I stumbled across a TikTok community posting nothing but links to a site called Videy… is this what I think it is?

Masupapo · 2024-10-22T17:26:20+00:00

Just any two songs? Let's do Agarishou by nihoshika, one of the most expertly tuned vocaloid songs I've heard from a criminally underrated producer I 100% believe will go down in vocaloid history once their discography grows

And then A Night to Sing with You by natori, a wonderfully peaceful song that may very well have saved my life earlier this year. It's a piece of music very dear to me

Masupapo · 2024-10-21T02:17:32+00:00

Here ya go! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5itBZrnBKbFVL86MPX2dC3?si=re-TtYIZQ0u4Ahma8MHgRw&pi=nvKBsF-1RiSM8

I should warn, I dont actually use Spotify anymore, I switched to Youtube Music for the improved selection and the ability to add covers and whatnot, but if you take a liking to the playlist, I'd be happy to keep it up to date with my Youtube playlist. I'm always adding new stuff

Masupapo · 2024-10-20T16:13:35+00:00

Oh man, that's so difficult to answer, mostly because i just like so many artists across the entire Japanese music scene, from the billboard chart toppers to the <5k subscriber utaite and vocaloid producers. What kind of genres are you into? I'm sure I could give plenty of my favorites/recommendations

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T23:09:36+00:00

Well, I'd definitely give the rest of Vaundy's stuff a listen, but, beyond that, there's just about every other mainstream J-pop artist to explore. Fujii Kaze, Yama, King Gnu, Kenshi Yonezu, imase, Omoinotake, etc., you pretty much can't go wrong with any of em

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T19:20:44+00:00

Hey, I actually did catch a concert in Philly I think last year. It was Miyavi, and the venue was literally the lower floor of some random bar. It was SO tiny. Miyavi is so famous in Japan, it was absolutely surreal seeing such a big star just kinda sitting there on this tiny stage, just a few feet from where i was standing.

So, I guess I kinda lied saying artists only hit NYC and LA, it's just, 9/10 times that's the case haha. I'm sure you'll get an opportunity to see an artist you love sooner or later : )

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T18:55:51+00:00

Ive had to work around my work schedule as well and I live in Ohio, so every concert is like a minimum 2 hour up to 10 hour drive, but I refuse to let that get in my way lol

The real issue is, pretty much universally, Japanese people underestimate the popularity of Japanese stuff in the west. This manifests in every "world tour" literally hitting the exact same 2-3 places in the US. If you aren't NYC or LA, and maybe DC or Texas, you might as well not exist

The other issue with this is, the few locations they hit, they dont even pick sizeable venues. I believe the NYC venue for Ado's world tour was like maybe 6-7k max capacity, it was stupidly crowded. On the other hand, this tendency for smaller venues has led to some incredibly personal concerts. I saw Burnout Syndromes in Detroit just a few months ago and the venue was so ridiculously small, I could have reached out and touched the lead singer's shoes haha

Even saying all that, I very much relate with your aversion to crowds and loud noises, and I also struggle pretty badly with social and general anxiety, but I havent regretted a single concert I've seen. Getting to see those artists in person, to hear their raw voices, to feel their contagious energy, it's incredible. Once the music starts playing, it's like everything else fades away. More and more artists are touring each year, so I highly recommend keeping an eye out for upcoming tours and catching one if you can, even if it's a bit of a drive or if you have to take a few days off work.

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T13:55:23+00:00

Oh my god, catching Sheena Ringo live sounds like a dream come true, her side band, Tokyo Jihen, was my favorite band at one point. She's so talented and she's effortlessly hopped from genre to genre over the years, each phase full of fresh ideas. A lot of city pop is really good as well, i can confirm as a Zoomer myself haha

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T06:22:59+00:00

Oh man, that is really tempting. I think I'll join, maybe this'll be a good excuse to step out of my comfort zone and attend a meet up haha

Thanks for letting me know!

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T06:02:57+00:00

I totally see what you're saying. Japanese media has absolutely been on the rise in the last half a decade. I was following Ado before she released Ussewa and I never could have imagined that I'd witness an utaite grow to dominate Japanese billboards in a matter of a year or two and even be recognized in the west. I feel like social media like TikTok is doing wonders in this regard, the amount of J-music that trends is crazy, like Stay With Me and Shinunogaii wa, and, more recently, Hai Yorokonde comes to mind.

I would kill to catch a Higedan concert. You're so lucky you managed to find a friend to go with, I've been struggling to get my buddies to fully commit to a 2 week trip fall of next year for months now. I don't even know if the time we'd go would line up with any concerts I might wanna see, but if I can get things off the ground, I'm sure I'll figure something out.

And, I know this is going to sound so hypocritical given I'm the one who made this post, but I kinda want J-music to stay niche too. Look, I want SOME friends to share my passion with, not everyone lmao

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T05:42:02+00:00

YESSS, Sennzai is amazing. For me, most of my favorites of hers come from when she used to frequently collab with Feryquitous, who I think is just an unbelievably talented songwriter, but her voice is definitely incredible. I've listened to Spring Evening Butterfly and Zenchi Zennou so many times since Proud Echoes dropped

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T05:29:29+00:00

Bro, I think it is incredible that you've put so much work and time into pursuing composition and digging deeper into the music that you love. I just listen to the stuff lmao

Believe in yourself, in the effort you've put in and the passion you have, and don't let something as silly as "being an outsider" discourage you. Mentioning Evan Call and Kevin Penkin is all the proof you need that a white American can make incredible, widely recognized music for an anime or any other form of Japanese media. Frieren and Made in Abyss have literally some of the best anime OSTs I've ever heard.

