15 May, 2008
American Makes Good As Enka Singer In the Land of The Rising Sun
Posted by: Rachel In: Anime News
A friend e-mailed me this video about Jero, an American who successfully pursued his dream to become an enka singer. Enka is a Japanese style of singing with a tender and folksy feel, which was developed during the Showa Era. Jero’s grandmother was Japanese and imparted her love of the genre to him at an early age. He promised her he’d become an enka singer when he grew up and kept that promise:
It’s tough to become a singer, and tougher still to master another language enough to be talented to sing successfully with it. Jero’s kept the spirit of enka but has added his own voice and style to the music. He’s a great example of how hard work and dedication can lead to fulfillment where there may have never been hope of doing so before, i.e. American mangaka and anime producers. Bottom line: Keep going, never give up and someday, you may top the charts!
