Noelle's Favourite Artists 2023 (我が推し達)

If you have Spotify, December is the time when Spotify Wrapped comes out. For those who do not have Spotify, this is basically a zany little summary of your most listened to songs and artists for the year. It even goes as far as notifying you how much play time you've had in total. As one who now sees Spotify as an indispensable item, I have undoubtedly used it a lot, mainly for my ryukoka dives and certain singers from the prewar era. For others, I would've already had their works downloaded through the wonders of CD ripping and YouTube to MP3 converters. So, in a way, my Spotify Wrapped wasn't fully accurate. Nevertheless, when flipping through my highlights, I came across this:

This was the prelude to showing one's Top 5 songs, but I've never been more called out. Spotify was surely on to something, though, because in just this one year I've added three more fellows to my list of favourites. My shelf has gotten way more crowded than anticipated and I don't know if that's a good thing. But sly jabs from Spotify aside, since it's indeed that wrap-up time of year, I would like to do a comprehensive list of my current fixations. My past few articles have been rather info-heavy, so I wanted to do a "brain-off" piece where the only thing I'll be doing in the entirety of this piece is talk about how much I like a handful of singers (you have been warned). Along with that, I'll also include a song each that would be relatively obscure but still greatly enjoyed by me.

Without further ado, let's begin from the one who's at the very top of my list. 

1. Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) -- Wakasa Umare (若狭生れ) (1968)

I always thought many of Hachi's less popular works were some of his best, like "Wakasa no Umare" (Born in Wakasa) and "Irie no Machi" (入江の町...Town of Irie). In fact, these songs, respectively the A-side and B-side of the same record (shown above), are both within my Hachi Top 5. I love "Irie no Machi," but it's "Wakasa Umare" that steals the show. Unfortunately, I can only offer you guys a very short snippet of it from Bilibili, and you can check it out by clicking here. It showcases one and one-thirds of the full song's four stanzas, so it probably won't be that hard to imagine what the whole thing is like. But because I immediately fell in love with its mellow oriental-yet-bossa-nova sound in just that single minute of play time, it was imperative that I hear the full version for myself. However, despite being an A-side, I think "Wakasa Umare" only ever appeared in a Hachi full discography CD collection once and it's never appeared on YouTube. What's wild is that the B-side  appears in albums and is easily available online. So to make sure I didn't lose my mind, I ended buying the "Wakasa Umare" record just so I could satisfy my curiosity. I'd never been more pleased to hear the full version of a song.  

(*´艸`)

2. Haruo Minami (三波春夫) -- Sado no Koi Uta (佐渡の恋唄) (1963)

Ah, yes, I'll never forget that Kohaku clip of "Sado no Koi Uta" (Sado Love Song). Haru-san was passionate in his craft. Haru-san was intense in his delivery. But this video made me more or less certain that, under that professional surface, Haru-san was hot stuff and knew it. And showed it. What made his flamboyant performance ever more alluring was the Sado Okesa-inspired dramatic score to "Sado no Koi Uta," which felt like it was sharp and mysterious enough for him flaunt his style.

3. Bin Uehara (上原敏) -- Oiwake Dochu (追分道中) (1939)

If Hachi conveys forlornness and loneliness in a relatively Western style, Bin-san does so in a strongly Japanese one. An instance of this is in "Oiwake Dochu" (Oiwake Travels), a matatabi mono based on the yakuza Kira no Nikichi. It's in relatively mournful pieces like this one that demands a considerable amount of kobushi from him where I feel Bin-san's gentle minyo-based high-tone shines the brightest. It makes him sound so sad and pitiful, yet for some reason that I can't explain, I also find it cute (?)... That is certainly just a me thing and I'd be genuinely surprised if anyone else saw it that way.

4. Katsuhiko Haida (灰田勝彦) -- Tasogare no Hakage ni (たそがれの葉陰に) (1948)

Hai-Katsu may be the most high energy of the singers I know, but he actually has many warm and cozy tunes. As he croons such soft numbers, his smooth tenor sounds like a gentle whisper that can untangled one's jangled nerves (*´ω`*). I now certainly appreciate his yodeling ability and think some of his baseball-themed anthems are pretty inspiring, but it's the baseball-crazed crooner's calm side that really speaks to me. "Tasogare no Hakage ni" (In the Shadows of the Trees at Twilight) is a song of this sort. His quiet delivery complements the bossa nova jazz melody nicely, bringing to mind the urban autumn foliage in the late afternoon sun. It was a tune I couldn't do without this Fall season and I think it still holds up as we move into winter. 

The song comes in at the 2:51 mark.

5. Yoshio Tabata (田端義夫) -- Ame no Yatai (雨の屋台) (1950)

Ame ame ame dayo ohairi yo onee-chan (It's rainin', it's pourin'. C'mon in, missy)

Sora wo nirandatte (demo) yamikonashi sa (Not like glaring at the sky's gonna stop it!)

