Kawaii metal
{{short description|Subgenre of heavy metal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name = Kawaii metal
| other_names = {{hlist|Idol metal|cute metal}}
| etymology = Kawaii
| stylistic_origins = {{flatlist|
}}
| cultural_origins = Early 2010s, Japan
| local_scenes =
| subgenres = Kawaiicore
| other_topics = *Death growl
}}
Kawaii metal (also known as idol metal,{{cite web|url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-creepy-way-japan-turned-thrash-metal-into-pop-music/|title=7 Strange Aspects Of Japan's Pop Idol Metal Music Scene|last=Clay|first=Felix|date=27 May 2016|website=Cracked.com|access-date=16 October 2016}} cute metal, J-pop metal, or kawaiicore{{Cite web|url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/ladybaby-ladybeard-kawaii-la-show-amine-57a206e23443a7df2fe98ef7|title=Meet Ladybaby, Japan's Kawaiicore (and Pro-Wrestling) Answer to Andrew WK|last=Ohanesian|first=Liz|date=15 October 2015|website=Noisey|access-date=18 October 2016}}) is a musical genre that blends elements of heavy metal and J-pop that was pioneered in Japan in the early 2010s. The genre combines both Eastern and Western influences that appeal to both cultures.{{cite book |last1=Kennedy |first1=Lewis F. |title=Multilingual Metal Music : Sociocultural, Linguistic and Literary Perspectives on Heavy Metal Lyrics |date=2020 |publisher=Emerald Publishing Limited |location=United Kingdom |isbn=9781839099502 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyYNEAAAQBAJ |access-date=27 February 2021}} A typical kawaii metal composition combines the instrumentation found in various types of heavy metal music with J-pop melodies and a Japanese idol aesthetic. Kawaii metal's lyrical topics often contain kawaii (cute, lovable, kidlike) themes.{{cite book |last1=Lebra |first1=Takie Sugiyama |title=The Japanese Self in Cultural Logic |date=2004 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |location=Hawaii |isbn=0-8248-2840-2 |page=86 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C0xbMp8xbYQC&q=kawaii&pg=PP1 |access-date=27 February 2021}}
The Japanese girl group Babymetal is often credited with the creation and success of kawaii metal.
History and characteristics
File:BABYMETAL, O2 Arena, London (31480784365).jpg, performing in The O2 Arena London in 2016.]]
Japanese heavy metal idol group Babymetal are considered the inventors of the kawaii metal genre.{{Cite web|url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/babymetal-wont-answer-your-questions|title=Nothing Personal: Babymetal Don't Like Answering Questions|date=15 July 2014|website=Noisey|access-date=23 October 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.beyondthestagemagazine.com/the-unpredictable-rise-of-kawaiicore/|title=The Unpredictable Rise of Kawaiicore|last=Cleek|first=Taylor|date=17 July 2015|website=Beyond the Stage|access-date=28 October 2016}} The concept of kawaii metal started with Key “Kobametal” Kobayashi, the producer behind the group Babymetal. In an interview conducted by Billboard, Kobayashi explains that he was “just trying to do something no one had heard before”.{{cite news |last1=Rosenthal |first1=Jeff |title=Babymetal: Gaga's Kooky Find |issue=24 |publisher=Billboard |date=2014}} Kawaii metal gained international popularity in 2014, when the group Babymetal uploaded a song to Youtube called "Gimme Chocolate!!"{{cite book |last1=Kennedy |first1=Lewis F |title=Multilingual Metal Music : Sociocultural, Linguistic and Literary Perspectives on Heavy Metal Lyrics |date=2020 |publisher=Emerald Publishing Limited |location=United Kingdom |isbn=9781839099502 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyYNEAAAQBAJ |access-date=27 February 2021}} Angelica Wallingford of City Times opined that Babymetal's eponymous debut album had pioneered the kawaii metal musical genre. Wallingford also defined the genre, and album, as a "mixture of varying genres including pop, rock, heavy metal, electronic dance music, industrial and symphonic death metal".{{Cite web|url=http://www.sdcitytimes.com/arts/2014/03/27/kawaii-metal-goes-viral/|title='Kawaii' metal goes viral|last=Wallingford|first=Angelica|date=27 March 2014|website=City Times|access-date=17 October 2016}} A guest contributor at The Independent believed that the genre was a derivative of J-pop and various extreme metal genres, namely "speed metal, power metal, black metal, and industrial metal".{{Cite web|url=http://suindependent.com/babymetal-metal-resistance-album-review/|title=Album Review: Babymetal's "Metal Resistance" is a Japanese metal mutant|date=21 May 2016|website=The Independent|access-date=28 October 2016}}
