[For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke

Song of Wind and LoveKaori Kouzai

Fuurenka

Kaori Kozai’s classic “Furenka,” released in 2008, is an orthodox enka song suffused with melancholy throughout.

It features a fair number of kobushi (melodic turns), including many that span more than three scale steps, but the overall vocal range is not wide, so its difficulty level as enka goes is not particularly high.

If you have a basic command of enka techniques, you should be able to sing it without much trouble.

The melody is catchy, too, so it goes over extremely well at karaoke.

Pumpkin flowerMitsuko Nakamura

[Promotional Video] Mitsuko Nakamura / Pumpkin Flower

Mitsuko Nakamura’s classic “Kabocha no Hana,” with its striking depiction of romance from a male perspective, leaves a strong impression.

While the song isn’t a full-fledged “man’s song,” several parts feature masculine, powerful phrasing.

That said, the power isn’t to the level of a shout; it’s more about firmly building tension with rising intonation, so it’s perfectly singable for women as well.

In addition, the kobushi ornamentation is not very difficult and appears only a few times, so even listeners who feel uneasy about her vocal style rooted in rōkyoku can sing it with confidence.

I want to get drunk aloneIshihara Junko

Junko Ishihara “Hitori Yoitakute” (I Want to Get Drunk Alone) — first chorus

Ishihara Junko’s heartbreaking masterpiece “Hitori Yoitakute” portrays the pain of lost love.

Like Hitomi Ishikawa’s “Amagi-goe,” it features a melody that is both wistful and passionate.

In contrast to the passionate melody, however, the vocal line in this piece is crafted to be very simple.

There are few kobushi (ornamental turns) and no drastic rises and falls in pitch.

With careful attention to pitch control, you should be able to aim for a high score.

For those who want to sing it even better, try adding a breathy quality to the K-row consonants to emphasize dynamics.

Yorisoi grassIshihara Junko

Junko Ishihara “Yorisoi-gusa” Music Video (1 Chorus)

Yorisoigusa, a masterpiece by Junko Ishihara that beautifully captures one of enka’s charms—its wistful melancholy.

Although this song features more subtle kobushi (ornamental turns) than many of her other works, they aren’t the kind that repeatedly shift pitch on the same vowel; rather, they add a light embellishment to the ends of phrases, so the overall difficulty isn’t very high.

In addition, the vocal range is narrow, so as long as you focus on dynamics and pitch control during long tones, you should be able to deliver it with a high level of polish.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire.

I want to see you—I wish I could be with you right now.Ishihara Junko

Junko Ishihara “I Want to See You, Right Now…” Music Video (1 Chorus)

Junko Ishihara’s classic “Aitai, Ima Sugu Anata ni….” Among her songs, this one is particularly easy to sing.

Rather than enka, it leans more toward kayōkyoku, with a melody that evokes the style of Machiko Watanabe or Mariko Takahashi.

The key reason it’s easy to sing is the gentle rise and fall of the pitch.

The tempo is slow and there’s no kobushi ornamentation, so if you focus on solid pitch control and sustained vibrato on long tones, you can even aim for a high karaoke score.

Longing for RainAki Yashiro

Aki Yashiro “Yearning in the Rain”

Aki Yashiro’s classic “Ame no Bojo” (Yearning in the Rain).

It’s a memorable piece that makes the most of her distinctive husky voice, with a vocal line that stays restrained throughout.

There are no parts that call for belting; it’s the kind of song that’s meant to be sung with a subdued, weathered tone, so it doesn’t require powerful vocals like strong projection or shouts.

For one of her songs, it also features relatively few kobushi (ornamental vocal turns), making it comparatively easy to sing.

Consider adding it to your repertoire.