medorē #37 – Just Some Nice Covers
featuring Kamishiraishi Mone, α+, KAF (and more!)
Hey, hi, hello, and welcome to a bit of a special installment of the medorē (now with it’s own dedicated page on the site)!
In case you’re new around these parts, this is a recurring segment we like to do here on omunibasu where I take some songs from various Japanese artists, compile them all together, and give my overall thoughts and praises on them in a post. If you’ve ever seen someone do a ‘song roundup’, that is exactly what the medorē is all about.
Most of the time, I organize these roundups in a way where it revolves around a specific theme (e.g., the quarterly ones that were introduced just last year, or my annual idol-related posts). And that is the case for today’s edition, as I thought it’d be cool for us to discuss some ‘cover songs’; some of which came out back in 2025, while a few of the others were released in the current year.
Funny enough, I talked about this same exact topic back in 2019, which feels weirdly fascinating and coincidental that I ended up coming up with this idea again pretty much seven years later. Either way, it’s always fun to hear people sing other artists’ songs, especially if they themselves put their own spin/rendition on them, whether it be vocally or as a re-imagined arrangement. And with how prevalent they are in Japan (especially of Western songs, surprisingly enough), it’s neat to see how ingrained and celebrated it is within the culture; heck, there was a time when I thought UNCHAIN’s covers of certain popular songs were ones they themselves wrote, only to later find out they were actually written by other, hugely influential artists. So that’s what we’ll be dealing with in this one.
That said, I got a good selection for y’all today, so let’s jump right in!
♫ 「Audition (The Fools Who Dream)」 Kamishiraishi Mone
Released: 2026.02.24 ▸ Original by Emma Stone, Justin Hurwitz
October marks the tenth anniversary of well-known actress and singer Kamishiraishi Mone’s debut as a musical artist, and as part of an early celebration, she released a brand new album a couple months ago, titled texte. Given that music and acting tends to overlap for Kamishiraishi, a lot of the songs on this release relate to tracks from movies she’s admired and taken a lot of inspiration from, and/or have sung herself such as the re-recording of “Nandemonaiya” from Shinkai Makoto’s Kimi no Na wa (in which she was in the main cast as Miyamizu Mitsuha).
One song from the tracklist that immediately caught my eye was a cover of “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”, originating from the popular American musical film La La Land. It’s been quite a while since I last watched that movie, but having enjoyed it myself (especially its musical sequences), I was absolutely looking forward to hearing Mone’s own rendition of this lovely track.
And as expected, it truly was lovely. Instead of having a more grandiose and open tone like in the original, I think Mone (and frequent collaborator/arranger Toyama Tetsuro) did a great job honing in on her own strengths and usual style of music, where it’s much more light on the ears. Similar to what I said about her kibi album from 2024, her specific vocal styling excels in performing alongside more relaxing & feel-good melodies, and with how the whistling flutes, the acoustic guitars, and the piano give this upbeat & cool jazzy vibe… it comes off as ‘less dramatic’ in terms of sound, but still conveys the overall message of ‘praising those who continue to pursue their artistic dreams, no matter what’ pretty darn well, providing a brand new way to enjoy this great song.
Plus, it was neat to find out that this wasn’t the first time she’s sung this, as Mone performed it in 2017 at the Japanese premiere of La La Land.
♫ 「Overjoyed」 ROBITAS
Released: 2026.02.17 ▸ Original by Stevie Wonder
The discovery of ROBITAS has been one of my favorites from 2026 so far, as the three-piece ‘sci-fi' pop band released their first self-titled album back in February. I’ve had a lot of fun listening to it; the feel-good mixture of various styles such as city pop, neo-soul and AOR, combined with their unique approach towards lyricism that takes inspiration from science fiction stories/novels… I’m really digging this band a lot.
And amongst their original songs (“Rainbow” is a favorite of mine, as mentioned in last month’s medorē), I was kinda surprised to see a cover on here, namely Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” from 1985. I never heard of the original prior to listening to ROBITAS’ rendition of it, but having now listened to both quite a bit, I do like ROBITAS’ much simpler take on this classic.
