Post by Electric Mami on Feb 29, 2024 3:00:55 GMT
Photo taken by Mayukh Banerji (forzadelpassato) at Kokubunji Morgana on February 11, 2024
Full name: 亡無 (Kanji for family name unknown) / Nana Yokota
Birth date and place: Unknown
Associated acts: kokeshi (Since November 2019)
Vocal range and voice type: B♭2 - E♭7 (4 octaves and 5 semitones) / The Soprano Shines Upon All Alike
Birth date and place: Unknown
Associated acts: kokeshi (Since November 2019)
Vocal range and voice type: B♭2 - E♭7 (4 octaves and 5 semitones) / The Soprano Shines Upon All Alike
{Vocal Summary}
Nana Yokota is the vocalist and lyricist of Tokyo-based blackgaze and post metal band kokeshi. She joined the band two years after its formation and has become a local symbol for female metal vocalists, with the band racking up the sold out shows in live houses across Japan, and slowly but surely gaining attention outside of their home country as well.
kokeshi has a tendency to abruptly shift the tempo and atmosphere of their songs which fits Nana’s abilities and style incredibly. It gets more obvious that she’s well aware of how screamed vocals work when watching her YouTube covers, where she shows a very relaxed approach (so much that she can growl in her upper low register with clear and consistent tone, as seen in “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”) accompanied by effortless and healthy-sounding vocal takes.
Her growls can range from the upper third octave to the lower fourth octave, from deep and occasionally overtoney (“Youkai no Fuchi ni”), to fat and round (“Ito”), which hints at her great understanding of resonance and mouth shapes. Her main mid and high screaming style sits in the upper fourth octave and the entire fifth octave and is more “shouty”. Her mids have a very brutal and solid aspect to them (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”), and her incisive highs often start by quick yelps in the mid and upper fifth octave (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”). She also uses the more classic, nose resonance focused false cord screams in the mid fourth octave up to the lower fifth octave, which she demonstrates in her vocal covers for instance (“Unanswered”). Lastly, her secret weapon technique are frightening screams in her whistle register that range from the upper sixth to the lower seventh octave (see this live screams compilation for a good example), as observed in the recorded instances of her using this technique. They truly emphasise the terror depicted in Nana’s lyrics and her band’s music. They also are probably inspired from Kyo (despite being a different technique), who is known to be one of her influences.
In contrast to her amazingly developed screaming techniques, Nana’s clean vocals are really smooth and breathy. Her natural voice has the weight of a soprano’s, but is pretty low placed and dark, regularly and easily reaching the bottom of the third octave, and would probably reach the second octave more often without much effort. While she is able to sing clean parts in her high register (“Mukui no Inori”), she prefers to use her lower mid and low registers, usually for poetic non-melodic/spoken parts (“Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”), and more rarely for very linear melodies (“The Sun Shines Upon All Alike”, “Warabe Uta”). This creates an impactful contrast that compliments the abrupt atmosphere changes described earlier, as well as the more shoegaze side of kokeshi’s music.
No matter what technique she’s using, she’s always conveying her emotions passionately, and it shows through her ethereal and intimidating stage presence, characterised by her classy, often gothic styled outfits, being barefoot, with a red thread around her foot and hand (arguably the band’s symbol), and her spontaneous, supple movements (see this live video). She even occasionally went into the crowd to initiate moshing or emphasise the breathtakingly silent and dark atmosphere of a concert’s moment. Nana truly is a fascinating and captivating artist, and one can only wish her band to keep growing bigger and gain well-deserved attention.
kokeshi has a tendency to abruptly shift the tempo and atmosphere of their songs which fits Nana’s abilities and style incredibly. It gets more obvious that she’s well aware of how screamed vocals work when watching her YouTube covers, where she shows a very relaxed approach (so much that she can growl in her upper low register with clear and consistent tone, as seen in “Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”) accompanied by effortless and healthy-sounding vocal takes.
