Whenever people ask me what music I listen to or what my favourite artists are, I invariably find myself saying Noah Kahan or Hozier – don’t get me wrong, I do love them and I’d die to be at one of their concerts, but I seem to always be unable to give out the names of my favourite Asian artists. Maybe it’s just because I’m now surrounded by so many Western or European influences and it’s always awkward to have to explain who my favourite J-Pop singers are, but it does gnaw at me that so little people will know who I’m talking about even when I bring them up. As other Japanese artists shoot to international fame (Fujii Kaze and Ado being among them), I’d like to draw the eye to singers who have been long loved by Japan, yet get little recognition out of Asia.
Yuuri, one of my favourite Japanese singer-songwriters, just released a new single, 「最低な君に贈る歌」– which translates roughly to ‘A Song I’m Sending to You, the Worst’, officially translated as ‘Song To My Awful You’. As a fan of his music since hearing Dry Flower and Betelgeuse in 2021, this new single hit close to home as usual with its heart wrenching lyrics and resounding instrumentals.
The music video features various couples of different ages and sexuality as Yuuri drives home the point that love is all-encompassing: no one deserves to be deprived of the chance to love because of their sexuality. Against the notoriously tight-laced Asian culture and society of Japan, it’s truly inspiring to see more and more artists using their reach to promote acceptance and understanding.
To new listeners, I’d especially recommend Hibiku, 「響」– an orchestral album of some of his best songs. The sweeping melodies and deep dimensions added by the strings and brasses truly take my breath away no matter how many times I listen to the album. Even if you have no knowledge of the Japanese language, it’s easy to appreciate his music sense and compositions – the lyrics and their emotional messages are the icing and cherry on the cake.
Tatsuya Kitani is another one of my top Japanese artists, taking a different genre from Yuuri’s emotional ballads and love songs with catchy pop rhythms and synthetic beats that have brought him into the spotlight with the production of various famous anime openings: ‘Scar’ and ‘Where Our Blue Is’.
My favourite song of his is 「天国の改札 – Leaks from His Laptop」– which translates to ‘Heaven’s Turnstiles’ – I love the incorporation of the train sounds to the track and its upbeat rhythm. The song is the first of a few short singles released under the 2021 ‘Leaks from His Laptop’ series, which only include the first chorus of the songs: the others were released in full under his 2024 album, ROUNDABOUT.
The light-hearted tone takes listeners away from the tedious train commute to work or class (though here in St Andrews it’s more like a tedious walk to class), encouraging listeners to ‘eat and dance as much as you want’ and ‘cause as much trouble as you want’. It’s a great pick-me-up and an easy entry point to the rest of his music.
Of course, there are many more amazing singers in Japan specifically and in Asia in general: I hope to bring more of these artists into the international spotlight – starting with letting you know about my favourites. Do take the time to check out Yuuri and Tatsuya Kitani, I’m sure you won’t regret it!
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