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    Miyako Ohtsuki  
    Fuyumi Sakamoto  
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    Aya Shimazu  
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    Aki Yashiro  
     
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    • Above: Aya Shimazu sings "Okaasan E no Message" at the 2004 Kouhaku Uta Gassen

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       The picture is of Aya Shimazu singing at the 2001 NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen (her first such appearance.) The song she sang, "Okaasan E no Message" ("A Message to Mother") seems to me to be more of a "standard" than what is usually thought of as Enka, but it also seems accepted that the distinction is now so blurred that it really doesn't matter. I've heard her perform other standards, such as "Himawari", so she seems to be relying on them some for her career. The song is an unabashed sentimental favorite.

       In this particular case, the announcer sort of "prepared" Aya by reading to her the text of the letter of encouragement Aya's own mother had sent her many years ago on the day of her debut, so by the time Aya was to start this song she already had tears on her cheeks. But this can only heighten the performance. In a sense, one of the goals of a song like this is to have both the performer and the audience end up in tears at the end.

       She has a lovely clear voice and a straightforward delivery. She was born 3-28-1971. She started off in music studying under lyricist Tetsuro Hoshino at the age of only 14, and debuted not too long after.
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    This page last modified: 11/30/2008 23:40:26