One new act who has been creating a buzz in music-industry circles this year is quirky singer-songwriter Seiko Oomori.
The music video for her song "Midnight Seijun Isei Koyu" ("Midnight's Pure Relationship Between the Sexes") depicted a possibly murderous tale of lesbian obsession. Her new single, "Kyuru Kyuru," sees the singer shrieking and meowing in a candy-colored lingerie store on the back of a truck driving around Tokyo. On the face of it, Oomori seems to represent idol music through the looking glass.
She is very good at what she does, but let's make clear what she isn't: She isn't any sort of brave, radical subversion of idol culture. She may dress in fluffy clothes and play at the Tokyo Idol Festival every year, but she isn't really part of any idol pop tradition.