Enka is a popular Japanese music genre often likened to blues for its melancholic touch and sentimental ballads. Characterized by its melodramatic themes, enka songs typically explore loss, love, loneliness, and the ephemeral nature of life, often with a nostalgic longing for the past. The music employs a traditional Japanese scale mixed with Western harmonies and often features the distinctive sound of the shamisen, a Japanese three-stringed lute. Enka singers, like Ryoko Moriyama and Sayuri Ishikawa, are known for their deep, emotive voices and the ability to convey profound emotion through a style of singing that incorporates vibrato and controlled melodrama. Performance-wise, enka artists often don traditional Japanese attire, adding to the genre's cultural and nostalgic appeal.

Life Is Beautiful

Ryoko Moriyama

Album - 9 Tracks - Released January 22, 2025