The lead single from Doja Cat’s 2021 Planet Her album — and one of many songs making Gen Zers uncover Olivia Newton-John’s “Bodily” — “Kiss Me Extra” was nominated for Document and Music of the yr on the Grammy Awards in April. The track is catchy, sure, however in Japan, it peaked when it reached quantity 97 on the Japan Scorching 100. On July 22, although, the American rapper dropped a remix of the monitor that includes none aside from Japanese comic Naomi Watanabe.
It was really fairly the manufacturing, with Kentaro Fujii credited as producer and Awich writing the Japanese lyrics that substitute the verses initially sung by SZA. In a latest Instagram publish, Watanabe mentioned, “[Awich] gave me a one-on-one rapping class. It is my first time rapping!”
Although the complete model of the track has not formally been uploaded on YouTube on the time of writing (do verify your favourite streaming app for it although), Sony Music Japan did launch one thing like a teaser.
This twist on an American launch, not like Watanabe’s earlier tackle Woman Gaga’s “Rain on Me”, is devoid of parodic components. As a substitute, it would point out that she is prepared for the following part of her profession. After a yr in New York, Watanabe is again in Japan and can star within the Japanese manufacturing of Hairspray: The Musical as Tracy Turnblad.
“Kiss Me Extra” shouldn’t be the one of Doja Cat’s songs that incorporates a Japanese voice. In spring 2021, a remixed model of “Finest Pal,” a duet she did with Saweetie, was launched that includes a number of verses sung by South-Korean-Japanese rapper Chanmina.
“Kiss Me Extra” and “Say So” are two Doja Cat’s songs which have common unofficial Japanese variations by Indonesian singer Rainych on YouTube.
On TikTok, a number of creators have additionally been overlaying songs in Japanese, with the latest titles together with Charlie Puth’s “Mild Swap” and Kate Bush’s 1985 hit “Operating Up That Hill (A Take care of God),” that not too long ago had a resurgence in charts around the globe after it featured prominently within the fourth season of Stranger Issues.
This latest pattern of overlaying and remixing songs in international languages could be a advertising ploy, but it has introduced a welcomed appreciation of world music.
So, what worldwide tracks would you want to listen to remixed in Japanese?