Osu! No words can describe how much I love "Ame no Yatai" (Stall in the Rain). I've heard this one's a fan favourite that's often overlooked by mainstream media, which is a shame considering how fun of a little ditty it is. The original is of a languid pace reminiscent of those wistful times you watch the rain pour outside and hope it goes away soon. It has its merits, but it's the later-day rendition of "Ame no Yatai" that I love so much. Chirpy and upbeat in arrangement, the brassy twang of the electric guitar takes center stage and Batayan's delivery here is more informal, even a little cheeky. It just encapsulates the singer that is Batayan perfectly. Tamaranai (Can't get enough of it), as Takehei from "Osakabe-Takehei Showa no Utagoe" (刑部たけ平の昭和の歌声) would say. I don't really like the rain, but listening to "Ame no Yatai" never fails to brighten the day... I like the second stanza best (,,・ω・,,).

6. Tadaharu Nakano (中野忠晴) -- Yogiri no Minato (夜霧の港) (1932)

Sue wa namida to naru uta naredo (It's end turns to tears; But if it could turn to song)

Semete uta wa nya taeraryouka (At least in song, it becomes more bearable)

Finally, the most recent addition to my list, Mr. Nakano. His funny jazz and suave tango sides are the most appealing to me, but I think his Meiji/Taisho enka side is not something that throw aside either. Mr. Nakano's debut song "Yogiri no Minato" (Harbour in the Night Fog) showcased this and was quite a stark departure from what I'd previously known him for. Yet its carefree and simple melody very quickly latched on to my brain and it's become an earworm ever since. There was just something about the deliberate and hearty yet forlorn way he conveyed the words in that old enka-like style that I really liked... Tamaranai... I've been listening to that podcast way too much. I'd consider this the song that managed to nudge Mr. Nakano into favourites territory.

Hachi, Haru-san, Bin-san, Hai-Katsu, Batayan, Mr. Nakano. 

Six of them. Geez, Noelle. 

From what I heard from a good friend who's into Japanese pop idols, it seems to be custom to only have one oshi and be fully dedicated to the one. Well, I've certainly disregarded that, haven't I? To be completely honest, it's hard to give them all the same amount of love, but I love them all the same anyways. I promise (; ﾟ ωﾟ). They're all unique in their own ways, but I've concluded that there are three overarching factors that determine who gets on the list. I actually picked my brain and figured this out when another of my buddies challenged me to explain and discuss this matter analytical paper style some time ago. Breaking down the process and putting it into objective word was admittedly an odd experience. Nevertheless here is how my monke brain works and the determining factors are as follows:

1. I must like his voice very much. A voice good for listening to everyday at any time for prolonged periods, and conveys genuine-sounding emotion. 

2. I must like more than four of his songs. Anything less means I only like the song(s), not the singer himself.

3. I must find him physically attractive to some degree. I think this is self-explanatory, but the visual aspect boosts the aural experience. 

(Note: I use “he/him” because I only pick male singers as a personal preference.) 

Of course, other individual aspects come into play as well and it's more than just these broad factors. But, needless to say, the six fellows check these main, baseline criteria. The simple conclusion: You know fans of K-pop idols or aidoru? That's me, but my oshi are these singers from the Showa 10s to the Showa 30s, but that in no way hinders my oshi katsu (fan activities). If you're in Japan and you ever come across someone taking a photo of a monochrome portrait of/with a dapper man against scenery or whatnot, that person will likely be me... 

All that said, I’d say that this year has been one heck of a year when it comes to my foray with enka and kayokyoku. Indeed, I now have six fellows I swoon over. But I feel that in this process, my musical palette has expanded considerably, particularly in the realm of prewar to immediate postwar popular songs. Three-quarters of them are from the prewar generation, after all. This was greatly supplemented by having to actually study the inner-workings of this world for school research via books and whatever material I could get my hands on. There was also coming to enjoy the hilarious yet greatly informative "Osakabe-Takehei Showa no Utagoe" and giving music events a shot. With the exception of gunka and certain gunkoku kayo (personal principle), all these have allowed me to appreciate and enjoy the styles and quirks of the various songwriters and singers from this era I wouldn't usually have. Heck, I went from hating a singer to completely going head-over-heels for him! This year, I feel like I've learned so much, but I know that I have so much more to learn. 

As the saying goes, "Uta wa yo ni tsure, yo wa uta ni tsure" (Music will go with the times, the times will go with music). I can say with certainty that this list will change when my taste in music inevitably changes and it'll be interesting to see how it will when it happens. As it is, so much has changed in the past almost ten years. 2014 Noelle who just got into enka would be perturbed by this list. 

P.S. This year, I've also had wonderful opportunities to write about and present about some of the artists who are dearest to me, both in academia and mass media. I never thought I'd ever be able to do so, so I've never been more grateful for these chances. As best as I can, I aim to feature more of my fellows in the very near future. My biggest project will showcase the one at the very top of my list. Honestly, it's daunting and I had my doubts in the beginning. But to dedicate my Master's thesis entirely to Kasuga was a major reason for choosing the graduate school path, and so I will do my best to give him the attention he deserves. I'm due to write it next year, which also happens to be his centenary. What are the odds, huh? Hacchan, otaigai ni gambarimashou.

Omae ga nakushita shiawase wa (These hands will surely reclaim)

Kono te de kitto tori kaesu (The happiness you lost)

Motto sugare yo tsumetai yubi da (Just hang on. Those cold hands)

Ore no makoto de atatamete (Will be warmed by my sincerity)

Nidoto nakaseru nidoto nakaseru ashita ni shinai (There won't be a tomorrow where I'll make you sad again)