Suiyoubi no Campanella -- Edison（エジソン）

 

To explain the above photo, (and nope, this time KKP AI representative Kayo Grace Kyoku isn't in there) I had meant to create a modern-day Thomas Alva Edison in a 21st-century dance club setting. However, the AI creator stopped me cold since I was breaking a rule, presumably one about involving a historical figure. Lesson learned. 

Now, the whole reason behind my attempt and hubris is that last night, I saw one of Japanese TV's signals that the current year is nigh. Namely, I watched the "Akashiya Kohaku", the NHK end-of-year special starring veteran comedian and TV personality Sanma Akashiya（明石家さんま）who brings in the latest popular singers and bands for 90 minutes of humourous talk (although at times, I wondered if it was more for Sanma to allow the musicians to bask in his glory).

It was good to see the show though because I was able to find out about singers and bands that I had never heard about such as rapper Awich and the rock band Super Beaver. Neither of them have been invited onto the actual Kohaku Utagassen which will be broadcast next Sunday night. But I got to see Suiyoubi no Campanella（水曜日のカンパネラ...Wednesday Campanella） in the form of singer Utaha（詩羽）for the first time in an interview setting and though she will also not be showing up on the Kohaku, I'm hoping that she will make it onto NHK's Shibuya stage next year or the one after. 

Her contribution to the show was "Edison" which was the coupling song to her February 2022 single "Maneki-neko"（招き猫）. It's another Suiyoubi no Campanella song of synthy dance catchiness and yep, the lyrics by Hidefumi Kenmochi（ケンモチヒデフミ）are about a modern-day Edison dancing and inventing things up in the 21st century. Considering his notorious anti-social behaviour in history, one would hope that modern-day Alva is a lot more well-adjusted and happier.

The other thing that I enjoyed about the song was the music video especially when Utaha demonstrates some crazy-legs dancing at her desk. For a few seconds anyways, I was wondering whether that was actually her doing it but the ending credits throw open the curtains to reveal that it was really pro dancer Miyu.

Maybe one of the greatest compliments that has been paid to Wednesday Campanella as it is now is from a commenter for the music video on YouTube. They indicated that when original vocalist komuai（コムアイ）had left, they assumed that was it for the group in terms of quality synthpop but Utaha has kept the good times rolling. To be honest, when I first saw and heard Utaha, I'd just assumed that komuai simply opted to change her looks.