I have zero musical talent. So it’s been great fun to get to help Kaori Mukai shape the lyrics to her new single ‘A Summer’s Dream’.
Kaori is a Japanese singer but I met her at a small Japanese restaurant in Jakarta, Indonesia a few years ago. She was the opening act for Hiroaki Kato, another awesome bilingual Japanese and Indonesian musician who I got to know, and was warming up for later that evening. I fell in love with her voice.
Kaori was living as an expat in Indonesia at the time. I loved the way she collaborated so closely with Indonesians and other musicians like Hiroaki who were genuine about wanting to engage across culture. She even put a jazz spin to the Doraemon song and sang it in Indonesian.
As someone who is mixed Indonesian and Japanese, I had grown up feeling as though Japan looked down on Indonesia. So, Kaori and her friends’ cross cultural, trilingual engagement (Japanese, Indonesian & English) between Indonesia and Japan spoke deeply to me.
And this time, I’m thrilled to get to participate in one of her projects even though I can’t sing for the life of me!
A Summer’s Dream is an international, collaborative project between Japanese and Indonesian musicians. It’s got a Japanese City Pop feel to it and was created with those of us who wish summer never ends. Enjoy!
? Digital Single ▶ here
? Kaori MUKAI – A Summer’s Dream (Lyrics Video) ▶ On YouTube here
Music by Kaori Mukai
Lyrics by Kaori Mukai, Danau Tanu
Arranged by Roberto J., Kaori Mukai
Mixed & Mastered by Hisao Sasaki
Kaori Mukai (Vo.), Roberto J. (Pf.), Iwa-chan (Gt.), Yusuke Watanabe (Ba.), Dion Subiakto (Drs.)
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