formed a group called the Cruel Angels, with 18-year-old French college student, known by her stage name Sarah Cruel, from Lyons, and a student from Portsmouth known by her stage name as Gemma Cruel.[5][2] Her group was signed onto Tokuma Japan Communications, where they released their first single, "Tsubasa o Kudasai" (翼をください), on 10 February 2010.[6]

Beckii appeared in an online campaign for Lotte Fit's in November 2009.[7][8] On 4 November 2009, Cruel herself released two songs on two different albums, titled "No, Upper Matsuri" (の、アッパー祭, No, Appā Matsuri) and "No, Ballad Matsuri" (の、バラード祭, No, Barādo Matsuri) as part of the "No, Matsuri" (の、祭り) CD series which features other singers popular from the Japanese Nico Nico Douga Video community.[4] On 9 December, she released her first idol DVD, titled This is Beckii Cruel!.[9] It debuted at number 8 on Japan's DVD charts.[2]

On 12 August 2010, BBC Three premiered a documentary about her, entitled Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14.[10] This documentary brought her to a mainstream UK audience. As of September 2010, Cruel was no longer affiliated with the Cruel Angels, or with the Cruel Angels Project, citing a dispute with her management as the reason for her departure from the project.[11]

Business interest

Pepper Studio

In March 2019, Flint co-founded Pepper Studio, an influencer marketing agency in London.[3]

Representing Pepper Studio, Flint has spoken to the media and at events about influencer marketing, including The Drum,[12] Moneybox Live,[13] The Today Programme, and The World Tonight[14] on BBC Radio 4, and Sky News.[15] She has spoken at events including Social Day[16] and Digital Woman,[17]

She has acted as a judge for the Social Media Marketing Awards in 2018 and 2019.[18]

Discography

Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
JP
2010 "Tsubasa o Kudasai" (翼をください)
(Beckii Cruel feat. Cruel Angels)[19]		 84 —
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
2013 "Shi No Barado"
(Area 11 featuring Beckii Cruel)		 115[20] All The Lights in the Sky
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.

Videography
List of video releases
Title Album details Oricon DVD Chart
This Is Beckii Cruel[21]
  • Released: 9 December 2010
  • Format: DVD

54

References
  1. Williamson, Sam (10 December 2009). "Ramsey teenager is Japanese pop icon". Isle of Man Today. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. Gallagher, Paul (7 February 2010). "Isle of Man schoolgirl becomes an anime star in Japan". The Observer. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. "PEPPER STUDIO LTD - Officers (free information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  4. 「かわいすぎる」ベッキーさんの素顔－ディス・イズ・ベッキー・クルーエル！！（インタビュー編）. DHE Corp (in Japanese). 9 December 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  5. Loo, Egan (18 December 2009). "British Anime Net Dancer Beckii Cruel Forms Girl Band". Anime News Network. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  6. "ベッキー・クルーエル　–　徳間ジャパンコミュニケーションズ". Tokuma Japan Communications (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 January 2010.
  7. "ベッキー・クルーエルが、佐々木希の"噛むとフニャン♪"ダンス映像を公開". Barks. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  8. "お口の恋人 ロッテ｜ガム｜フィッツ｜Fit's ダンスコンテスト with YouTube Season2｜動画一覧｜ベッキークルーエル　×　Fit's". Lotte (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 8 November 2009.
  9. "British Anime Net Dancer Beckii Cruel Gets DVD in Japan". Anime News Network. 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  10. "Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14". BBC News. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  11. "Spring.me". Formspring.me. Archived from the original on 5 April 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  12. "YouTuber Beckii Flint: 'Instagram's the only place I'm looking at seriously'". The Drum. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  13. "Money Box - MBL: How to make money from social media - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  14. "The World Tonight - Pubs and restaurants across central Scotland to close for 16 days - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  15. "PEPPER STUDIO (@pepperstudio.hq) posted on Instagram: ""The industry has been plagued with accusations of unfair pay and discrimination prompting workers to set up the Creator Union to represent…" • Sep 30, 2020 at 2:59pm UTC". Instagram. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  16. "Test and Learn: Using Influencers for Market Research – Social Day – Social Media Event London". Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  17. "Members Newsletter Issue 4". Digital Women. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  18. "Judges". Social Media Marketing Awards 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  19. "翼をください". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  20. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/130511cluk.txt
  21. "「ディス イズ ベッキー クルーエル」 ベッキー・クルーエル│オリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
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