TOKYO —

The first album of American enka singer Jero, 26, was on Monday ranked 5th on Oricon’s music chart. The album “Covers” sold 42,000 copies in the first week after its release.

In an official comment, Jero said, “That’s a great honor. There are so many good songs I would like to try.” The new album features seven popular enka songs.

10 Comments

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  thepro at 12:53 PM JST - 1st July

  Go Jello!

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  USNinJapan2 at 01:06 PM JST - 1st July

  I would rather see/hear a goth-looking country and western singer than an enka singer with hip-hop looks. Some things just need to be left alone...

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  Altria at 02:55 PM JST - 1st July

  Milk it while you can coffee!

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  DenshaDeGO at 03:57 PM JST - 1st July

  I still don't understand how/why the Japanese have accepted him. Is it because he's part Japanese? Because he's kuo-ta-?

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  thepro at 04:07 PM JST - 1st July

  Because Japanese people like to believe that their culture is above every other country in the world, and when gaijin devote themselves to Japanese cultural activities it proves their theory correct in their minds.

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  KyouNoNippon at 09:04 PM JST - 1st July

  I love Jero.

  The end.

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  buddha4brains at 07:46 AM JST - 2nd July

  thepro

  Yeah it is not as if every other country thinks the same about their own country. Shame on the Japanese for being human.

  DenshaDeGO

  I heard from my students that they were touched by his relationship with his Japanese born grandmother. And the fact he can sing well.

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  European1 at 12:08 PM JST - 2nd July

  Milk it while you can coffee!

  Agree, Japan is a land "come and go like a wind". Tomorrow he will be on top 1 from behind as many other groups here. Good Luck Jero!

  Because Japanese people like to believe that their culture is above every other country in the world, and when gaijin devote themselves to Japanese cultural activities it proves their theory correct in their minds.

  http://www.debito.org/?p=1768

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  Seiharinokaze at 03:19 PM JST - 2nd July

  DenshaDeGo

  I still don't understand how/why the Japanese have accepted him. Is it because he's part Japanese? Because he's kuo-ta-?

  Not so much to do with racial relation. Novelty is not the main reason either. He sings well as if he knows what he is singing. Korean singers also have been accepted by the same reason. Out of the tunes in this cover album, "Mizukagami 水鏡" seems to be touching a heart chord of many Japanese. Jero seems to know what Japanese sensitivity is.

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  ladykaede at 12:54 AM JST - 3rd July

  I would rather see/hear a goth-looking country and western singer than an enka singer with hip-hop looks.

  By "hip-hop looks", what do you mean precisely?

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