BABYMETAL was featured on Seiji Kameda's Radio program "Behind The Melody FM Kameda" on J-Wave. Kameda is a Japanese music
producer with vast knowledge in musical arrangements. Read our summary about his analysis on BABYMETAL songs.
Seiji Kameda: "Understanding the popular J-Pop and the story behind hits"
Seiji Kameda of FM Kameda broadcasted on October 21 a special program to tell stories behind popular songs and the secrets to understand why are so popular for the audience. With his extense experience as music producer with artists he shares his thoughts about popular J-Pop hits featuring BABYMETAL songs explaining why they are popular and the special charm of the band to get attention from overseas audiences around the world.
Program can be listened here: CLICK HERE.
Find Seiji Kameda "Behind The Melody" here, CLICK HERE.
Report starts -
BABYMETAL - "Gimme Chocolate!!" played.
Seiji Kameda made mention about BABYMETAL was currently in the Japan Tour part of the "BABYMETAL World Tour 2015", at the moment they performed in USA, UK, France, Germany, Mexico and also in the main stage of world famous rock festivals. They will held a headline show at the Wembley Area of London in April of 2016.
After, Kameda talks about why BABYMETAL is popular among Metal fans but mostly among Music Fans.
He played "Megitsune" to try to understand it, he asked the audience to put attention in two particular details: Lyrics and Japanese Melody but also in the metal sound of the song.
BABYMETAL - "Megitsune" played.
"This was Megitsune", Kameda said.
"The lyrics on this song are all in Japanese." Kameda confirms that this helps "Cool Japan" (Kuru Japan 'Cool Japan' adopted by the Japanese government seeks to exploit the commercial capital of the country's culture industry) because the language barrier it's not a key factor anymore. "BABYMETAL has its own signature as artist. I can feel its strong interest in overseas market but using traditional Japanese music." Japanese music as key to get overseas attention, not like other Japanese artist who try to force to play music in english or with english lyrics and Western style to get attention from overseas audience.
BABYMETAL - "Akatsuki" played.
Then followed "Akatsuki".
Kameda highlights the rock style of the song in place of the Idol style of the BABYMETAL songs this time. "Perfect harmony of hard rock style". He adds, "BABYMETAL reinforce the Traditional Japanese shades using the traditional 'Japanese Sound' like in "Megitsune" with the Japanese traditional "Sore, sore".
Kameda also says: "BABYMETAL success overseas is probably because of their Rock aspect, the Idol aspect, their Japanese language, traditional Japanese music aspects making them easy to recognize as Japanese artist."
Kameda compares BABYMETAL with 80's success in United States Loudness. They reached Billboard charts (like BABYMETAL) and were able to perform in the land of the Hard Rock. Kameda also added: "Hard Rock fans love Hard Rock artists, they will follow them forever. They are such a particular fans, they become devoted to the artist." Probably Kameda wanted to make notice that BABYMETAL's music awakes the "Hard Rock Fan" inside of the BABYMETAL fans making them so devoted to BABYMETAL.
Report ends -
Translator notes:
*Quotes are not exactly as you will hear them in the audio, the main idea was translated as quote for better understanding.
*In the broadcast also were mentioned Perfume, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Kyu Sakamoto and Loudness.
*Technical details about arrangements wasn't mentioned in this report due the lack of knowledge on the subject by the translator.
*Read more about Cool Japan here.
Translation and report by; Hitoshi Sugioka.