While discussing Babymetal, The Sydney Morning Herald's Rob Nash stated that the genre consisted of "sugary pop melodies over thrash metal". Nash also believed that the group's song "Awadama Fever" exemplified the genre, with its "slabs of angry guitar and undanceably fast breakbeats, while the girls [Babymetal] squeak about 'bubble ball fever' and chewing gum".{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/babymetal-japans-heavy-metal-girl-band-sensation-20160526-gp4pl2.html|title=Babymetal: Japan's heavy metal girl-band sensation|last=Nash|first=Rob|date=11 June 2016|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=28 October 2016}}
Babymetal has remained extremely popular. In 2019, Babymetal became the first Asian artists to top Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart, with their third studio album, Metal Galaxy.{{cite web |last1=Rolli |first1=Bryan |title=Babymetal Becomes First Asian Act To Top Billboard's Top Rock Albums Chart |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrolli/2019/10/24/babymetal-becomes-first-asian-act-to-top-billboards-top-rock-albums-chart/?sh=7835810069c3 |work=Forbes |access-date=27 February 2021}} Murray Stassen in Music Week commented that "Babymetal is, without a doubt, a genuine cross-genre musical phenomenon" and that, despite how the juxtaposition of metal and J-pop might not seem to make sense on paper: "[Babymetal has] proved that it can, and does work, and resistance to the Babymetal phenomenon is futile."{{Cite news|last=Stassen|first=Murray|title=Music Periodicals Database|work=Music Week}}
File:Deadlift Lolita's signing event, Comic Exhibition 20170813.jpg in 2017.]]
Discussing Ladybeard, and Ladybaby, Jake Cleland of The Sydney Morning Herald defined the genre as "saccharine pop with his heavy metal growling".{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/from-ladybeard-to-ladybaby-the-pro-wrestling-heavy-metal-singer-taking-japan-by-storm-20150711-gia24x.html|title=From Ladybeard to Ladybaby: the pro wrestling heavy metal singer taking Japan by storm|last=Cleland|first=Jake|date=11 July 2015|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=17 October 2016}} Alex Weiss of Paper defined the genre as "hard rock with sugary sweet pop hooks". Weiss also used Babymetal's songs "Karate" and "Road of Resistance" as examples to explain the differing lyrical perspective between the kawaii metal and other metal genres, stating that kawaii metal songs "offer a perspective often missing from the hyper-masculine, aggressive lyrics usually present in most of the [metal] genre's hits".{{Cite web|url=http://www.papermag.com/meet-the-japanese-girl-group-giving-metal-a-much-needed-kawaii-makeove-1920617617.html|title=MEET THE JAPANESE GIRL GROUP GIVING METAL A KAWAII MAKEOVER|last=Weiss|first=Alex|date=13 July 2016|website=Paper|access-date=21 October 2016}} Felix Clay of Cracked.com also believed that the genre had less aggressive lyricism, citing the genre had lyrics about "pop music topics like kittens, chocolate, and fun".
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.amazon.com.br/OSS！-BABYMETAL-way-English-Yu-ebook/dp/B08QZTYKBP Tadano, John, and Yu, Yu. OSS! BABYMETAL on the way (English Edition)] – listing on Amazon
- [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/11/babymetal-metal-galaxy-review Babymetal: Metal Galaxy review – kawaii metal originators deliver clashy opus] – newspaper article
- [https://www.babymetal.com/en/ Babymetal] – official website
- [https://reprobatepress.com/2016/04/04/feature-the-rise-and-rise-of-kawaii-metal/ The Rise and Rise of Kawaii Metal] – web article
- [https://www.beyondthestagemagazine.com/the-unpredictable-rise-of-kawaiicore/ The Unpredictable Rise of Kawaiicore] – magazine article
- [http://frupoche.com Fruit Pochette] – official website
{{Heavy metal music}}
{{Music of Japan}}