I just love the video for YUKI's "JOY". It looks like the usual henchmen/cannon fodder going up against Kamen Rider decided to take a break and get funky with the lead singer of Judy & Mary. The first time I caught it I was absolutely mesmerized by the quirky choreography and the strangely adorable Yuki Kuramochi (nee Isoya) dancing about and acting like the most innocent-looking 5-year-old. Not surprisingly, the video won Video of the Year honours at the 6th annual Space Shower Music Video Awards.
"JOY" has its own groovy charm which includes YUKI contracting certain words as if they were being pronounced by a native English speaker. And then at the end, she sounds out the final lyrics like that 5-year-old in full wondrous mode. I think the song could've been created by a particularly precocious elementary schoolgirl armed with a Casio synthesizer. However, it was actually created by Koji Tsutaya（蔦谷好位置）, a producer and musician who was a bassist with the rock group, NATSUMEN, with YUKI co-writing the lyrics.
"JOY" was released in January 2005 as YUKI's 9th single as a solo artist, and just managed to peak at No. 10 on Oricon. For the year, it ranked at a more modest 162nd place, but it gets a lot of happiness out of the concert crowds. Heck, I even tried to sing it at karaoke once, but the judgement was that I should let the professionals handle it next time.
The song was also a track on her 3rd album, "joy" which came out in February 2005 and hit No. 1 on the album charts.
 |
| YUKI -- JOY |
This tune is such an earworm, isn't it? I absolutely adore the beat and Yuki's charming way of singing. I think even with all the innocent cuteness, it has a certain edge that makes it stand above conventional cutesy pop. I can't really put my finger on it though. I'd also like Yuki to share with us her anti-aging secrets. Even after all these years, she still looks and sounds so youthful.
ReplyDeleteHi, nikala.
DeleteYep, "earworm" would be the perfect word for the melody. There seems to be strings which kinda gives an underlying tenderness to the perkiness of it all....very appealing.
Not sure how old Yuki is, but she still looks as cute as a button. And she still reminds me of Bjork.
This song was one of the first J-Pop songs I heard back in 2006 when I was just a spoiled teenage who listened to Megumi Hayashibara and nothing more. And you know, I liked the song a lot. I still listen to it nowadays.
ReplyDelete"JOY" is such a light and catchy synth-pop that, together with YUI's cute vocals, makes for a very interesting listen. And as nikala said, she's ageless.
I also enjoy "Dramatic" by her. It's kind of too "fluffy", but I like it that way.
I need to try her other solo songs as well. Maybe I'm missing some great pop songs.
Hi, Marcos.
DeleteYeah, I think there are probably some YUKI songs that I've overlooked over the years....probably some Judy & Mary ones as well. I've seen a couple of her renditions of the song in concert, including the one that I've included above, and it's wonderful to listen there as well.