Japanese singer and composer Mori Kiyoharu was interviewed on Music Voice. In one of the questions he is asked about the "Japanese Things" in the actual music in Japan. He talks about Japanese music, Overseas music, BABYMETAL and Japanese singing in English. Segment of the interview translated below.
Kiyoharu mentions BABYMETAL in talk about Japanese music on Music Voice Japan
Music Voice: What are those "Japanese Things" that unconsiously comes out?
Kiyoharu: "In melodies, there are many "Wasabi" visuals. Japanese music today has diversified so much that I don't know it well anymore. Recently, guitars in rock songs are being played with just fine melodies. Because our hard rock is based in previous generations, it's a "beauty style". However, it's not just a beauty style, it starts from different recording houses that have digested a variety of new things, a little bit of rap, also ambient music, I don't know all precisely.
I guess there are good aspects too, but I think it would be better to let foreigners do it. So, I wonder if this is necessary in Japan. I don't understand it very well but it seems that BABYMETAL is very suitable for foreigners. In Japanese culture, there is something called "Kawaii" and "Idol" and their fusion with Metal seems to be a Japanese thing. I guess for example Shigeru Matusaki-san’s "Ai No Memory" should be a worldwide hit as representative of Japanese Music.
I like overseas music, but everyone collides against the wall when they try to make overseas music. It doesn't matter how much English you study, Japanese people just needs to sing in Japanese. Maybe Indian or Spanish but not English, because there are ordinary musical scales in the mother tongue that we don't have. Even for Korean musicians..."
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Interview by; Music Voice Japan.
Translation by: Hitoshi Sugioka.
Style Edition: Daniel Fuentes.
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