City Pop and Fujii Kaze

Fujii Kaze gained widespread public recognition at the 2021 Kohaku Uta Gassen, but he was already known before that through Honda commercials and drama theme songs, so for those who liked him, it felt like it was 'about time'.

I was in that same state, and ever since I was shocked by his early songs like 'Nan-Nan', 'Yasasisa', 'Kaerou', and 'Mo-Eh-Wa', he began to occupy a large part of my playback history, which is mostly Western music, regardless of whether he would become a commercial success or not.

I was also truly amazed by a song called 'Tsumi no Kaori', which Enon Kawatani also highly praised on Kanjam, as it is overflowing with a Showa-era taste.

This song in particular, with its melody and arrangement, reminds me of artists who once colored Kadokawa films, such as Yoshitaka Minami and Yuji Ohno, and

I really thought, 'It's an 80s City Pop sound but it also feels new; a brilliant new artist around 30 years old has suddenly appeared.'

I truly thought that.

I didn't know these in real-time but learned of them later, and listening to them again, they have such an incredibly dense Showa-era feel...

If you all listen to just the sound without the visuals, I'm sure you'll feel the same way. At the very least, you wouldn't think he was 21 at the time!
From Fujii Kaze, who should have been born in the Heisei era, I felt the high-quality, mature pop music of the Showa era by traveling back in time.

I was even more surprised when I found out his true identity later; he was young, and the quality of his visuals and music videos was high. It sounds strange, but I even worried that his visuals were so good that they might hold him back and prevent the quality of his music from being conveyed.

New song 'Matsuri'

As a duality of Fujii Kaze, there is a taste that makes you feel he likes both Showa-era kayokyoku and hip-hop, and this song makes that feel stronger than ever before; I thought it was a song that fully incorporated the love for hip-hop that he glimpsed in his early song 'Mo-Eh-Wa'.

By the way, I really like the arrangement of 'Mo-Eh-Wa' from his live performance at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, where he sang the beginning of the second verse as a rap.

So personally, I want him to rap more. Or I'd like to see him collaborate with a rapper. I imagine that m-flo might also be good.

A new version of the song "Hedemo-ne-yo," which also has a hip-hop feel, is included in his new album "LOVE ALL SERVE ALL." However, the arrangement of this song at the time of its original release felt quite different and unusual compared to his other tracks, and it had a low number of views on YouTube.

However, he has significantly changed the arrangement, greatly enhancing its appeal, and I strongly feel his dedication to this particular song.

Logical Strategy

Furthermore, I feel that this new song incorporates several strategic hooks alongside what is likely Fujii Kaze's very unique, raw personality.
Of course, I don't mean this in a bad way; these elements combine effectively to further enhance the song's appeal.

I believe that Yaffle and the members surrounding him, known as Team Kaze, are putting their heads together to market his work while making the most of Fujii Kaze's individuality.

1. Japan

As you can see at a glance, you can feel Japan everywhere, from the setting of the music video and the characters to the traditional Japanese instruments.

It feels like a return to Japanese themes, similar to Ado or MAISONdes' "Yowanehaki," where many people find something new in traditional Japanese elements. I feel it evokes a sense of Japanese nostalgia (which the younger generation today may no longer know) that can also be felt in the lyrics.

2. Dance and Fashion

I think he is consciously trying to project a "utsukemono" (eccentric/foolish) vibe. A "utsukemono" is a flamboyant revolutionary like Oda Nobunaga, and I interpreted this as an attempt to embody the message of "reclaiming freedom in your heart," which is suggested by the lyrics of this song.

3. What is "Matsuri"?

I interpreted it as festival, worship, and governance (matsurigoto). It means to celebrate, to praise, to cherish, to be free, and to be autonomous.

I think the same message was embedded in his previous work "Moeyo," albeit in a different form, but I felt that this song was crafted to be more accessible to a wider audience through its quieter, more subdued image.

Well, I don't know if such logic actually exists, but the appeal of the song and his personality transcends such explanations, so if there is anyone who hasn't heard the full version yet, please give it a listen!

Just as City Pop was rediscovered by many when connoisseurs like Night Tempo applied high-quality Showa-era music to modern sounds, I feel that Fujii Kaze is absorbing the quality music of the past from the perspective of someone born in the Heisei era, presenting us with a new angle that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

There is still so much to look forward to.

[Magazine] What was the Heisei era? Please be sure to read this as well!