Of course, it’s difficult to authentically reproduce one of Wonder’s most popular and beloved songs, particularly with all those natural sound effects heard throughout, like the water drops and and bird chirps. And while all that intricate production isn’t heard on this version from ROBITAS, it’s hard to not love the more chill direction they went with here.
Again, it’s quite straightforward in nature but the layering of the guitars, bass, and drums just perfectly meld together to create this calming-yet-infectiously groovy tone to it, sort of replicating the overall soothing mood heard on the original. It fits ROBITAS’ own sound and pace like a glove, and its simplicity is also probably why I can imagine them easily belting this one out at a live concert of theirs, in order to keep things mellow throughout the session (especially when vocalist Kaede sounds phenomenal when singing this track).
♫ 「Keep Looking」 Lil Summer & grooveman spot
Released: 2025.07.29 ▸ Original by Sade
On many, many occasions, I’ve given a ton of praise to Tokyo-based creative label w.a.u and the work they’ve put out. They’ve helped produce many great albums/EPs for other artists (e.g., Wez Atlas, Salasa, VivaOla, to name a few), but their ability to scout their own talent, give them a place to go off with their endeavors, and really set them up for success has resulted in them constantly pumping out fantastic stuff over the years.
While I’ve talked about reina countless times on the blog, one other artist that w.a.u has produced is Fukuoka-born singer Lil Summer. Admittedly, it’s quite easy to identify the similarities between her and reina; whether it’s their preference to sing all in English, their upbringings and how both grew up listening to American R&B and/or hip-hop, or just their general vibe. And it’s even more evident when you hear a song like “Games”, where the hypnotic vocals of both singers effortlessly intertwined with one another on an chills-inducing Kota Matsukawa production.
Included on the collaborative EP that Lil Summer and producer grooveman spot dropped last July was a really damn good cover of “Keep Looking”, originally released in 1988 by the London-rooted soul band Sade.
I think what’s amazing about this rendition is that these two somehow found a perfect balance of respecting the original while putting a whole new spin on it. Sure, that very specific ‘80s sound and more natural feel of Sade’s version feels very faint now, but I do feel like Lil Summer’s vocal performance honestly does the OG a ton of justice. By emulating the soulful & confident temperament heard from Sade Adu, it clearly shows how much of an influence she and similar artists of this genre/era has had on Lil Summer. But at the same time, she easily expresses the deeper vocal chops she’s been known for on past releases like Rojo, and on top of that, it feels perfect for her to sing about not losing your way and doing your own thing, especially being an indie artist with a ton of talent & potential.
Combine that with a really sleek and modern arrangement from grooveman spot, and I believe it’s a fun and unique take on a timeless classic. Reminds me a lot of how Friday Night Plans took Takeuchi Mariya’s iconic “Plastic Love” and gave it a fresh coat of paint that shined on its own.
♫ 「Onnanoko wa Tsuyoi」 α+
Released: 2026.02.24 ▸ Original by Takane no Nadeshiko
I was curious why I’ve been seeing newly-debuted idol group α+ (pronounced ‘alpha plus’) a lot as of late, whether it’s on my Twitter/X timeline or Apple Music suggesting their stuff to me. I did end up listening to one of their songs, but admittedly kinda left it at that. But my interest was piqued when I later found out that α+ is represented by the TWIN PLANET entertainment agency, of whom also manage groups I’m very familiar with such as Takane no Nadeshiko and Karen na Ivory…
…which is why I found this recent cover from α+ to be even more interesting. They’re not a direct sister group to the two aforementioned units (HoneyWorks doesn’t produce their music), but the fact that they did their own rendition of a Takaneko song is… pretty neat, actually.
