2020 was the year when Japan discovered Eito（瑛人）, a singer songwriter who had been little known until then. On January 1, 2021, he released his first album “Sukkarakan”, containing “Kosui (Perfume)”, the song that made him famous. “Kosui” （香水）was previously released in April 2019 for digital download and streaming only, without producing an album. It is performed using an acoustic guitar, bringing out Eito’s...
Known as a “pioneer of black music”, Japan’s leading soul singer Toshi Kubota has released a new song called “Boogie Ride”, which I would like to introduce. We all know Toshi’s representative song “LA LA LA LOVE SONG”, a duet with Naomi Campbell released in 1996. It became a million seller as the theme song for “Long Vacation”, a tv drama starring Takuya Kimura...
There was a duo band that caught the eye of viewers of the TV music program “NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen” on New Year’s Eve in Japan. Who was it? The answer is YOASOBI. Their debut song, “Racing into the Night”（夜に駆ける）has surpassed 300 million streaming playbacks, which was achieved in record time, and won the #1 spot in Billboard Japan’s “Hot 100” of the Year...
Seiko Matsuda, a Showa Kayo diva, debuted from CBS Sony in 1980 and celebrated her 40th anniversary this year. She is one of my favorite artists, who has so many masterpieces that I can’t possibly cover in one post. She had some good news to share with fans this year. As a special commemoration of the 40th anniversary of her debut, the first analog...
J-Pop queen Yumi Matsutoya, or Yuming, released a new album “Shinkai no Machi” on December 1st for the first time in four years. This is her 39th album, counting from “Hikoki-gumo”, which was released when she debuted in 1973 as Yumi Arai. As part of the promotion for this new album, Yuming has made several guest appearances in Japanese TV programs. We learned some interesting...
Aimyon debuted from an indies label in 2015, and has gained strong popularity. Her debut song shocked listeners with lyrics that were so radical that it was banned from being broadcast on TV and radio. The promotional video was very innovative, using the communication app LINE. Aimyon’s family had a big influence on her wanting to become a singer songwriter. She grew up listening to...
Growing up, I enjoyed listening to Japanese Showa Pops as well as American and British music, and this had a huge impact on my life. As a DJ in the 80’s, I enjoyed playing Ray Parker Jr, Earth Wind and Fire, and other hot R&B and Disco music for large crowds in clubs and discos around Tokyo and Yokohama. I love the 80’s! Japan at the...
The anime film “Kimetsu no Yaiba” was recently broadcast on Japan’s Fuji Television during prime time TV for two weeks in a row. The blockbuster manga comic series ”Kimetsu no Yaiba”, published for the “Weekly Shonen Jump” magazine, concluded earlier this year in May, and boasts a cumulative circulation that exceeds 100 million. The drama behind humans and demons, the swordfighting, and the sometimes...
Do you know Gen Hoshino? If so, you may know him as a talented actor in Japan, who has recently starred in popular TV dramas such as “MIU404” and “The full-time wife escapist”. Or, you may know him as a talented music artist, who is actively creating music and performing live shows. Why is he such a popular actor and music artist? Gen Hoshino...
