Jpop: Morning Musume (モーニング娘)

Another of the Hello Project! groups, Morning Musume has soon been around for 20 years, and is (like AKB48 among others) continously changing members as they age and "graduate". What made me write about them today is a very cute and very typical example of the cute and even awkward lyrics that at the same time is what makes it so popular, the song "The Story of Noisy Girls / Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari" which have the members at that time (2004) recount one and every member's main characteristic. To this video I have added some of the more recent ones.

• Morning Musume - The Story of Noisy Girls (女子かしまし物語)
• Morning Musume - The sunset after the rain (夕暮れは雨上がり)
• Morning Musume - Confront With Bare Nakedness (ムキダシで向き合って)
• Morning Musume - Refresh my heart (スカッとMy Heart)
• Morning Musume - The courage to jump right in now (今すぐ飛び込む勇気)
• Morning Musume - One and Only
• Morning Musume - Oh My Wish!

Russian pop: Julia Savicheva (Юлия Савичева)

You may remember Julia from representing Russia in the ESC 2004 in Istanbul with "Believe Me", in what I can't say is especially pleasing to the ears. The new "Bride" is much better, a breezy no nonsense dance song of the kind russians do so well.

• Julia Savicheva - Bride (Hевеста)