{"id":180524,"date":"2026-02-16T20:20:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T20:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/180524\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T20:20:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T20:20:08","slug":"japanese-city-pop-artist-taeko-onuki-invokes-a-decade-gone-by-in-los-angeles-annenberg-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/180524\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese city pop artist Taeko Onuki invokes a decade gone by in Los Angeles \u2013 Annenberg Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Feb. 7 outside the Wiltern, a line of fans rounded the block in anticipation of a concert featuring one of the most legendary figures in Japanese City Pop. For her first-ever show outside of Japan in her 50+ year career, Taeko Onuki performed for one night at The Wiltern in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

In the realm of Japanese City Pop, a sub-genre of J-Pop from the 70s and 80s pop music originating from Japan, Onuki, one of the movement\u2019s most popular figures, has gained traction online among a younger and Western audience.<\/p>\n

Her most popular song, \u201c4:00 A.M.<\/a>,\u201d has become popular online through social media, garnering over 137 million plays on Spotify. Onuki is one of many Japanese artists who paved the way for the rise of City Pop in the West alongside icons including Matsubara Miki, Mariya Takeuchi and Anri.<\/p>\n

\"ArtistOnuki performing LULU as all lights focus on her. (Photo by Aaron Ogawa) <\/p>\n

Despite their popularity overseas, Onuki and many other legacy Japanese artists have only now been given the opportunity to perform for an American audience. The same proved true for Japanese guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka performed his first U.S. concert<\/a> at The Wiltern in March 2024, and Anri will play two sold-out concerts<\/a> at the same venue this May.<\/p>\n

The sharing of classic City Pop on social media platforms such as YouTube has largely contributed to its resurgence. Songs such as Mariya Takeuchi\u2019s \u201cPlastic Love<\/a>\u201d were at the forefront of the newfound popularity of City Pop in the West.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially as kids with the internet, we\u2019re always looking for a piece of nostalgia and culture. Looking back, we get all the good parts,\u201d said Kevin Charles Keizuchi, a \u201cconnoisseur\u201d of music and creator of Little Tokyo Rajio<\/a>, an organization dedicated to showcasing upcoming API talent and music.<\/p>\n

The popularity of City Pop has spread to other Japanese artists, such as J-Pop band Lamp\u2019s second tour<\/a> in the U.S. last November, riding on the popularity of their music going viral on platforms such as TikTok.<\/p>\n

\"ArtistOnuki waves her hands while performing \u201cPeter Rabbit to Watashi.\u201d (Photo by Aaron Ogawa) <\/p>\n

Onuki still carries with her the idealistic spunk of a 1980\u2019s it-girl. Often plastered across lifestyle magazines, both her music and her image conjure up the hazy perfection of a world passed by.<\/p>\n

Onuki\u2019s song \u201cCARNAVAL<\/a>\u201d demonstrates this nostalgia as she blends Brazilian influence in a bossa-nova rhythm with introspective lyrics that emphasize the ephemerality of emotions. For many of Onuki\u2019s fans, this concert represented \u201ca dream for only one night,\u201d a line from the song.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt transports me back to Japan in the 80s. It makes me feel like I\u2019m sitting in a cafe or a bar, just hanging out,\u201d said Marlen Summers, a long-time fan dressed in 80s chic.<\/p>\n

Summers has listened to Onuki since she stumbled upon Onuki\u2019s music at 11-years-old while searching for VOCALOID music, Japanese pop music using a synthesized voice, on YouTube.<\/p>\n

\"ArtistPurple lights flood the stage as Onuki and the backing band performs. (Photo by Aaron Ogawa) <\/p>\n

Onuki\u2019s songs also often capture the freedom of a fleeting moment. In a first-ever live performance of \u201cLes Aventures de TINTIN<\/a>,\u201d Onuki references Herg\u00e9\u2019s comic series of the same name, featuring the whirlwind adventures of young reporter Tintin \u201cchasing stars.\u201d The lights supercharged The Wiltern as strummed guitar and soft vocals took the audience through an upbeat yet relaxing journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen to the production. Who\u2019s doing it like that? Who is doing it like that? She\u2019s the GOAT,\u201d said Matthew Kito Guevara, a fan who insisted Onuki is the greatest of all time. <\/p>\n

Guevara said he drove from San Bernardino to watch the concert.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next album doesn\u2019t sound like the last album. I\u2019ve listened to almost 5,000 hours last year,\u201d Guevara said.<\/p>\n

Guevara wasn\u2019t the only one who traveled to see the show. Bruno Lopez-Vega drove two hours from Palm Springs to see the Onuki.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is her first appearance in the U.S. I felt this was maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see her live,\u201d Lopez-Vega said.<\/p>\n

15-year-old Abram Miller asked his grandmother for tickets to Onuki\u2019s concert as a birthday present. As a MIDI keyboard songwriter, he said he gravitated towards her work. Onuki\u2019s complex and vivid instrumentation caught his attention while the song autoplayed on YouTube. He was just twelve years old when he first listened to her music.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also really amazing how her vocals have stayed so true throughout all her years of singing,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

While there are no further performances planned in the U.S., Onuki will return to Japan in March for her Billboard Live Tour<\/a>, performing in Yokohama, Tokyo and Osaka.<\/p>\n