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Japanese audiences love to hear their favourite foreign tunes in their own language, as evidenced by the huge popularity of the Japanese version of Let It Go. But it’s not only Disney songs that are getting Japan-ized. One up-and-c0ming singer has been gaining popularity on YouTube thanks to her self-penned interpretations of English pop hits from the likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and more.

Who is MACO?

MACO is a singer/songwriter originally from Hokkaido. She started writing her own songs when she was 17 and went on to get herself signed, releasing her first mini album entitled 22 in April of this year. The album quickly hit the top spot in the Japan iTunes album charts, and her next album, helpfully named 23, will be out on July 23. As well as original music, she also covers Western pop songs and uploads them to her YouTube channel.

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MACO’s style

MACO’s Japanese tunes are relatively standard female vocalist J-pop pieces, but it’s her covers of Western pop hits that have been racking up the most views, with her version of Taylor Swift’s We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together totaling over 5 million views. Her lyrics are not a direct translation of the English, rather they are her own interpretation into natural and rhyming Japanese, set to a piano backing track. The majority of each song is in Japanese, although some of the main lines are kept in the original English. It’s not uncommon for Japanese pop songs to have random bits of English thrown in (with varying degrees of sense made) so this is an understandable stylistic choice. Her voice and singing style may not be to everyone’s tastes, but there’s no doubt the girl’s got talent.

Check out her top tracks below.

▼ Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

▼ Taylor Swift – 22

▼ Katy Perry – Roar

▼ Ariana Grande – The Way ft. Mac Miller

▼ Avril Lavigne – Rock N Roll

So what do you think? Do you prefer the originals, or MACO’s versions?

Source: MACO Official Website, MACO YouTube