Kaori Oda solo + collabs (non-YK / non-Sound Horizon)

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Wow! I didn't realize it could be that kind of a drastic change to switch her to another fach! So are we going to get even more Keiko-like depth, darkness and warmth in Kaori's low notes?! đŸ€” 😍

I noticed that Kaori's low notes had already strengthened by KajiFes live that she was comfortably singing low harmony to Keiko's lead in the "Yuyami no Uta" performance, which was pleasant to hear.
 
https://youtu.be/mcsWnTAgcaY?si=JoDSe7yBs8HUGtDZ&t=263 - Yuki Kajiura - Magia + Sokyuu no Fanfare (NHK Live 2023)

Listen to Kaori's switching from mix to head voice from 4:23 - 4:40 and her strong vibrato. I would really like to hear her singing more like this in Kajiura's work, really using her head voice with intensity and not breathy (though that is also an useful effect she can do well).

I feel Kaori doesn't use her voice in the most efficient way all the time, going for power and grit rather than smoothness (even though she is definitely capable) and those are the times she goes off-pitch a bit.

She's a higher level singer than she sometimes comes across. It's just the choices of what [technique] to use when that sometimes doesn't make her shine the best.
 
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Same video 5:13 - 5:30
Listen to how Kaori was taking the high harmony then at a point dropped to the low harmony! All the while being in full voice and virtually over-shadowing both leads (ASCA and ReoNa), which was powerful though not completely ideal, especially with her distinctive vibrato.

The vocal control to do that expression but at a lower intensity (without going too breathy) is something I feel she still needs to improve on: messa di voce essentially. Mastering it would unlock another level of dynamic control for her (though she is already a versatile singer) instead of needing to go breathy or belting as a necessity, but rather as a stylistic choice. (This is something Hikaru and to an extent Wakana were also limited/lacking in and so often had to go breathy/belted since they couldn't really sing soft dynamics without breathiness).

That is actually one more developed skill that MIKI had in the Revo TTE3 live that differentiated her from an albeit much younger Kaori, though they were often singing/switching the same parts.
 
I am really looking forward to a FictionJunction jazz duet with Kaori and Joelle as the main singers, since they both have a background in singing jazz songs. The question is if Kajiura will write in that kind of style.
 
Pardon me if anyone feels I am spamming this thread (since already posted this video link in the SH page!), but because Kaori, specifically, is in this video I felt I could go ahead and share here, seeing that we were talking about Kaori's vocals and possible changes. PLEASE WATCH and if you haven't, hope you like it! (Watch from the beginning but she comes in before 2 minutes in). This video is infinitely rewatchable for me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3soN2HRkUI
Sound Horizon - Nageki to Shi no Kaze no Miyako ~ Illion [TTE III Live Day 1]

I am a super-lover and many-time watcher of this video because it's just so fun and instructive - we can hear the differences in vocal timbres of all the singers, and how Kaori's voice fits in that mix/ensemble setting, singing high, middle or low, and handling the different requirements of the slow or fast songs, in a high-level theatrical stage setting (@george1234 and I were talking about Kaori's theatrical experience and how she would sing in the SIX musical show - I don't think she would be up for their costuming, maybe if she were in her early FJ years or Elemental period).

Kaori has really been running with the big dogs for quite a while! If Revo's shows had really caught on prior to Attack on Titan she would have had a much bigger stage to shine on as a solo personality, since Revo has multiple solo songs/showcases for his singers (how I discovered Joelle too)!

It also makes me appreciate her ability, level, and stage experience and wish even more that she would have been more successful personally and SANG BIGGER SONGS carrying her name! I guess an ensemble singer doesn't get to shine as much as a solo singer, though if you are part of a supergroup, being viral and in the public eye, and having many hits, your profile and visibility gets raised really high with the group and you get noticed more.

FJ live is a more subdued, professional vocal setting, following Kajiura's personality and vision, and so the ultimate focus is on her, not the singers, though their personalities come through a bit in the relevant MC sections, and of course while singing.

Thinking further, it makes me understand even more Keiko, Wakana, and Hikaru's need for Kalafina to return - apart from their friendship and the desire to satisfy the fans and sing the songs, it's their only supergroup experience. It's what has given them their high visibility and fandom (more than FictionJunction to be honest) even as individual members of a group. Kalafina can trend at any time and draw international attention and their three faces are at the front and center (they are Kalafina), so it's like a steroid boost to their fan energy, visibility, and potential opportunities. There's just no other vehicle with that level of momentum! Hikaru may even get more awareness and attention on her solo lives just based on the reunion concert...so I feel she's definitely not letting go of that momentum with all her planned solo activities. Just hope her voice is able to deliver for her.
 
