Nyasha Oliver opens up the world of Japanese R&B (J-R&B) to us, where she explores iconic artists like Toshiki Kadomatsu and Miki Matsubara, helping us to understand its incredible offerings and hidden gems.
Japanese R&B or J-R&B is not talked about enough. It’s a genre always scrunched up with its hip-hop counterpart or sprinkled into a pop track but on its own, there’s not enough appreciation. Even now, the state of J-R&B has lost its footing on streaming services, the Oricon chart – Japan’s equivalent of Billboard – or easily going viral on social media apps like TikTok.
Exploring the origins of J-R&B music
If we time travel to the 1970s and 80s, the first remnants of J-R&B was a mix of funk, soul, disco, jazz and city pop. Some of the Japanese artists bringing this genre to life were Toshiki Kadomatsu, Kiyotaka Sugiyama, Hiroshi Sato, Junko Ohasi, Taeko Onuki, Miki Matsubara, Hi-Fi Set and Amii Ozaki. Put these artists in a playlist with Sade, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston, and a lot of their music could easily blend together.
Notably in the 80s, Takako Hirasawa started her career with her sister, Sachiko under the name DOUBLE. Their biggest hit before Sachiko’s passing, Shake was very popular. After her sister’s death, DOUBLE embarked on a solo career bringing forth American-style R&B to Japan in the 90s-00s and was dubbed as the “Queen of R&B.” Look at songs such as Handle and Who’s That Girl and there’s a heavy influence on the production side using TLC’s Scrubs and Eve’s Who’s That Girl as inspiration. So before DOUBLE did the song Black Diamond with the legendary Namie Amuro, she’d been a big name in the R&B scene.
Mainstream popularity and exposure
In the 90s, Utada Hikaru debuted with the song, Automatic and it took the country by storm which listeners reference nowadays. Automatic was a standout track and their first two albums, First Love and Distance corresponded to Utada’s style upbringing in New York with their smooth vocals over strong beats.
But whenever people think of J-R&B, Crystal Kay usually comes to mind. A singer of African-American and Korean descent but born and bred in Yokohama, she debuted in 1999 at the age of 13. One of her biggest tracks, Candy in 2003 was a hit both locally and internationally, as well as many people’s introduction to Crystal’s sound and the genre. From C.L.L Crystal Lover Light until All Yours, her earlier albums were always dominated with R&B-style tracks that are timeless; Darling P．P．P (ダーリン P.P.P.), Guardian Angel, nice and slow, テレパシー (Telepathy) and Cherish to name a few.
The 2000s saw a lot of artists break out into the scene in the 2000s including singers from a multiethnic background like Crystal. A classmate of Crystal Kay’s, BENI also known as Beni Arashiro is of mixed European, American and Japanese descent. She came out onto the scene in 2004 but most of her hits came from her albums, Bitter & Sweet, Jewel and Fortune like もう二度と… (Never again…) and 声を聞かせて (Let me hear your voice). Thelma Aoyama, a singer of Afro-Trinidian and Japanese heritage debuted in 2007 and one of her most known songs, そばにいるね (I’m by your side) peaked at #1 on the Oricon charts in its second week.
Other artists experimenting in J-R&B
More mainstream pop artists took a switch to R&B during this time including the now retired singer and dancer, Namie Amuro. After much criticism for dabbling in R&B in the 90s, songs from her Style, Queen to Hip-Pop and PLAY albums started gaining interest; notably Put ‘Em Up, So Crazy, Girl Talk, HELLO and Pink Key. Along with Amuro, ero-kawaii artist Koda Kumi became a trendsetter after her Best~First Things~ got popular. She had R&B tracks that heightened like 秘密 (Secret), this is not a love song and No Way from some of her best albums, Kingdom, TRICK and UNIVERSE.
A shift in the scene
The versatility in J-R&B songs showcased to many in the industry that it was impactful and interest from artists such as Ishida Yuko’s Missin’ U, SATOMI’s Baby Doll, MISIA’s ANY LOVE, YA-KYIM’s someday, Leah Dizon’s Softly, May J.’s Why Why Why and Yuna Ito’s Losin in the mid 2000’s to early 2010s. Even R&B was pouring into idol songs like Morning Musume’s Do It Now and Goto Maki’s Tear Drops.