Her growls can range from the upper third octave to the lower fourth octave, from deep and occasionally overtoney (“Youkai no Fuchi ni”), to fat and round (“Ito”), which hints at her great understanding of resonance and mouth shapes. Her main mid and high screaming style sits in the upper fourth octave and the entire fifth octave and is more “shouty”. Her mids have a very brutal and solid aspect to them (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”), and her incisive highs often start by quick yelps in the mid and upper fifth octave (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”). She also uses the more classic, nose resonance focused false cord screams in the mid fourth octave up to the lower fifth octave, which she demonstrates in her vocal covers for instance (“Unanswered”). Lastly, her secret weapon technique are frightening screams in her whistle register that range from the upper sixth to the lower seventh octave (see this live screams compilation for a good example), as observed in the recorded instances of her using this technique. They truly emphasise the terror depicted in Nana’s lyrics and her band’s music. They also are probably inspired from Kyo (despite being a different technique), who is known to be one of her influences.
In contrast to her amazingly developed screaming techniques, Nana’s clean vocals are really smooth and breathy. Her natural voice has the weight of a soprano’s, but is pretty low placed and dark, regularly and easily reaching the bottom of the third octave, and would probably reach the second octave more often without much effort. While she is able to sing clean parts in her high register (“Mukui no Inori”), she prefers to use her lower mid and low registers, usually for poetic non-melodic/spoken parts (“Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”), and more rarely for very linear melodies (“The Sun Shines Upon All Alike”, “Warabe Uta”). This creates an impactful contrast that compliments the abrupt atmosphere changes described earlier, as well as the more shoegaze side of kokeshi’s music.
No matter what technique she’s using, she’s always conveying her emotions passionately, and it shows through her ethereal and intimidating stage presence, characterised by her classy, often gothic styled outfits, being barefoot, with a red thread around her foot and hand (arguably the band’s symbol), and her spontaneous, supple movements (see this live video). She even occasionally went into the crowd to initiate moshing or emphasise the breathtakingly silent and dark atmosphere of a concert’s moment. Nana truly is a fascinating and captivating artist, and one can only wish her band to keep growing bigger and gain well-deserved attention.
Significant High Notes (80)
E♭7 (“Takai Shinsou Kairo” Kichijouji NEPO 2021/11/06 - 0:52)
C♯7 (“Doukei” Kichijouji NEPO 2021/11/06 - 2:05)
C7 (“Doukei” Various Live Performances, “Taikai” Shinsaibashi CLAPPER 2023/02/18, “Takai Shinsou Kairo” Various Live Performances)
B6 (“Mukui no Inori” W:O:A Metal Battle Japan 2024/03/31, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou” Shimokitazawa Flowers LOFT 2021/07/17, “Taikai” / “Taikai” W:O:A Metal Battle Japan 2024/03/31)
B♭6 (“Doukei”, “Goujin Zangoku”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “propaganda”)
G♯6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Ito” Shinjuku JAM 2023/12/06, “Mukui no Inori” GARRET udagawa 2023/09/16, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like” EARTHDOM 2023/11/04)
G6 (“Goujin Zangoku”)
F6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Ito” Shinjuku ANTIKNOCK 2023/07/23)
E♭6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”)
B♭5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”)
A5 (“Kaiba ni Shizumu” GARRET udagawa 2023/09/16, “Warabe Uta”)
G♯5 (“Goujin Zangoku”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”)
G5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-” TOKYO/WARP 2023/06/25, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Ito”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “Taikai”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
F♯5 (“Goujin Zangoku”, “kairai”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
F5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Doukei”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “propaganda”, “Warabe Uta”)
E5 (“Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “kairai”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “Warabe Uta”)
E♭5 (“The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”)
D5 (“Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “kairai”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Unanswered”)
C♯5 (“Endzeit”, “In Dying Days”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Warabe Uta”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
C5 (“Endzeit”, “In Dying Days”, “kairai”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Unanswered”)
C♯7 (“Doukei” Kichijouji NEPO 2021/11/06 - 2:05)
C7 (“Doukei” Various Live Performances, “Taikai” Shinsaibashi CLAPPER 2023/02/18, “Takai Shinsou Kairo” Various Live Performances)
