Utaite
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Utaite (歌い手, lit. 'singer') is a term for amateur Japanese singers who actively post covers on social media, specifically Niconico and YouTube. The specific genre is called utattemita (歌ってみた, lit. 'I tried singing').
Background
[edit]Although the term is generally used to describe amateur singers, it is often associated with faceless singers.[1] Some utaite like Ado and Eve have garnered enough attention to sign with labels and make their major debut,[2] while maintaining their anonymity and preserving their real-life identity.[3][4] As a result, utaite often use virtual avatars similar to VTubers, and employ tactics to hide their face during live performances.
Utaite have become increasing popular after the release of the Vocaloid library Hatsune Miku on August 31, 2007. The release of "Melt" (メルト, Meruto) by Supercell songwriter Ryo on Nico Nico Douga in December 2007 played a significant role in boosting the utaite community, after the song was covered by numerous utaite including Nagi Yanagi, who went by the name Gazelle.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Raj, Tanu I. (February 13, 2023). "Rising Japanese Star Ado on Becoming an Adult, Touring and Evolving: 'I Felt Like I Leveled Up in a Huge Way'". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ Tsuchiya, Lyn (July 13, 2023). "3 Japanese Artists Who Started With Vocaloid Music". Tokyo Weekender (in Japanese). Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ Ikeuchi, Aki (May 27, 2022). "Ado: Not an artist but an 'utaite' singer". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Yomiuri Shimbun. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ Tan, Azrin (May 23, 2023). "A new wave of Japanese artists is here—and no one can put a face to their name". Vogue Singapore. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ りょうすけ, ふじき (December 25, 2017). "「メルト」10周年記念リミックスがこんなにもエモい理由". KAI-YOU.net | POP is Here . (in Japanese). Retrieved August 31, 2024.
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