I once wrote a post mentioning Takane no Nadeshiko’s potential over-reliance on performing & putting out cover songs, and since then, they’ve deservingly made me look like an absolute fool; the group has released a good amount of original tracks over the past couple years, and is a big reason why they’ve been thriving as of late. One decent point I did make in that post, though, is that idol groups doing covers isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can be something that lets these newer talents improve their singing/dancing skills, as well as maybe get a few more eyes on them (even the big hitters like the KAWAII LAB groups are known to sing each others’ songs during live concerts).
α+ releasing a cover of “Onnanoko wa Tsuyoi” in particular is interesting for a couple reasons:
One, and in my opinion, it’s straight-up a nice song. It has that well-known, emotional tone that HoneyWorks loves to work with in their compositions, and similar to how I felt about Takaneko performing it, the α+ ladies sounded pretty good, both as a group and individually.
But the main thing that stood out to me: when taking into consideration that this song was originally written to show off the strength, pride & determination of Takaneko, it feels like an ideal track for another fresh group of idols to sing about. It’s especially touching to see its accompanying music video, where it seemingly documents the tough process that these eleven ladies had to go through ahead of their then-stage debut back in March. Fronted by a very emotional scene towards the beginning, as well as footage of α+ putting their blood, sweat, and tears into this dream they’re all trying to pursue… even though I don’t know a whole lot about these people, it’s impossible not to root for them after watching this and I can only hope for nothing but success for α+. May they also get the chance to perform this song with their Takaneko senpais one day.
♫ 「PINK BLOOD」 KAF
Released: 2026.03.22 ▸ Original by Utada Hikaru
Last year on the Exchange/Rate segment, I ended up reviewing two albums that were related to (in one way or another) the KAMITSUBAKI-produced ensemble of KAF, RIM, Isekaijoucho, KOKO and Harusaruhi; otherwise known as the vocal unit ‘Virtual Witch Phenomenon’ (or ‘V.W.P’, for short). While I already had knowledge about them in the past, those two months served as a real opportunity to sit with the group’s abilities as singers; especially after I dove deeper into the many cover songs they’ve posted on their individual YouTube channels, similar to most of the virtual-based talents that have popped up over the years. Tack on the even cooler benefit of all five of them occasionally streaming ‘cover lives’ that later turn into actual, released live albums.
And while there are a ton I could feature here (including that time when KOKO sang “Kawaikute Gomen” of all songs), this fitting cover of Utada Hikaru’s “PINK BLOOD” by the pink-haired talent herself was the one I settled with.
In my time with listening to KAF’s music, I’ve always found it interesting how well she can shift between vocal pitches on a dime, even to the point where it’s almost like she’s singing as two different people, if that makes sense. Obviously, KAF’s been known to wield a more cutesy and nasally voice in general, as many people have described (and may have differing opinions on). It’s very noticeable here, where KAF’s puts on a bit of a child-like persona with how bright she sounds when she performs those higher notes.
But it’s clear that she can easily use a deeper register when needed, and hearing her go back and forth between the two throughout this cover… the difference is almost night-and-day. It’s one of the reasons why many people, myself included, consider KAF to be one of the most versatile vocalists in the KAMITSUBAKI pool of talent; not only in terms of performing various genres/styles but also the way she maneuvers her voice to fit a certain tone.
One other thing I found impressive was her being able to imitate the very specific off-beat singing heard throughout. It’s weird how I only noticed this when listening to this version (I initially thought that was KAF’s own doing, for some reason), but later realizing that Utada did the same in the original… it makes KAF’s overall awareness and vocal ability even more admirable, I’d say.
♫ 「Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!」 Yamane Aya
Released: 2025.01.14 ▸ Original by Yonezu Kenshi
I’ll admit that a part of why I decided to include this cover is because of voice actress Yamane Aya’s recent surge in popularity, particularly overseas (lol). Many Umamusume fans will recognize her as the voice of Tracen’s resident Gen Z-er, Daitaku Helios, whether it’s through the memes, that rap remix that’s been making the rounds, or just how unhinged she is as a character via her localized dialogue in the mobile game’s global version. It’s always neat to see voice actors getting the recognition they deserve, especially from an audience outside of Japan, and it’s easy to say that Yaya’s been a prime example as of late.