CloisteredFlame said:
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I am a super-lover and many-time watcher of this video because it's just so fun and instructive - we can hear the differences in vocal timbres of all the singers, and how Kaori's voice fits in that mix/ensemble setting, singing high, middle or low, and handling the different requirements of the slow or fast songs, in a high-level theatrical stage setting (@george1234 and I were talking about Kaori's theatrical experience and how she would sing in the SIX musical show - I don't think she would be up for their costuming, maybe if she were in her early FJ years or Elemental period).

Kaori has really been running with the big dogs for quite a while! If Revo's shows had really caught on prior to Attack on Titan she would have had a much bigger stage to shine on as a solo personality, since Revo has multiple solo songs/showcases for his singers (how I discovered Joelle too)!

It also makes me appreciate her ability, level, and stage experience and wish even more that she would have been more successful personally and SANG BIGGER SONGS carrying her name! I guess an ensemble singer doesn't get to shine as much as a solo singer, though if you are part of a supergroup, being viral and in the public eye, and having many hits, your profile and visibility gets raised really high with the group and you get noticed more.

FJ live is a more subdued, professional vocal setting, following Kajiura's personality and vision, and so the ultimate focus is on her, not the singers, though their personalities come through a bit in the relevant MC sections, and of course while singing.
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While I had heard of FJ before SH, it wasn't until I watched SH videos that I learnt of singers by voice and face like Kaori till then. Kaori is crazy versatile. And while I have loved many differen SH eras, I think the ones around Moira/Laurant were so good at blending with each other. Like other formations later on have felt more like guest stars singing together even rather than a unit. Kaori+Yuuki were one of my favorite pairings.

CloisteredFlame said:
Thinking further, it makes me understand even more Keiko, Wakana, and Hikaru's need for Kalafina to return - apart from their friendship and the desire to satisfy the fans and sing the songs, it's their only supergroup experience. It's what has given them their high visibility and fandom (more than FictionJunction to be honest) even as individual members of a group. Kalafina can trend at any time and draw international attention and their three faces are at the front and center (they are Kalafina), so it's like a steroid boost to their fan energy, visibility, and potential opportunities. There's just no other vehicle with that level of momentum! Hikaru may even get more awareness and attention on her solo lives just based on the reunion concert...so I feel she's definitely not letting go of that momentum with all her planned solo activities. Just hope her voice is able to deliver for her.
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I think my previous part of the reply kinda showcases that, heard of FJ and that it had different guest stars at time but ended up learning more of the artists through other means than FJ. I also imagine that revenue wise, being part of a concert with several artists, you aren't touching that much out of that, Not saying that is they key motivator, but definitely an aspect to all that.
 
Thats for sure. And in SH where je had to pay 15 singers 8 musicians and 10 actors im sure not much remains for each and i think its the reason why their releases and concert are much more expensive than Kajiura's (not to menthion he provably pockets a good amount himself since he does all the songmaking story writting)
 
LĂșa said:
Kaori is crazy versatile.
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You can say that again and again!
LĂșa said:
Kaori+Yuuki were one of my favorite pairings.
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They were like vocal sisters, especially when they wore the same costumes as "Hortense and Violetta" and did their synchronized dance routines.
LĂșa said:
Not saying that is they key motivator, but definitely an aspect to all that.
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It's always a major consideration on working with a group long-term. Some have speculated that Kajiura uses minimal lighting and other effects in part due to cost constraints. I wonder if she breaks even from that.
george1234 said:
Thats for sure. And in SH where je had to pay 15 singers 8 musicians and 10 actors im sure not much remains for each and i think its the reason why their releases and concert are much more expensive than Kajiura's (not to menthion he provably pockets a good amount himself since he does all the songmaking story writting)
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When you see Revo's earlier SH productions, with Aramary for examples, and compare that to the Moira TTE3 you can just see the expenses for the stage production. I am really glad he has achieved more mainstream (and commercial) success with his intricate LH work with AoT, since it's a global hit - his voice, composition gets heard all over the world!

Also pleased Kajiura's work especially with KnY (and especially LiSA) has given her direct/indirect acclaim, record-breaking awards, and more money too!
 
So much that she works on way less projects 😅. Im not sure if KnY made recognition for her. Just likeva big amount of Kalafina fans were only fans of the girls, similarly alot of fans listen to KnY songs withoutccaring about who made them.
 
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Since this is the Solo thread of my fav I will give my 2 cents. It will really be interesting how Kaori works on stage since she gave birth cause hormonal changes can also affect the voice but I think she will make it kinda work (there are some singers who came good back after giving birth even if it annoys some otaku that their waifu is not available anymore). Now to SH and FJ, I think both Ensembles have great members but sadly they are not credited immediately which makes them unknown for the layman and you are only known if the layman know you.
 
