The Japanese singer Noriko Martin just published Beyond the Flames, which is considered the first album of flamenco Performed entirely in Japanese. A unique project where Andalusian rhythm converses with Japanese sensibility, produced by the renowned paco ortega and accompanied by top-level musicians such as Diego Magallanes, Jorge Pardo, Emilio Caracafé, José El Marqués, Miguel Ángel Collado and Chico Pérez.
The work, which combines purity and modernity, confirms that the flamenco –Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity– can resonate in any language without losing its essence. Noriko defines it clearly: "It's not a fusion, it's a change of language," the artist states in an interview for EFE.
From Nagoya to Madrid, with a flamenco soul
Born in Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture), Noriko Martin initially trained in piano and music theory. Her discovery of flamenco She arrived in the late nineties, when a Spanish ballet performance changed her destiny. She studied dance with Dolores Ortiz Loli and traveled to Malaga to further his studies with The Lupi.
Over time, life led her to canteLed by the guitarist Miharu Yamada She learned the technique and performed on her first stages as a flamenco singer. Her restlessness then led her to Spain, where she studied with Talegón de Córdoba, Sonia Cortés and the vocalist Silvia LuchettiIn 2013, her voice won first prize in the competition of cante of the Japanese Association of Flamencoconsolidating a career that culminates today in his recording debut.
"The single 'Beyond the Flames,' composed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reflects the artist's social awareness. It speaks of the cold, the sadness, of the people who didn't want to die or kill."
Flamenco without Borders
The arrangements of Beyond the Flames They bear the signature of Diego Magallanes Based on Noriko's own original ideas, the result is a flamenco-rooted sound that elegantly incorporates Japanese resonances without folklorism.
The eponymous single, composed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reflects the artist's social conscience: "It speaks of the cold, the sadness, of the people who didn't want to die or kill." Among the other tracks, the following stand out: Flower of waves, nominated for Best Arrangement at the Music Academy Awards.
Noriko explains that her intention was never to mix cultures, but to express the flamenco from his identity: "My family sings traditional Japanese music, and I have found similarities with the cante"the way you use your voice, your emotions."
The voice of a new dialogue
Based in Madrid for years, the artist affirms that living in Spain was decisive: "For those of us who love the flamenco"Spain is the perfect destination." Today, with this album, he demonstrates that the magic knows no borders or languages.
The album closes with vivenciasA Sevillana song by Paco Ortega, translated into Japanese. "When I sang it, I felt that the character was me," confesses Noriko Martín, the first flamenco singer to have made Japanese a language of her own. flamenco.
