Sachiko Kobayashi, who “does ridiculous things seriously” and is “different from other greats,” is supported by her generosity and spirit of challenge.

Why she is so elated even though she is no longer appearing in Kohaku

On November 28, enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi (71) appeared at the “Simeji presents Generation Z Trend Award 2024” event in Tokyo. She said, “What?　I’m really young! and “I’m really young!

Kobayashi made his debut as a singer at the age of 10, and this year marks the 60th anniversary of his performing career. He has led the enka world for a long time and is truly a “rasuboss.

He has participated in the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest), one of the “status quo” of Japanese singers, from 1979 (30th) to 2011 (62nd). Kobayashi was famous for the huge stage-set-like costumes he wore at every Kohaku, and the costume showdown with Kenichi Mikawa (78) was a highlight of the Kohaku.

However, due to the trend of the times, the slump in enka, and the changing concept of Kohaku itself, Kobayashi and Kenichi Mikawa ceased to participate in the Kohaku in 2003. It has been a long time since Mikawa and Akiko Wada (74), who together had made Kohaku so much fun over the years, also stopped participating, and it was thought that Kobayashi would suffer greatly from the loss of not only a place to show off her fine performance at the end of the year, but also from the drastically reduced exposure. However, a source at a major record company who has known her for a long time said, “She’s just so enthusiastic,

She is very enthusiastic,” said a source at a major record company who has known her for a long time. Her popularity is not waning, but rather rising, and her fan base is expanding from the younger generation to the older generation. The reason for this is that she is not at all wedded to the past. This is because she has the flexibility to change with the times, always keeping in mind the need to upgrade her products.

He analyzes. Indeed, Kobayashi never stays still and is always challenging new fields. Three years before his last Kohaku appearance, he made his first appearance as a guest on Nico Nico Douga.

There is no reason why machines can do it and humans can’t sing!

Nico Douga” is a video sharing service distributed over the Internet that allows users to write comments on the video screen in real time. The greatest feature of this service is that users can share their thoughts and feelings.

Kobayashi, who had been called a “rasuboss” mainly by young people because his huge luxurious costume reminded them of the strongest enemy (the bad guy) who appears at the end of the game, began to attract more young fans after appearing on “Nico Douga. He also began posting videos on Nico-dou himself. In September 2001, he posted his first video, “Boku to Watashi to Nico Nico Douga no Natsu-feel ni Mita (I Sang Boku to Watashi to Nico Nico Douga in Summer),” which received more than 1 million views in two and a half days.

Kobayashi was attracted to the world of the Internet, which he had never had the opportunity to come into contact with before, but at the same time, he felt a sense of challenge and took on the new challenge of “Vocaloids. Vocaloid” is an abbreviation for “Vocaloid,” a voice synthesizing technology. The melody and lyrics are input into a computer or other device, and the singing voice is synthesized and sung by a virtual singer rather than a flesh-and-blood human being. Kobayashi said in a magazine interview.

There are songs where there are no breathes for more than 100 bars, which is impossible. But I think to myself, “There is no reason why a machine can do it and a human can’t sing it! (Laughs)” (Shukan Josei PRIME, June 19, 2009)

In 2003, when she returned to Kohaku as a special program, she sang “Senbonzakura,” the famous vocaloid song by the virtual singer “Hatsune Miku. Kobayashi continues to take on new challenges, and in 2006 she also became a virtual YouTuber as “Virtual Grandmother Sachiko Kobayashi.

Sachiko Kobayashi, age 17

In April of this year, she appeared in the “Cho-Odottemita” booth at the “Nico Nico Cho-Kaigi 2024” (Nico Nico Cho-Kaigi 2024). In September, she started a TikTok account under the name “Sachiko Kobayashi (age 17),” and her activities continue to expand and evolve.

The current NHK morning drama “Omusubi” is about a gal, and it is no coincidence that she herself became a gal shortly before the drama aired. She is always on the lookout for new information and greedily adopts it without making distinctions, even if it is aimed at a younger generation. She has the positivity to do so while having fun. Many of the big-name singers are difficult. They are stubborn or have strange obsessions. But Ms. Kobayashi is not like that at all.

Perhaps it is her original character, but she is a generous person. I have never heard Mr. Kobayashi criticize or speak ill of others. As he himself says, he “never refuses” any kind of work. I think her attitude of accepting anything and giving it a try is the reason why she has gained the sympathy of many people of her generation.

When Kobayashi appeared at the above event one week before his birthday, he was asked in an interview on an information program why he continues to challenge himself with new things.

Kobayashi said, “Doing ridiculous things with real effort, you know. It’s really interesting. It’s fun. （I’m 70 years old, but that doesn’t matter at all.

Kobayashi’s flexibility in riding the waves of the times, without being swept away or swallowed up by them, is evident.

What kind of “Sachiko Kobayashi” will we see next? Expectations are growing.