(the) Road to the Deep East

It seems this blog is always reporting the Western culture consumed by Japanese.But finally, I can report its converse case. Japanese culture consumed by Western people.

JERO, 26 years-old, was born in Pittsburgh. His grandmother is Japanese, and to amuse her, JERO sang Enka when he was a boy, and he was attracted by Enka. And maybe thanks to Enka, he didn't have to leave from the straight and narrow. He studied computer science at the University of Pittsburgh and became a computer engineer. However, his passion for Enka grew more and more, and in 2003, he came to Japan to become a professional singer. He spent few years in Japan and won at some amateur karaoke contests. Hearing his rumor, Victor Entertainment, one of the most famous Enka agency, scouted him. After two years, he debuts with this single, 'Umiyuki' in this month.

海雪 (2008/02/20) ジェロ click the picture for the link to amazon.

(official site)
http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Profile/A021548.html

Here is the clip of 'Umiyuki', but it's very... unique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTvvc26rnVs

First, he dances like a hip-hop dancer, and tags with some Japanese hip-hop boys, but suddenly starts to sing Enka.


And some lyrics of this music is screened and emphasized in hip-hop-esque graffiti.


And there's also the scene which maybe took at hip-hop event, like B-Boy Park.

It's not kind of MAD movie. And as you can listen, his singing is amazingly great. When we listen to it with eyes closed, it sounds like perfect enka. When we open our eyes, for this image, it sounds like a variation of R&B, like the one from Crystal Kay, though.

Jero's appearance shocked Japanese, and he is now being invited a lot of TV shows in Japan. Now Enka music industry is falling off, but JERO may become a messiah comes from Pittsburgh. If the things go well, he will be invited to Kohaku in this year-end and make his grandmother happy again.

In the meantime, it seems his appearance was also an encouragement to Japanese pop music industry. For example, a Japanese hip-hop artist, Hammer from 2BACKKA , admires JERO on his blog:

“His way of singing is really great. His outlook in with cap and stadium jumper like B-BOY and break dance is also great. He is really shock to me. It's sure he realy loves Enka. How the person look like is not a huge problem. It'll be nice if he can become a start for the person who wouldn't listen Enka music.

For Japanese pop musicians who are always trying to recreate the Western music in this country in their own style, JERO's situation is very similar,and maybe they can't help feeling a sympathy.

But I have one question. Why doesn't he sing Enka in English? Like Japanese musicians do, if he had imported Enka and arrange it in his own style and language, it must be greater. At this point, I have to say, he is great, but musically, just a copycat.

It might be just a start, though. Just like Japanese hip-hop artists in early times like King Giddra or Rhymaster tried to be faithful to the original style in the United States, Jero sings Enka in Japanese, in Japanese style. 10 years later, supported by the success of thie pioneer Jero, there may appear some foreign enka singers who create his own style like SOUL'd out or Ketsumeishi does in hip-hop industry. Then Jero may disrespect the new Enka like King Giddra or Rhymaster does to them, but it is the true start of new Enka – 'B-ENKA' or 'U-ENKA'. I'd like to wait until then.