But on the other hand, it made me remember how much I loved and replayed this cover she did back in early 2025.
On top of her voice acting career (and the works that have had her sing/perform, such as being a member of the now-disbanded vocal unit Kleissis), Yaya has further delved into music, including the time when she opened up her own YouTube channel in 2023 and started posting covers of popular J-pop songs. What I found cool about her approach here is how she presented each cover with, what feels like, very simple music videos. You can see her being surrounded by sparsely-constructed, IKEA showroom-like sets that still give off a very home-y and comfy vibe, perfectly accompanying Yaya’s voice and even expressing her own personality and charms through her actions. Additionally, she’s done duets with a few of her fellow seiyuu buddies like Tsuchiya Rio and Yomiya Hina, further showing off their singing skills outside of a fictional project.
That is exactly the case with a cover she did last year, of Yonezu Kenshi’s 2024 hit song “Sayonara, Mata Itsuka”, where we see her whipping up some pancakes and enjoying a cup of tea. It may not be as frantic as the original’s music video, but in a way, Yaya cooking in a casually-decorated room might fit her style much better.
One thing that some may find surprising here is Yaya’s vocal range. She honestly imitates Yonezu Kenshi’s overall performance and differing pitches extremely well, singing in a very deep tone while sprinkling in the higher notes you hear in the original. It’s easy to say that this could be a by-product of her abilities and training as a great voice actor over the years, but whether or not that’s the case, I think Yaya clearly shows that she’s a refined vocalist in her own right. She sings in a tone that feels comforting on the ears—in a cover that you can’t help but to loop over and over because of that—which can be a tad bit strange since many of us are now more familiar with her whenever she’s screaming modern slang as a horse girl.
♫ 「soldier game」 Ado
Released: 2026.01.14 ▸ Original by Sonoda Umi (CV. Mimori Suzuko), Ayase Eli (CV. Nanjo Yoshino), Nishikino Maki (CV. Pile)
It is no secret that Ado has achieved global stardom at this point, as shown with how popular she’s gotten outside of Japan, as well as the numerous live performances she’s held around the world (including her HIBANA tour last year, which I ended up checking out myself). But who knew that one of the biggest pop stars out of Japan is also a die-hard Love Live fan?
Ado makes her fandom very apparent, as she’s mentioned a couple of the groups in passing and is also a very, very, VERY avid Sonoda Umi fan. Whether it’s freaking out when Umi’s voice actress (Mimori Suzuko) surprised her with a birthday message on her radio program, or how Ado covered one of Umi’s solo songs late last year… she takes her oshikatsu very seriously, and really does make her one of us. Plus, as part of the Love Live project celebrating fifteen years in 2025, Ado also had the pleasure of providing a cover for the series’ tribute album. A lot of people, myself included, were stunned by this addition and could only imagine which track a talented singer like her could recreate. And when the song selection was revealed, it made complete sense.
“soldier game” is one of the greatest Love Live songs ever conceived, and it’d be insanely impossible for anyone to convince me otherwise. Not only does it ooze with an infectious grooviness and jazz-feel through the loud horns and slappy bass, but it also includes one of my favorite vocal talent ensembles in all of μ’s (Maki/Umi/Eli), of whom easily bounce off each other extremely well through their more mature & deeper tones.
Ado ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, 100% does this track justice, and even gives us a little extra to enjoy as well. While it does only include a couple changes (like the more prominent violin in the back or that crazy guitar solo towards the end), this new arrangement alone feels fresh as hell while still maintaining the core elements of the original composition and the things that made it bang so hard.
But more notably, Ado’s vocal talent is on full display here, as she damn near perfectly replicates the specific personalities and cadences of each member, all while incorporating her usual, weightier vocals into the mix. Apart from finding it impressive in a technical/musical sense, you can totally tell that Ado has always been very in tune with who Umi, Maki and Eli are as singers, and to be able to make it seem like four completely different people are performing on this track… it’s not only a testament to who Ado is as a generational talent, but also as a mutual fan of something that’s impacted the lives of many.
