【Trans】“More crazy than a dream” by Nakanishi Rei ①（Sunday Mainichi 2019.11.17 Column）

Sunday Mainichi 2019.11　.17
103rd column “More crazy than a dream” by Nakanishi Rei (※a famous Japanese lyricist and novelist）
Now at this time, the cover of Japanese songs, Jaejoong ’s beautiful challenge!

A lot of sample CDs are sent to me every month from record companies and productions. Most of them are remakes of my work, but some are not. Among them was the latest CD of Korean singer Jaejoong. I hear that Jaejoong has moved the place of his activities to Japan a few years ago. He released two single CDs, the first one was second on the Oricon hit chart and the second one was third, is doing well. The album “Flawless Love” released in April this year seems to have recorded the first place in the chart, but I feel it's rather inconspicuous. I was caring about it, but this new CD “Love Covers” was a collection of Japanese songs. Now, I wanted to listen what it was like.
However, when I heard the first song, Mika Nakashima's “I love you”, my heart was grabbed by it. Even though it was a casual singing, it jumped straight into the heart. I felt like I met a singer at the first time who was singing like this. I have tracked my memory, but no one has ever surprise me so much. I sat up straight and started listening to it seriously.
This album includes Dreams Come True's "Future Forecast II", Utada Hikaru's "First Love", Tamaki Koji's "Melody", Sukima Switch's "Kanade", Hamada Masatoshi and Makihara Noriyuki's "Chicken Rice" Ozaki Yutaka's “Forget me not” is included, but listening to any of them gives a very fresh impression.
The reason is that Jaejoong ’s singing method is an invention. Picking out a song that was once sung and spread by another singer and recreating it is a very difficult task. No one wants to do it. This is because it is common that it is rare to succeed, and even if it is successful, it is not as honorable as the original singer.
However, Jaejoong is challenging it and making it a success. Jaejoong's approach and interpretation to the song, and a novel arrangement, brought a new life to the previously made song and revived it.
When listening to Jaejoong ’s song, while making it feel like the original singer sings, the song becomes Jaejoong's song itself, and I can see it flies over the blue sky. And that is completely beyond expectations. Even Jaejoong fans in Japan would have never expected to have such a strange and happy experience. The fact that this album was ranked No. 1 on the Oricon hit chart is the best evidence that Japan is applauding Jaejoong ’s challenge.