wowaka

Wowaka was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan on 4 November 1987. He was interested in joining rock bands since his middle school, starting as a guitarist, he joined bands in his high school and college. He was an alumnus of University of Tokyo, and was the leader of the music club {{nihongo||東大音感|"Toudai Onkan"}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ongakusyugi.net/special/publicEntrySP.php?article_id=20171100256f71849|title=この学生サークルが面白い！ vol.16 東大音感」音楽主義|date=2017-11-17|website=www.ongakusyugi.net|access-date=2019-04-18|language=ja}} In college, he began composing original music for his band.{{Cite book|title=ボカロ神Pと超絶クリエイターたち〜才能が出逢う場所|publisher=Yamaha Music Media|year=2011|isbn=978-4636867572|pages=22–24|language=ja}}

Wowaka's first contact with Vocaloid music was in December 2008, when he listened to livetune's song Last Night, Good Night. Taking a liking to the song, he was shocked to learn that this song was the work of one man. He then quit his band, and began creating Vocaloid music using Hatsune Miku in April 2009.{{Cite journal|date=July 2011|title=ボカロPインタビュー|journal=Gekkayo|publisher=ゲッカヨ|issue=426|pages=26|language=ja}}{{Cite news|url=http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/497/497898/|title=バンドとニコ動、2つの顔を持つ「裏表ラバーズ」作者の素性|date=2010-02-13|newspaper=ascii.jp|access-date=2011-05-27|publisher=ASCII Media Works|language=ja}} Wowaka began his musical career in May 2009, by uploading his original Vocaloid music titled {{nihongo|In the Gray Zone.|グレーゾーンにて。}} to the Japanese video-sharing website Niconico Douga. In the video of In the Gray Zone, trying to convey the image of the song without using illustrations of Vocaloid characters, wowaka used his own drawing instead, and, for consistency, he kept this style in all his later Vocaloid works.

Wowaka's songs published on Niconico are characterised by obscure lyrics depicting thoughts of young women in fast-paced melodies. He has said that although he initially wanted to make music that can only be made using Vocaloid, he later realized the advantages of Vocaloid music.{{Cite book|year=2011|title= VOCALOIDをたのしもう6|pages=40|publisher=Yamaha Music Media|isbn=978-4-636-86584-4|language=ja}} He became known under the name "Genjitsutouhi-P" after writing the phrase "Escaping from reality, how nice!" ({{Langx|ja|現実逃避って、いいよね！|Genjitsutouhi tte, ii yo ne!}}) in several descriptions of his music. His works gained particularly large popularity on Niconico Douga. After releasing his self-published album, he helped found Balloom, an independent record label, along with other musicians popular on Niconico Douga.

In May 2011, wowaka released his debut studio album {{nihongo|Unhappy Refrain|アンハッピーリフレイン}} under the Balloom label.{{Cite news|date=2011-03-05|title=ネットの音楽クリエーターたちが新レーベルを設立|url=http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/news/20110304/1034794/?ttr&rt=nocnt|publisher=Nikkei Business Publications|newspaper = Nikkei Trendy Net|access-date = 2011-05-27|language=ja}}{{Cite news|date=2011-05-20|title=「毎回外さないようにしているのは焦燥感や、もやもやした気持ち」ニコ動ヒットメーカーwowakaが描く思春期の感情 |url=http://www.webdice.jp/dice/detail/3062/|publisher=アップリンク|newspaper = webDICE|access-date = 2011-05-27|language=ja}} The album released to widespread acclaim, peaking at 6th on Oricon and with several tracks, including the title track, entering Niconico Douga's Hall of Legends and Hall of Myths. It is considered a classic in the Vocaloid music industry, and is often considered Wowaka's signature work.{{by whom|date=May 2020}} The tracks, including "Two-faced Lovers", "World's End Dancehall", "Rolling Girl", and "Unhappy Refrain", all attained a cult following.{{Cite news|url=https://nijimen.net/topics/22009|title=「裏表ラバーズ」「ローリンガール」などを発表したボカロP＆バンド・ヒトリエのwowakaさんが急性心不全のため死去|date=2019-04-08|newspaper=にじめん|access-date=2019-04-08|language=ja}} Following this, wowaka was the composer and lyricist of the single And I'm Home, which was used as one of the ending theme songs in the 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica,{{cite web |url=https://www.nautiljon.com/lyrics/mahou+shoujo+madoka%E2%98%85magica/and+i-m+home.html |title=Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Ending 3 : and I'm home |website=www.nautiljon.com |language=fr |access-date=2020-05-17 }} and also arranged "Summernoise Version" and "those dizzy days Version" of Secret Base (Kimi ga Kureta Mono) which was the ending theme for the anime series Anohana.{{Cite web |date=15 Jan 2014 |title=ネット音楽シーンにおいて圧倒的な人気と存在感を誇るｗowakaを中心に結成されたロックバンド＝ヒトリエ、デビュー |trans-title=Rock band Hitorie, formed mainly by WOWAKA, which boasts overwhelming popularity and presence in the Internet music scene |url=https://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2014/01/15/0702 |website=Tower Records Japan Inc.}} In the same year, he joined the rock band Hitorie as the primary vocalist and guitarist, and shifted his focus towards the band. Hitorie released their debut album {{nihongo|Room Sick Girls Escape|ルームシック・ガールズエスケープ}} in 2012.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nautiljon.com/jmusic/hitorie/room+sick+girl-s+escape.html |title=Hitorie : Room Sick Girl's Escape |website=www.nautiljon.com |language=fr |access-date=2020-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815141024/https://www.nautiljon.com/jmusic/hitorie/room+sick+girl-s+escape.html |archive-date=2020-08-15 |url-status=live}}

