(the) Road to the Deep East

In Part2 of this L.T.U. series, , I mentioned about the sin of idol music – as a catalyst of pedophilia. However, from ancient days, society needs girl's voice , not for sexual reason, but just as a symbol of divinity. The high-tone and perfect singing of girls have a power to provide the people surreal and religious feeling.

Especially, Japan has been always on depending of this function of young girls. After they lost everything after WW2, it was the greatest enka singer Misora Hibari , 9 years old at that time that encouraged people who were struggling with the difficulties. When Japan was distressed by recession after collapse of Bubble economy in late 90s, one genius girl called Utada Hikaru 15 years old appeared and also encouraged people. And there had been idol groups which encourage people who suffer from sexual handicaps.

Not only Japan, I think this tendency and the function of young girl voice (sometimes boy's) are common in all societies from all cultures. In medieval Europa, there were boy soprano singers who kept their pitch by castration, castrati. In gospel, there are a lot of boy and girl singers. And I guess Michael Jackson in Jackson 5 was in charge of this function.

So, no matter how anti-loliconists try to forbid them, there is a right, not perverted, social reason to require voices from girls. When they find themselves in time of trouble, people can be healed and encouraged by girl singers. But after the doomsday, or 'Idol Dark Age', when all child-porn related things including idol music were forbidden comes, what should we do?

Then, I'd like to recommend, Aoyama Thelma, 20 years old.

Some Jpop fan should have already known her name. Her second single, “Soba ni iru ne feat. SoulJa' became #1 on Oricon in February selling over 70,000 copies, and its full distribution from chaku-uta have already reached 1 million downloads. And Now she dropped her first album, on March 26th.
(limited edition, w/DVD)

(normal edition)


(spoiler warning)

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(track list)
1. My Beginning
2. Sobani iru ne feat. SoulJa
3. One Way
4. My dear Friend
5. Last Letter
6. Rhythm
7. Good Time Remix. Feat. MIKU from YA-KYIM
8. HIGHER
9. Paradise
10. This Day feat. Douji-T
11. Kono mamade
12. Anata ni aete yokatta
13. Mama he
14. DIARY
(DVD)
1.Sobani iru ne feat. SoulJa
2.My Dear Friends -Music Clip Directer's edition.

I was one of one million people who was enthralled by her second single, but it was not for 'sobani iru ne', but for its coupling, 'My dear friend.'

In the beginning, she sings in a very high tone voice as if to beg somebody.
'だってだって時はいつだって　飽きるくらいワガママだよって
なぜかあなたの側にいるだけで　心の声が響いてくる’
('cause, 'cause the time is always amazingly selfish,
Staying by your side, I can hear the echo of your voice in your heart. )

As I mentioned above, she is already 20, but Thelma in this part sounds to me like the one from girls, 17 years old or so. And then my fatherly instinct – not sexual one, of course was stimulated, and I liked Thelma and her way of singing. And this feeling occurred to me was exactly same when I listened 'Automatic' from Utada 10 years ago. My translation is bad as always, but original lyrics are also touching.

In this album, #5 'Last Letter' is this 'My Dear Friend' esque song. In this song, Thelma sings about the too sudden break-up with her older boyfriend.

'最後の手紙には「遠くから見守るよ」 納得いかなくて　何度も電話かけた
涙とまらないよ　今すぐ会いたいよ どこがいけかったの？こんなに好きなのに？'
(In the last letter, 'I'll see you off from afar'
Can't understand and called you for many times.
My tears won't stop, I wanna hear from you soon
what's wrong with me? I love you so much'

I know it's disgusting that 30 years old man says like this, but from a view of 'boyfriend' who experienced this kind of break-up before, this song touched my heart and recalled my sense of guilty, and I couldn't help shedding tears when I listened this song first.

Amazingly, almost all the lyrics are written by Thelma herself. Now even a 30-year-old can be shocked like this. It's natural she can move girls of her age,or more younger ones. And when you are a 30-year-old woman, or obasan, listen to #13 'mama he'. It's a message song from Thelma to her mother, but it's sure you'll be stimulated your motherly instinct. It's really touching song. I wish I were a mother and could have a child like Thelma.

Not only touching ballads, there are also more agressive songs of up-tempo like 'ONE WAY' and GOOD TIME REMIX. It's sure you can enjoy Thelma's widespread talent from this album.

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Recently, after Koda's (social) death and Hamasaki's fall, it is said Amuro Namie is now going to become the JPOP Queen again, for the success of her latest single, '60s 70s 80s'. And Utada is still active as a adult female singer, although she had already lost her mystic charm as a girl singer. But where's the next generation? It looks thanks to the government of avex for a decade, it looks last 10 years couldn't produce any younger singers.

Then, I think, potentially, Thelma can become the next big thing from younger generation. And I have to emphasize her charisma, or divinity, as a girl singer.

Certainly, she is already 20 years old, elder than the debut of Misora (9) or Utada(15). But some sociological research shows Japanese (or, people in all modern society) become adults slower than previous generations. So, her relative position(20) in Japanese society might be same as Utada 10 years ago, or Misora 60 years ago. So, maybe the social function of 'girl singer' will be taken over to the O-20 singer like her, even after the 'Idol Dark Age.'

Anyway, it looks one genius singer, who sings attractively and writes greatet lyrics appeared in JPOP, after a long time, maybe after Utada. Without arguments or logics, I'll recommend this album and Thelma, as a music lover. Just enjoy it.