Former Child Star Sees Second Life at South Vista Music Festival

[meatyidol]

FORMER CHILD STAR SEES SECOND LIFE AT SOUTH VISTA MUSIC FESTIVAL
By Roni Phelps

VISTA CITY— The South Vista Music Festival this past weekend exposed fans to a number of stars both new and old, featuring a number of Pride Records and Virgo Entertainment's old mainstays and up-and-coming favorites. But in the case of Nuclear Parliment, the pop punk powerhouse led by former Old Dirt Road bassist Shotaro Hidari, fans were treated to the sight of a star that most of us assumed fell years ago: former tween celebrity and good-girl Kanami Mashita.

Mashita saw her start on a the short-lived but popular sitcom "How’s About Ned" at age 9, but it was not until her breakout performance in the summer blockbuster "Back to Eden" at age 11 that she became a household name. Going on to star in her own series aimed at a younger audience, "Kanamin's Kitchen", the show went on to air for three seasons until being canceled abruptly, and Mashita disappeared from the spotlight shortly therafter. But the Kanamin that we saw at the music fest was far from the wholesome starlet that young girls tried to mimic.

(Attached: An image of Kanami performing with the band, standing at a keyboard. Her outfit is a bit risque, with very short, distressed black denim shorts, a purple and blond wig and a cropped shirt that hangs off one shoulder that reads "YOUNG, WILLING AND EAGER". She points at the crowd, her other hand rested on the keys.)

Sharing the stage with upcoming artists Johanna Mason (lead vocals, bass), Chris Miles (drums) and Parker Komori (rhythm, launchpad), and seasoned veteran Shotaro Hidari (lead guitar), Mashita was not one to give up center stage easily, and showed that Nuclear Parliment and she were ones to look out for. While Mashita's sugary tone often felt out of place accompanying Mason's strong vocals, she more than made up for this with her piano prowess, proving to be a true maven of the keys.

"When Virgo [Entertainment] approached me, I just had to say yes." Mashita said. "I mean, you'd have to be crazy not to, and I knew it was time. I'm going to let everyone see what I'm made of."

When asked about her hiatus, her sudden reemergence into the spotlight and her new look, Mashita was brief. "I'm not that cute little girl anymore. This is me, whether you like it or not. I don't care what people think."

But has she really abandoned her good girl looks completely? Some festival goers have reported seeing a young woman matching Mashita's appearance, notably without the elaborate wigs and come-hither dress. Could this young bad girl persona that she wishes to exude all be an act for the camera? Or was the good girl act that she donned for the camera as a child a lie?

(Attached: An image of a young girl of around 16 or 17, with dark brown hair tied in two long pig tails and wearing glasses. The image is a bit blurry and obviously taken without permission from the privacy of one of the trailers, although whose is hard to say. She has something in her hand that could easily be mistaken for a drink that is not safe for minors.)

Regardless of the former tween celebrity's motivations for seeking out stardom a second time, with the star power that they bring, both old and new, Nuclear Parliment is a band to watch. As for Mashita? "Just wait, I promise I'll give you a good show."