Along with these tracks, there were many other standout albums that were heavily influenced such as Hiromi’s Rainbow, Kato Miliyah’s Heaven, AI’s The Last Ai, Jasmine’s Gold, LISA’s Gratitude, BENI’s Jewel andThelma Aoyama’s Diary.
But the industry began to change in the 2010s. As EDM became more popular, there were a lot of artists transitioning to stay relevant in the market. Singers Nishino Kana and Matsushita Yuya who both debuted in 2008 weren’t letting that stop them. Their albums, To Love and I AM ME were a breath of fresh air amongst the autotune vocals and dance pop tracks in the industry including songs like 君に会いたくなるから (I want to see you) and Mr Broken Heart. There was also Jasmine who had a promising debut being called “the reincarnation of Hikaru Utada ” due to her sleek vocals in the song, Sad to Say.
But something was definitely in the air at the time because even they transitioned to different routes in their careers – Nishino went on a country route and Matsushita went into the group, X4 from 2014 to 2020. Jasmine on the other hand still carried on with an R&B sound which is still present in her most recent album, Re:Me.
It’s hard to overlook that the musical brilliance of the 90s through the 2010s owed much to singer-songwriters like Daisuke Imai, m-flo, HIRO from Full of Harmony, Ryosuke Imai and Michio. Although the US influence is quite noticeable, these Japanese producers and songwriters have managed to produce their own sound and created hits like BENI’s Kiss Kiss Kiss, Namie Amuro’s Girl Talk or Crystal Kay’s Girl U Love.
All three members of m-flo had distinct influences on the industry. To give an idea, DJ Taku Takahashi, Verbal is known for writing one of Crystal Kay’s popular track, Boyfriend Part II, Verbal worked as a part of the collaborative project, SUITE CHIC with Namie Amuro and Ryōsuke Imai, and LISA, who embarked on her own musical journey producing all her songs including SWITCH and even for others like one by Koda Kumi. So if your favourite songs were any of these, you have m-flo to thank for that.
A new era of rising artists
Today, the state of J-R&B is barely a whisper in comparison to the 2000s. Times have changed in the 2020s and having a viral hit on platforms like Tik Tok means much more to boost one’s relevance. The Y2K resurgence is prevalent in Japan too, but only a few artists have taken inspiration into their own music and style to keep J-R&B afloat.
Currently, SIRUP stands out as one of the most prominent singer-songwriters. He rebranded from his previous name, KYOtaro, and has shifted his focus toward a more R&B sound. SIRUP sticks out with songs like Synapse and Need You Bad that sound similar to Korean artist Zion. T’s early work, and it makes sense as he’s worked with Korean producers and artists like Slom, UMI and SUMIN before.
Aisha is another standout artist who J-R&B listeners could see as a “new age Crystal Kay,” mostly due to her African-American and Japanese heritage. She’s a breath of fresh air with her songs SHYでもいいよ (It’s okay to be shy) and Rola Coaster getting more attention in online spaces. Overseas, there’s also UMI and Saïna (the latter having previously interviewed here) who are also mixed race and are making waves.
There’s also potential in RIRI who was scouted by AI’s agency whose vocals are as powerful and may remind listeners of Ariana Grande and Ella Mai. And it’s evident in her tracks HONEY and Nothing to Do that she’s going to be a promising name in J-R&B. Along with these three, there’s also KAHOH, Furui Riho tonun, Risa Kumon, Fujii Kaze and Mirei who are currently active within the genre.
Reflecting on the genre’s quiet impact
Despite the decline in mainstream interest, J-R&B is still a powerhouse that deserves more acknowledgement for the quality and impact it has brought listeners over the years. And the legacy of artists from the 90s is still embraced in and out of Japan with even Crystal Kay selling out two LA shows in September of this year.
People are also still inspired by the likes of Namie Amuro’s fashion, want Utada Hikaru to hold a concert with more of her R&B music and are hopeful for new releases or produced songs from the likes of Matsushita Yuya and m-flo.
Because the roster of talent has always been there, it’s just harder to be recognised on a wider scale and cherished for what each artist brings to the J-R&B scene. Here’s hoping J-R&B will continue to thrive and more people will appreciate the genre and what it means to others.
Stanisland Magazine 
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