♫ 「BIRDS OF A FEATHER」 Misato Ono
Released: 2025.01.25 ▸ Original by Billie Eilish
Despite my memory being a bit clouded nowadays, I still remember when I first discovered Misato Ono.
It must’ve been through one of my frequent visits to Apple Music’s ‘Chill Mix’ playlist, where one of her songs, “bluebird”, started playing and instantly got me hooked. The serenity of both Misato’s slightly muffled vocals and the crisp guitar melodies (and sick solos) heavily reminded me of the singer-songwriter-focused songs I grew up loving. It led to me really enjoying the rest of her stuff, and even considering her first full-length (something invisible) to be one of my favorite albums from the past five years.
What’s even cooler is that the former BRIDEAR vocalist/guitarist has also posted many covers on her personal YouTube channel, with a lot of the featured songs being English-performed and Western-focused. And much like her own music, I personally believe that her talent with singing/playing guitar, and how she arranges these covers in her own unique way, is what elevate the original songs, at least in my opinion.
The praises I gave Misato a couple paragraphs ago can easily be applied to her rendition of Billie Eilish’s mega-hit from 2024, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”. As I mentioned in a previous section, simplicity is sometimes the best way to do certain things, and Misato flawlessly does so with how this cover only includes her vocals, a couple tracks of her guitar playing, and some synths here-and-there. Yet despite this minimalist approach, she still manages to create such a mellow atmosphere through her earnest singing and soft-yet-mesmerizing finger-picking. Of course, Billie Eilish’s original take on this song is fantastic in its own right, but it’s hard for me to not prefer Misato’s gorgeous, more tranquil performance here, especially since I also remember looping it non-stop when she first posted it in 2025.
Lastly, would also suggest checking out Misato’s other great covers; her rendition of Utada Hikaru’s “BAD Mode” is one of my favorites!
BONUS - ♫ 「Lady」 Kimhyorin
Released: 2023.09.23 ▸ Original by Ohashi Trio
A real quick bonus track to end it off; this isn’t even from a JP artist to begin with (and was posted years ago) but bending the rules is nothing new around here.
Being in, what feels like, my annual Ohashi Trio mood lately, I ended up stumbling upon this very, very beautiful cover of one of OT’s most well-known tracks, “Lady”. It’s already a pretty low-key and somber song in itself, but Korean indie singer Kimhyorin truly does take it to another whole other level with how raw & down-to-earth she sounds. It’s a very simple one but no doubt does Hyo-rin do a lot with little here, as the mellow acoustic guitar, her breathy vocals, and the even slower pace can instantly get you lost in the pure calmness of it all, much like the original.
Just a phenomenal cover and it also brings up bit of a funny coincidence, since I did later find out that both Kimhyorin and Ohashi Trio have previously done superb covers of a different Stevie Wonder song, namely “My Cherie Amour”.
Would also suggest checking out the album she released back in March! It’s really nice!!
Aaaaand that’s all I got for you today!
Hope you enjoyed the selection! I didn’t really have any specific agenda when putting this one together, other than showcasing some artists that I’ve never really talked about on the blog, so I’m glad I was able to do so here.
And as always, I compiled every cover in a playlist in case anyone needs it; this time, it’s on YouTube only, since a lot of these covers are unofficially released/not on streaming. Feel free to check it out and save it!
That said, definitely let me know your thoughts in the comments! Whether it’s about one of the songs/artists we featured here today, or some covers that you’ve come across yourself, I’d love to hear them!
Last but certainly not least: I recently had the pleasure of contributing to This Side of Japan’s Friends List this year, where I listed my favorite songs from the past five years (2020-2025). It was a challenge to narrow that list down, but it was really cool to look back at this fantastic decade of music so far, and big thanks to Ryo for inviting me to be apart of it! And definitely go check out the other lists; it’s such a diverse reflection of the Japanese music scene as a whole, and I’m sure everyone (myself included) can find something new to fall in love with.
Thanks for reading!! :D
-al