Vaundy -- Odoriko（踊り子）

 

Last November, I wrote about singer-songwriter Vaundy for the first time via his "Tokyo Flash"（東京フラッシュ）, his debut single from November 2019.

However, the first Vaundy song that I had laid eyes (and ears) upon was through the music video for his "Odoriko" (Dancer), his November 2021 digital single. Now, as an aside, I have to say that I had some confusion making identifications here along the same lines as I did when I first heard Mariya Takeuchi（竹内まりや）via her 1979 hit "September". Because of all those high-toned vocals from aidoru before then, I'd gotten accustomed to the idea that all young Japanese female singers only sang as sopranos, so hearing Mariya for the first time with those lower and mellower vocal cords, I had initially thought that she was actually Mario Takeuchi.

Well, oh, goofy me! When I saw the music video for "Odoriko", I had never seen Vaundy before so I naturally assumed that it was the young lady prancing about in the video who was the mystery singer-songwriter. Y'know...vocals can take on all sorts of shapes and timbre. As it turns out, the lady in the video is actress and model Nana Komatsu（小松菜奈）; Vaundy himself kept out of the eye of the camera.

Words and lyrics were by Vaundy and the tale seems to be about a re-encounter of a duo after what is perhaps an initial meeting that didn't go too well. However, at least one of the potential couple is willing to give things another go. The music strikes me as being gleefully sneaky and surreptitious as if the couple were willing to trip the light fantastic without their parents' approval although that tasty booming bass in the beginning may threaten to wake everyone up.