BuradoChi said:
Since this is the Solo thread of my fav I will give my 2 cents. It will really be interesting how Kaori works on stage since she gave birth cause hormonal changes can also affect the voice but I think she will make it kinda work (there are some singers who came good back after giving birth even if it annoys some otaku that their waifu is not available anymore). Now to SH and FJ, I think both Ensembles have great members but sadly they are not credited immediately which makes them unknown for the layman and you are only known if the layman know you.
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I know some people have come back with deeper voices, and given the current state of affairs, it might come handy.
 
BuradoChi said:
(there are some singers who came good back after giving birth even if it annoys some otaku that their waifu is not available anymore).
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This relationship ban in Japan is insane and i think its good Kajiura lets the girls have whatever relationship or family they want (this is what Japan needs too). Any famous person is out of the league of most of their fans anyway so i don't understand the "available" status at all as being single doesn't equal available.
 
george1234 said:
This relationship ban in Japan is insane and i think its good Kajiura lets the girls have whatever relationship or family they want (this is what Japan needs too). Any famous person is out of the league of most of their fans anyway so i don't understand the "available" status at all as being single doesn't equal available.
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I think in Pop music the artist is considered a Product at first and this sells sadly at best with fanservice
 
The product is the music and performance not the artist who is an occupation just like other people are cashier, lawyer, architect etc.
 
Naive much?

I mean, we can choose to act/feel a certain way about it but that doesn't mean that others will too.
 
george1234 said:
The product is the music and performance not the artist who is an occupation just like other people are cashier, lawyer, architect etc.
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What do you think the saying "sex sells" mean the way how the artist is visually represented plays a huge role to sell the Song thats why most well known Songs have a music Video that Show the artist in a visually interesting way sry but the najority of pvs agree wuth me and some exceptions do not diminish it
 
george1234 said:
Just likeva big amount of Kalafina fans were only fans of the girls, similarly alot of fans listen to KnY songs withoutccaring about who made them
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Yeah, this divorce situation (however temporary) really brought into sharp focus those who are fans of KF first and YK second, and vice versa. It even settled it for me, personally.
BuradoChi said:
if it annoys some otaku that their waifu is not available anymore
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Hahaha! I can imagine.
BuradoChi said:
Sadly they are not credited immediately which makes them unknown for the layman and you are only known if the layman know you
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Yeah, that's the contract they have. Maybe listed in the end credits of the video but not on the actual posters.

If you get your name listed for vocals on promotional material for big songs/shows, you get recognized to a level by true fans.
If your face and persona is actually a big part of the marketing/selling process (whether solo or in a group: the Kalafina effect versus the FJ effect) you get more of the layman awareness.
george1234 said:
The product is the music and performance not the artist
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Stage presence and performance ability is definitely a part of the package, but the artist is a big part of the package as well. Their looks (facial and physical), fashion sense, weirdness/girl-next-door vibe, dancing skill, etc. South Korea has mastered this packaging machine and they are almost a factory at this point.

Depending on the country, the industry can also push some "anointed" person with lesser skill (but with a look/vibe) into stardom. That's why we can have objectively good singers like Kaori and Joelle have small solo presences and average success, and yet qualitatively less-able singers (I won't name names) can become recognizable stars and have their faces plastered around.

It's a complex marketing package. Gone are the days of just pure vocals being the indicator for who becomes a star.
 
CloisteredFlame said:
South Korea has mastered this packaging machine and they are almost a factory at this point.
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Ι know, for example their MVs are way better than most by the Japanese artists, but for me their universal plastic surgery faces make me go😟 because they all look the same after the surgery and you can only tell the artists apart from their voice and personality. But i have also read some really questionable things happening in the Korean music industry where the talent agencies assign numbers to the girls and have endless rehearsals and body checks All that even before they debut, and they end up paying back the talent school loans for many decades even if they re successful. I appreciate that Japan has acceptance of natural beauty which goes as far as being ok having crooked teeth.
 
george1234 said:
Ι know, for example their MVs are way better than most by the Japanese artists, but for me their universal plastic surgery faces make me go😟 because they all look the same after the surgery and you can only tell the artists apart from their voice and personality. But i have also read some really questionable things happening in the Korean music industry where the talent agencies assign numbers to the girls and have endless rehearsals and body checks All that even before they debut, and they end up paying back the talent school loans for many decades even if they re successful. I appreciate that Japan has acceptance of natural beauty which goes as far as being ok having crooked teeth.
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Japan accepts natural beauty (crooked teeth can be cute), natural vocals for lives (they don't really do live enhancement, though release editing exists), and explores different genres in popular music through anisong.

I am also not a fan of the doll-like look of the excessively surgically-altered Korean artists.
 
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