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While the Japanese music industry is largely dominated by J-pop, a musical genre in which one would almost never suspect the use of a ukulele, one artist is the exception. This is Ayano Tsuji, a Japanese performer and composer who combines J-pop and ukulele, and who fascinates with her mastery of the instrument.

Who is Ayano Tsuji?

Ayano Tsuji is a Japanese artist and composer. Other than that, Ayano Tsuji is both a writer and a performer. Ayano Tsuji was born on January 6, 1978 in the city of Kyoto, Japan. She is currently among the most notable artists with a talent for the ukulele. It is moreover the choice and the use of this musical instrument which makes the originality of the Japanese artist. It was during the year 1998 that Ayano Tsuji began his career. She is still active until now, pursuing her career as a J-Pop and vocal jazz artist.

Ayano Tsuji, an exceptional artist

It is thanks to the ukulele that Ayano Tsuji stands out in his musical genres, in particular Japanese pop (J-Pop) and vocal jazz. Indeed, this instrument of Hawaiian origin does not seem, at first sight, adapted to these musical genres. Especially since in J-Pop or vocal jazz, it is not very common to see an artist accompanying himself with a ukulele.

The beginnings of the Japanese artist with this instrument seem to explain this particular choice. While still in high school, Ayano Tsuji showed a lot of interest in folk music. However, the young Japanese artist was unable to play the guitar, because her hands were too small. This is how she decided to take up the ukulele, which suited her hands well, but also her musical talent. Ayano Tsuji quickly got attached to her ukulele. She continued, and continues until today to make her music and to demonstrate her talent with this instrument.

If the J-pop singer has distinguished herself in her music, it is not only thanks to her choice of instrument! Indeed, apart from his amazing ability to accompany his voice with a ukulele in a musical genre where it would seem very unlikely, Ayano Tsuji is also characterized by his insistence on excluding any Western and Americanist influence from his words and his music.

Achievements

Since her debut album " Uraraka " in 1998, Ayano Tsuji has released a total of 11 albums. Among her achievements are 15 singles (including the hit " Kaze Ni Naru " in 2002) and 2 DVDs. Despite a relatively low media profile, Ayano Tsuji is also active on YouTube, where she posts her music. She currently has over 12,600 subscribers on the platform, and her talent has garnered admiration from fans worldwide.

In 2002, Studio Ghibli released the Japanese animated film "The Cat Returns." Ayano Tsuji became best known for performing the film's main theme, the song " Kaze Ni Naru ," and gained some recognition in Europe. While not as widely publicized as some other contemporary artists, Ayano Tsuji possesses great talent and is among the finest ukulele players.