Artist Spotlight: Aimer

Artist Spotlight: Aimer

I said in a prior post that I could go on a rant on how amazing Aimer is. Let me share the joy I feel when her music graces my ears every day.

Aimer is a Japanese singer/songwriter. Her name comes from the French verb “to love.” She first appeared on the scene in 2011 with Rokutouseino You as the closing song for Anime “No. 6” and shortly followed in 2012 with her debut album Bitter & Sweet.

I’ll say this now, Aimer makes a lot of music for anime, but those works shouldn’t overshadow the work she’s done independently of any show. Most of my favorite songs in her discography aren’t featured in any anime.

Her sound:

Aimer is officially characterized as J-pop, Rock, which more or less would give you an indication of the music she makes, but, compared to many artists in the J-pop world, her voice is unmistakable. It is light and sits in an upper register. Her use of vibrato gives an almost contradictory feeling. It shows the strength behind her vocal but also conveys the emotion of every word she sings.

With that said, in my opinion, I can’t confine her to a single genre. That’s okay; a single genre should never define an artist with so much talent.

Most popular song: Brave Shine

Brave Shine is one of her most popular songs. On any music streaming service, you’ll likely see it in her top 5 tracks. The song is the opening of the second season of Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works.

This song was my first introduction to Aimer. Before listening to any of her other work, I assumed she would be nearly a rock artist along the same lines as Lisa. Of course, I was wrong. While Lisa is impressive in her own right, the uniqueness of Aimer’s voice gives her the ability to stand out among all others.

Check out the video for Brave Shine below.

Concerts:

In my quest to consume all that is Aimer, I became curious about how she is as a performer. I took to Youtube to find any live performances. From what I have seen, her stage lighting is often dark and mysterious. Often the only glimpse of her face is the rim of her glasses. By all means, Aimer isn’t flashy with an array of theatrics or even outfits. In most live performances, you can see her in a simple white dress. During a concert with her white dress and dark lighting shows as an angel in the darkness.

Like any artist, she sounds different live versus in the studio. This isn’t due to autotune. She utilizes her lower tones, and her use of her vibrato becomes more apparent. That vibrato seeps into the audience and forces them to soak up all the emotions.

My favorite Album: Daydream

Released in 2016, this album’s style is the embodiment of a Rock album and an excellent follow up to Brave Shine. My love for this work stands with way more than just Aimer’s voice. The composition of each song and the collaborations make it impossible to have a favorite song.

In late November, Aimer announced her 6th full studio album, “Walpurgis,” scheduled for release on April 14, 2021. So far, listed tracks include “Marie,” one of my favorites, and Spark-Again, the opening song for the first arc of Fire Force Season 2.

When the album drops, I’ll do a full review and convince you to listen if you haven’t already. In the meantime, while we’re all waiting for the album, check out some of my favorite Aimer songs.

My top 10 Aimer songs

Falling Alone

Insane Dream

Haruhayuku(the late Spring version)

Words

Last Stardust

Kanashimita Aurorani

Hakuchuma

Marie

Kyoukara Omoide

Even Heaven