Born in Okinawa and raised in Tokyo, Nekomaru Okita is a singer-songwriter specializing in melancholic melodies. She used to be a vocalist in a rock band, but now sings by herself, playing the acoustic guitar and sanshin. She first became interested in Okinawan folk songs in 2007.
One night, her grandmother appeared in a dream, walking past singing an old Okinawan folk song. Shortly after, she received a call from the hospital informing her that her grandmother had passed away. She didn’t know the song that her grandmother was singing in the dream, but thought that if she studied Okinawan folk songs, she might someday come across those beautiful yet melancholy songs. So she started learning Okinawan folk songs.
Nekomaru practised on her own for a while, but instead of just tracing the surface of Okinawan traditional songs, which have a history of hundreds of years, she wanted to learn more deeply and approach them with respect. Therefore, in 2008, she decided to study under Mr. Takao Nagama, a professional sanshin player.
As a volunteer, she went to perform at evacuation shelters for people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear power plant accident that occurred in 2011. She also volunteered to perform at elderly care facilities, where the Okinawan music was greatly enjoyed.
Since around 2012, she has incorporated the sanshin into her own rock band, establishing a new genre that is unique in the world by fusing rock and Okinawan sounds, and has gained popularity in Tokyo and Yokohama. In 2015, she received the Uruma Folk Song Association’s highest award, and in 2019 held live performances at two locations in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2021, she moved back to Okinawa and currently works as a personality on the Internet TV show `Nekomaru no Nagomun ROCK FRIDAY’ in Nago City, Okinawa.
Streaming：https://www.tunecore.co.jp/artists/www.nekosen.com?lang=ja
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The Circle of the People
In the Okinawan language, there is a concept called “Yuima-ru,” which means “the circle of the people”.
Traditional Okinawan Folk Songs by Nekomaru Okita 「沖田猫丸」
Nekomaru Okita will sing folk songs that have been passed down since ancient times in the Okinawa region, the southern-most island of Japan, while playing the “sanshin” an instrument unique to the Okinawa region, consisting of a snakeskin body and a wooden neck with three strings. There are many islands in the Okinawa region, and each island has its own unique language and musical style. Nekomaru invites you and listen to these traditional Okinawan songs.