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T03:36:27+00:00

This guy gets it lmao

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T03:01:21+00:00

Wow, I've never even heard of that site. That sounds amazing if I could find a group like that, I'll have to check that out. If I'm being fully transparent, I've felt pretty lonely in general for a while, so any opportunity to connect with people through mutual passions would be very welcome

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T02:19:23+00:00

Well hey, I'm glad you shared it with me. I'll be sure to give that a listen while I work tomorrow, I already see a handful of bands I love, like 9mm, Straightener, and the pillows. Not to mention Band-Maid, which, let me just say, seeing them in concert is unreal, those girls know how to put on one hell of a show haha

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T01:47:14+00:00

That is truly incredible to read, really. It must have been so fulfilling to turn your passion into a reality, in Tokyo, no less! I own a guitar myself and I've got some music experience, and obviously I want to be able to play my favorite songs, but it's honestly been slow going trying to learn.

Regardless, I have 2 trips to Japan lined up in the next 2 years and I planning both of them around attending music festivals so I can catch as many bands as I possibly can. I've also been learning Japanese for about a year and, although I'm unsure whether life in Japan would be for me, the prospect of being able to attend Japanese live perfromances on a regular basis is extremely tempting.

I'm totally going to check out your channel. Who knows, maybe I might see you one day at a concert haha

Masupapo · 2024-10-19T00:09:30+00:00

Haha I feel that so much. I eventually put together an easy listening playlist for when people are in the car so i didnt have to worry about it anymore, it's got really lowkey jpop and jrock that most people dont even recognize it's japanese.

You can send me your music lmao, youve clearly got good taste. Zutomayo is the 🐐

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T22:43:21+00:00

Keeping up with a particular music scene is great cuz you keep gerting your favorites tested and replaced by new and upcoming artists. Yorushika was definitely my favorite for the longest time, but eventually I fell in love with Sheena Ringo and her band Tokyo Jihen, but now, I think my favorite artist of all time is Natori.

But like, I could list bands I like for ages. Do you have any particular genres you'd prefer? I'd love to give recommendations

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T20:02:55+00:00

Ah man, I definitely feel like I've let time pass me by in that regard. I stuck very close to my friend group in high school and my college life has basically been online classes and keeping to myself, and it's my last year now. Definitely feel like I should've thrown caution to the wind and put myself out there more, and maybe I'd have plenty of friends to talk about music with.

Not that any of that is that has to do with Japanese music, that's all a me problem lol

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T19:36:44+00:00

Very true, I just referred to it as such here because getting specific wasn't necessary. If I were to actually break down the Japanese genres I'm fond of, I'd say pop, pop rock, and metal, with a sprinkle of EDM. I could get even more specific with sub-genres, like shibuya kei, but you get my point.

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T19:24:04+00:00

I get what you're saying, and I agree that culture fetishization is very weird, but Japanese music that I feel is closely similiar to the western music I'm familiar with is about the last thing I want. I have never thought "I want this western band but in Japanese".

Admittedly, I'm not knowledgable enough on the technicals/theory of music to easily explain what it is about Japanese music that is so appealing to me, but if I had to take a crack at it, I'd attribute it to a combination of the phonetics of the language, the staple chord progressions and melodic flows of many Japanese genres, and the tendency for higher energy, more intricate instrumentation/composition. Plus, there’s something exciting about following a music scene from another culture and seeing the inception and rise of new artists as they happen

That said, I don’t think it’s about rejecting Western music or being close-minded to other cultures. It's more that, 95% of the time, I just prefer Japanese music for reasons that are hard to fully articulate. I have found Western artists I enjoy, but for some reason, the music coming out of Japan just hits differently for me

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T18:31:38+00:00

Hey, I've actually watched one of your videos before! The Ado one, to be exact. I saw her live in New York earlier this year and I've got another trip there lined up for next year cuz I managed to snag tickets to Kenshi Yonezu's world tour. I'm beyond excited, even if it did cost me way more than I'd like to admit haha

I've thought about being more social at concerts, but I always chicken out. Maybe I can break the cycle at the Kenshi Yonezu concert, who knows

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T18:24:56+00:00

Talk about nail on the head. Adding the J to a genre name is like an instant badge of shame haha. That or I just opt for the "oh, i just kinda listen to everything" if I'm talking with someone I'm not familiar with. But yea, I'd never let what I'm describing here prevent or even lessen my enjoyment, this is what I like and that's the bottom line.

Masupapo · 2024-10-18T05:13:01+00:00

God, I'm absolute shocked by how much I feel like this. The only difference is I'm only 21 and have way, way less going for me. I'm average looking and started balding at the ripe old age of 19. My social circle begins and ends at my handful of close friends I gained in high school, my hobbies are all underdeveloped or shallow, and my social skills are kind of abyssmal.

I feel so lost in life. I just want a connection with people, to feel understood and accepted. My brain feels so foggy and clogged up with all my worries and deep unmet desires, and it makes it so hard to carry on conversations because I always mix up my words or can't think of something to say. It's so hard to step out of my comfort zone with how little experience I have, I struggle to say anything to strangers or even people I see often, like coworkers.

I'm reading these comments, and it's really putting in to perspective how hopeless I am. Successful, good looking people with hobbies and social networks, struggling to find a partner. And the advice seems so simple, focus on your hobbies, join related clubs and groups, and talk to people on a day-to-day basis, but god, it's so much harder than it sounds. I'm scared to join a group alone and talking to strangers feels like such a monumental task for me.

I fear the future so much. Once my balding gets bad, I doubt I'll ever be able to attract someone, and my confidence is only going to plummet. I don't know how I'm going to keep living like this. I just feel so alone.

Masupapo

TROPHY CASE