In August 2017, wowaka released his final Vocaloid song entitled {{nihongo|Unknown Mother Goose|アンノウン・マザーグース}} following six years since his previous works in Vocaloid. The song was created for Hatsune Miku's 10-year anniversary compilation album Re:Start.{{Cite news|title=【知りたい】wowakaの6年ぶりボカロ曲"アンノウン・マザーグース"までを貫く世界観とは？|newspaper=rockinon.com|date=2017-08-30|url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/166353|access-date=2019-04-08|language=ja}} In October of the same year, he released his own vocal cover version of the song under Hitorie.{{Cite news|title=ヒトリエ、wowakaボカロ楽曲「アンノウン・マザーグース」セルフカバー配信＆サブスクリプション開始|newspaper=Musicman-net|date=2017-10-23|url=https://www.musicman-net.com/artist/69960|access-date=2019-04-08}} In an interview, wowaka credited Hatsune Miku for getting him into making music. He stated: "I never gave it a second of thought 10 years ago as I posted songs, but no matter how you look at it, Hatsune Miku is the one who got me to start music. Miku is sort of like a mother figure to me."{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/pp/wowaka_deco27|title=初音ミクの10年～彼女が見せた新しい景色～｜wowaka（ヒトリエ）×DECO*27対談 ボカロシーンの牽引者たちが語る「あの頃、何が起こったのか」 - 音楽ナタリー 特集・インタビュー|last=森|first=朋之|website=Natalie Inc.|language=ja|access-date=2019-04-18}}

Wowaka died in his sleep on 5 April 2019, due to heart failure, at the age of 31. The death was announced on Hitorie's website on 8 April 2019.{{Cite web |title=ヒトリエからのお知らせ {{!}} ヒトリエ {{!}} ソニーミュージックオフィシャルサイト |url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/hitorie/info/505751 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240718134242/https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/hitorie/info/505751 |archive-date=2024-07-18 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=ヒトリエ {{!}} Sony Music |language=ja-JP}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2019/04/08-1/vocaloid-song-artisthitorie-vocalist-wowaka-passes-away-due-to-acute-heart-failure|title=Vocaloid Song Artist/Hitorie Vocalist wowaka Passes Away due to Acute Heart Failure|last=Komatsu|first=Mikikazu|date=2019-04-08|website=Crunchyroll|language=en-us|access-date=2019-04-10}} A private funeral was held by his family members. On 1 June 2019, Hitorie held a remembrance concert.{{Cite web |last=Inc |first=Natasha |title=【ライブレポート】ヒトリエwowaka追悼会、シノダが全曲熱唱「天国に聞こえるぐらいみんなで歌おう」（写真21枚） |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/333946 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=音楽ナタリー |language=ja}}

On Nico Nico Douga, videos such as Two-Faced Lovers (Ura-Omote Lovers) and the posthumous Unknown Mother Goose received numerous tribute comments, along with messages quoting lyrics from World's End Dancehall such as, "Goodbye, take care." Similarly, wowaka's final tweet, "Reiwa is so beautiful," was flooded with tribute messages, and related words dominated Twitter's trending topics at the time.{{Cite news |title=wowaka (@wowaka) on X |url=https://twitter.com/wowaka/status/1112546645223198721 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241001061631/https://twitter.com/wowaka/status/1112546645223198721 |archive-date=2024-10-01 |access-date=2025-01-01 |work=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=“現実逃避P”wowakaさん急死 ニコ動に追悼と「ありがとう」 「裏表ラバーズ」など曲名もトレンドに |url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1904/08/news104.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=ITmedia NEWS |language=ja}}

