Aya Shimazu - AYA's Soul Searchin' -Aretha Franklin- - Japan CD

Credits:

Aya Shimazu

Description:

Aya Shimadzu (Aya Shimadzu) & Aretha Franklin Shocking & stunning voice from Atlantic Japan to the whole world! Can Aretha and the world withstand Aya's impact?" AYA Shimadzu's cover album of Aretha Franklin's classic songs, "AYA's Soul Searchin' -Aretha Franklin-" will be released on July 24, 2024 by Warner Music Atlantic Japan! Aya Shimazu made her major debut as an enka (traditional Japanese ballad) singer at the age of 15, and has been known as a "prodigy girl" and "the perfect child for enka. In recent years, she has been called a "singing monster" for her unique singing ability, and she has been expanding her activities beyond generations and genres, from enka to the latest pop and Western music. After that, when she performed "Think" on a music program, her powerful and impressive performance was greeted with comments on social networking sites such as, "Wow! Too cool! The show became a trending topic on social networking sites, with viewers of all ages commenting with surprise and praise, such as, "This is too cool! Kiyoshi Matsuo, who came across the movie "RESPECT" depicting the life of Aretha Franklin, learned of Shimazu's desire to sing Aretha's songs someday, and became the overall producer.The album was completed with Ryo Nakata of Osaka Monorail, one of the leaders of the Japanese soul/funk scene and well-known overseas, as sound producer, and with the full participation of the band members. Aya Shimazu's superb vocals and Osaka Monorail's soulful performance create a sound that perfectly blends the exuberance of the 1960s soul scene in which Aretha Franklin was active with the zeitgeist of 2021 Nippon. The album features eight carefully selected songs, including the classic "Think," "Respect," which inspired the launch of this project, and "A Natural Woman," a classic song written by Carole King. The last song on the album is the only original song on the album. In the song "Dokodemo Futari," Shimazu tells the story of a toy poodle girl, who had lived with her family as if she were her own child, who suddenly passed away due to an illness. The song is a reflection of Shimazu's deep emotional distress and feeling of exhaustion and loss, and it is a song about "living with grief that cannot be easily healed. Aya Shimazu's soft and warm voice speaks directly to the listener's heart.The album title "Soul Searchin'" has the meaning of "self-discovery" or "journey of the heart," and the original Japanese song "Dokodemo Futari," which is unique to this album, is truly Aya Shimadzu's "Soul Searchin'," and is a fitting song to close the album. and is a fitting song to close the album. The cover photo was taken by Matthew Jordan Smith, who has been the official photographer for Aretha Franklin for many years and has also published a book of her photographs. Aya Shimadzu's natural smile gives a powerful impression.