What is ‘future funk’ and what does the genre say about Japanese – and Hong Kong – pop culture? A Hong Kong music label founder who has played a big part in its rise tells the Post how it evolved.
Mar 11, 2021
TikTok has a way of turning obscure songs into sudden hits. In December, users of the platform resurrected Miki Matsubara’s 1979 debut, “Mayonaka no Door: Stay With Me.”
The song itself, which made Matsubara a star in Japan, unfolds at an understated pace loaded with disco elements before exploding in a heartfelt chorus with the plea, “Stay with meeeee!” It’s catchy, joyous and the perfect soundtrack to TikTok videos in which creators bond with their Japanese moms.
“I made the TikTok when my mom was doing stuff around the house,” a user who asks to be referred to as Ronnie C. says over email. Her clip has attracted more than 1.5 million likes at the time of writing. “I started playing the song and recording before I came in her room so I could get her reaction.”
How TikTok resurrected a Japanese pop star's defining hit japantimes.co.jp - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from japantimes.co.jp Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.