September 14, 2009

More Japanese Artists

I have written a few blog posts about Asian music, including Boa, 2NE1, G-Dragon, and a couple on Korean guilty pleasures, Utada Hikaru, and one on Korean, Japanese and Indian music I like. Check out those as well.

Chara

She has a very unconventional voice, grating and nasal, but it works. She is a product of the J pop movement of the early nineties, however her music has proven to have staying power. Unlike other Japanese artists who perform ballad like songs, or very hyper power pop, Chara has been heavily influenced by soul and funk.



Nami Tamaki
Her older stuff is very hyper, this song "reason" is no exception, but its great. I have also posted her song "heroine" in one of my other Asian music blog posts.



Ai
Ai is actually Japanese-Italian/ American (3/4s Japanese 1/4 Italian) and was born in California. What drew me to her music is her voice, its so powerful! Female Asian pop artists (not all) tend to have higher pitched singing voices, but Ai has a deep soulful voice.



Meg
Ok, maybe her music is a bit stereotypical. It's cheery power pop sung by a cute bronzed haired Japanese girl with huge fake eye lashes. However its just happy music and sometimes that's all you want.



Thelma Aoyama
Another Japanese singer with a diverse background. Aoyama is 1/4 Trinidadian and has spent time in California as well as Japan.



After creating this list I realize I am seriously lacking male vocalists...and bands. I'm not going to put any on any the list for the sake of "completeness" or "diversity," however I'll keep this in mind for the next Japanese music list whenever I have the urge to make one. The truth is, I don't listen to a lot of male Japanese musicians and all the new Japanese singers I find happen to be female, but I'll try harder to find some guys for next time!


4 comments:

  1. I can suggest you some popular Japanese male artists =/ Dir en Grey, Gackt, X-Japan (you should know about this group! lol) I also like Hamasaki Ayumi and Namie Amuro for female Japanese artists.

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  2. I have Ayumi Hamasaki in an older post...and YES I know ALLLL about Gackt, Dir en Grey and X-Japan from you and Emily...they just seriously freak ME OUT! That video where they are eating baby heads or whatever...creeeeepy!

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  3. Haha. Well, Dir en Grey is a kinda rather....extreme. I guess it works for some people.
    I found this Japanese female artist, BUT I cannot remember her name. :( I went to a sushi restaurant and heard a song from her, and I loved her smooth, powerful voice. All I know is that she sings a lot of ballads (the waitress was quite unhelpful in this aspect. All she knew was that it was a Jpop song...) and I don't think she was Nakashima Mika...

    On another note, (though I haven't heard the whole song), try this artist/song: Miliyah Kato - Love Is...
    I heard her parts in Norwegian Recycling - The Pachelbel Mashup (which I love: http://www.imeem.com/redkingdevil/music/a7G-UtVH/norwegian-recycling-the-pachelbel-mashup/)and I like her voice (though, i don't know if my preference for Canon in C and the awesome mashup had anything to do with it.

    I'm surprised you didn't put up Asian Kung-Fu Generation.
    I can also rec you a lot of J-artists. ...though, I'll have to look through my music: T.M. Revolution (and his new project Abingdon boys school), Tackey and Tsubasa, KinkiBoys, Zwei, UVERworld, High and Mighty Colour, YeLLOW Generation, L'Arc en Ciel, See-saw, Kids Alive, Every Little Thing, Do As Infinity, Hitomi, V6, Hearts Grow, Chemistry, Bana...(mind you, I'm leaving out a lot of the Jrock ones I know).
    Most of these I know through animes, so...lots of pop-y artists.

    Dear me, this is long...

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  4. yes Emily my gawd! Asian Kung Fu I put in an older blog post, although I am ashamed I never picked up on all the Jpop from hanging out in your room.

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