Harumi Nakajima -- Kibun wo Kigaete（気分を着換えて）

 

Let's see...from Kirin Beverages, I've had their canned milk tea, vegetable juice and maybe even their flagship juice, Kirin Lemon. However, though I remember the first two drinks distinctly, I can't seem to be sure about the last one, although I would think that for a drink that is so ubiquitous, it should have gone down my throat a number of times.

Regardless of that observational memory, though, the above video has a series of commercials featuring a tall young lady (177 cm) of the late 70s and into the 80s (for Japan anyways), model Harumi Nakajima（中島はるみ）. In 1979, the Kanagawa Prefecture native made her foray into show business by becoming the 6th Kirin Lemon Girl as well as posing in fashion magazines. That first ad is for Kirin Lemon although the song is actually a familiar one by EPO.

The second and third ads though have Nakajima's 2nd single when she picked up the mike just for those two times in 1981 and 1982. "Kibun wo Kigaete" (Changing Our Mood) was released in March 1982, and since J-Wiki hasn't placed her as an aidoru, I'm more than happy to categorize "Kibun wo Kigaete" as a pop song as spritely as a bottle of Kirin Lemon (although the ad that it's adorning isn't Kirin Lemon).

Written by prolific lyricist Yoshiko Miura（三浦徳子）, "Kibun wo Kigaete" was composed and arranged by Tetsuji Hayashi（林哲司）, usually known for his City Pop efforts. But this time around, it comes across as a happy and bubbly pop tune that still strikes me as having that Hayashi gleam and polish. The single was also a track on Nakajima's lone album, "Look at Me" which came out a couple of months later in May.

Nakajima also did some brief dips into acting and variety shows but it appears that modeling was her main bread and butter. In 1996, she brought her show business career to an end after getting married. Personally speaking, I think that the lass had a pretty nice voice for singing so it's a little disappointing that she didn't take that part of her career any further than two singles and an album.