Chika Takami -- Natsu wo Erande（夏を選んで）

 

I've written about aidoru Chika Takami（高見知佳）a few times now since 2015 including the first article for her best-known song, the EPO-penned fun and catchy synthpop "Kuchibiru Nude"（くちびるヌード）. Therefore, it's a pity to hear that the Ehime Prefecture-born singer, whose real name was Fusayo Takahashi（高橋房代）, had passed away on December 21st, 2022 at the age of 60 due to carcinomatous peritonitis after suffering ovarian cancer.

Today wasn't as torrid as it was over the previous couple of days but even though we're a few weeks early for summer, it's warm enough that I've decided to hit some of the summer kayo. So, I came across Takami's 14th single, the one before "Kuchibiru Nude", "Natsu wo Erande" (Choose Summer). Released in October 1983, this one is a really relaxing tune with a hint of bossa that I believe fits that early 1980s aidoru ballad to a T. It's quite the classy teenybopper song written by Yasushi Akimoto（秋元康）and composed by Kisaburo Suzuki（鈴木キサブロ）.

In July 2022, Takami had actually run as a candidate in the House of Councillors election as an independent politician but unfortunately lost to the Liberal Democratic Party candidate. My condolences to her family, friends and fans.