At the time, Hitorie was in the middle of a nationwide tour that had begun in March of the same year. Concerts scheduled for April 6 in Kyoto and April 7 in Okayama, along with all other tour dates, were canceled.{{Cite web |title=ヒトリエ TOUR 2019 |url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/hitorie/info/505720 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230404210626/https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/hitorie/info/505720 |archive-date=2023-04-04 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=ヒトリエ {{!}} Sony Music |language=ja-JP}}

However, they continued in September so as to not diminish wowaka's legacy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/hitorie/info/505751|title=ヒトリエからのお知らせ|website=www.sonymusic.co.jp|language=ja|access-date=2019-04-08}} Band member Shinoda succeeded wowaka as the vocalist. As of 2024, the band has released 2 albums since his death. At Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai 2019 and Miku Expo Europe 2020, tributes were held to honor him.

Various Vocaloid artists have made music with wowaka as an inspiration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/wowaka-death-hatsune-miku/|title=Wowaka, beloved Hatsune Miku composer, dead at 31|date=2019-04-08|website=The Daily Dot|language=en|access-date=2019-04-12}} His songs like "Rolling Girl" and "World's End Dancehall" are widely influential and, along with other songs of his, have inspired others to make covers and derivative works. Following his death, fans of Wowaka paid tribute to him on various social media to commemorate his musical and vocal capabilities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/wowaka-death-vocaloid-producer-and-hitorie-vocalist-dies-of-acute-heart-failure/|title=Wowaka death: Vocaloid producer and Hitorie vocalist dies of acute heart failure|last=Yemi|first=Frank|date=2019-04-08|website=Monsters and Critics|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-18}}

Musician Kenshi Yonezu, also known by his stage name Hachi when creating Vocaloid music, was a close friend of wowaka. After his death, Yonezu praised wowaka for having a deep impact on the concept of "Vocaloid-esque" music among Vocaloid creators, and that since his own music was also influenced by wowaka, he held his greatest respect for him.{{Cite news|url=https://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2019/04/08/0012223521.shtml|title=米津玄師、ｗｏｗａｋａさん訃報をＲＴ 過去には「影響受けた人間の一人」とツイート|date=2019-04-08|newspaper=デイリースポーツ online|access-date=2019-04-08|language=ja}}

Aiden Strawhun wrote on Kotaku that "For those who've been part of the Vocaloid community since Hatsune Miku's early days, Wowaka's name carries more than just the weight of nostalgia. It carries a teenage-angsty resonance thanks to songs such as the turbulent, cacophonic 'Rolling Girl.' [...] Where there is Hatsune Miku, there is Wowaka. [...] With his passing, we've not only lost a huge, immensely influential part of the community but a monumental part of our history. His work, though, will live on. Wowaka did more than create music for a generation. He created magic."

{{Main|Wowaka discography}}

• Unhappy Refrain (2011)

• the monochrome disc (2009)
• World 0123456789 (2010)
• SEVEN GIRLS' DISCORD (2010)

• Kakuseiya (覚醒屋) by Lisa (2011)
• antinotice by Aki Akane (2011)
• EGOISTIC SHOOTER by Lisa (2012)
• secret base (Kimi ga Kureta Mono) (Summernoise ver.) (secret base ～君がくれたもの～ (Summernoise ver.)) & secret base (Kimi ga Kureta Mono) (those dizzy day ver.) (secret base ～君がくれたもの～ (those dizzy day ver.)) (arrangement only, 2013)
• Hitori Waratte (ヒトリワラッテ) by Lisa (2013)
• Abnormal Q by Risa Aizawa of Dempagumi Inc. (released 2020)

• Vocaloid
• Hatsune Miku
• Megurine Luka
• Kenshi Yonezu

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://hitorie.jp|name=HITORIE Official Website}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121227145428/http://hitori-atelier.com/index2.html wowaka]
• [http://balloom.net/artist_wowaka.html balloom.net | ARTIST WOWAKA]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110831061802/http://hinichijourecords.com:80/ 非日常レコーズ] - Former Official Website
• [http://wowakabeya.seesaa.net/ ヲワカベヤ] - Blog (2009–2010)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160311145238/https://lineblog.me/hitorie HITORIE LINE Blog]

{{Vocaloid musicians}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:wowaka}}

Category:1987 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:21st-century Japanese composers

Category:21st-century Japanese singers

Category:21st-century Japanese male singers

Category:Japanese male musicians

Category:Japanese male singer-songwriters

Category:Musicians from Kagoshima Prefecture

Category:Place of death missing

Category:University of Tokyo alumni

Category:Vocaloid musicians

Category:Deaths from congestive heart failure in Japan