B6 (“Mukui no Inori” W:O:A Metal Battle Japan 2024/03/31, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou” Shimokitazawa Flowers LOFT 2021/07/17, “Taikai” / “Taikai” W:O:A Metal Battle Japan 2024/03/31)
B♭6 (“Doukei”, “Goujin Zangoku”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “propaganda”)
G♯6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Ito” Shinjuku JAM 2023/12/06, “Mukui no Inori” GARRET udagawa 2023/09/16, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like” EARTHDOM 2023/11/04)
G6 (“Goujin Zangoku”)
F6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Ito” Shinjuku ANTIKNOCK 2023/07/23)
E♭6 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”)
B♭5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”)
A5 (“Kaiba ni Shizumu” GARRET udagawa 2023/09/16, “Warabe Uta”)
G♯5 (“Goujin Zangoku”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”)
G5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-” TOKYO/WARP 2023/06/25, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Ito”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “Taikai”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
F♯5 (“Goujin Zangoku”, “kairai”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
F5 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “Doukei”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “propaganda”, “Warabe Uta”)
E5 (“Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “kairai”, “New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13, “Warabe Uta”)
E♭5 (“The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”)
D5 (“Doukei”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “kairai”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Unanswered”)
C♯5 (“Endzeit”, “In Dying Days”, “Into My Darkness -Shoku-”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Warabe Uta”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
C5 (“Endzeit”, “In Dying Days”, “kairai”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Unanswered”)
Significant Low Notes (36)
A3 (“Sejou”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”)
G♯3 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “propaganda”)
G3 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”)
F♯3 (“Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Taikai”, “Warabe Uta”)
F3 (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “kairai”, “Sejou”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Ito”, “Mukui no Inori”, “(recollect)”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”)
E3 (“Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”)
E♭3 (“The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “propaganda”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
D3 (“(recollect)”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
C♯3 (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “kairai”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Taikai”)
C3 (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”)
B2 (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”)
B♭2 (“New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13 - 1:26)
G♯3 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “propaganda”)
G3 (“Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids”)
F♯3 (“Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “Taikai”, “Warabe Uta”)
F3 (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “kairai”, “Sejou”, “The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Ito”, “Mukui no Inori”, “(recollect)”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”)
E3 (“Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”)
E♭3 (“The Sun Shines Upon All Like”, “Nehan Kesson Shoujo Dekyou”, “propaganda”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
D3 (“(recollect)”, “Taikai”, “Takai Shinsou Kairo”, “Youkai no Fuchi ni”)
C♯3 (“Doukei”, “Kaiba ni Shizumu”, “kairai”, “Mukui no Inori”, “Taikai”)
C3 (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”)
B2 (“Into My Darkness -Shoku-”)
B♭2 (“New Song” HOLIDAY NEXT NAGOYA 2024/04/13 - 1:26)
{Questionable Notes (2)}
C7 (“The Sun Shines Upon All Like” [3])
A6 (“Takai Shinsou Kairo” [1])
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes or screams that don’t have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that have insufficient tone and/or little support (very throaty and weak sounding).
A6 (“Takai Shinsou Kairo” [1])
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes or screams that don’t have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that have insufficient tone and/or little support (very throaty and weak sounding).
118 notes
{Albums Ranges}
2020/11/13 - Doukei: C♯3 - E♭3 - F3 - G♯5 - B♭6
2023/04/07 - Reikoku: C3 - F3 - F♯3 - C5 - F♯5 - B♭5 - B6
2023/04/07 - Reikoku: C3 - F3 - F♯3 - C5 - F♯5 - B♭5 - B6
Black marks chest and mix notes.
Blue marks falsetto and whistled notes.
Green marks harsh, distorted vocals.
Underlines mark backing vocal notes and notes obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic and intentional spoken notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person’s vocal capabilities.
Blue marks falsetto and whistled notes.
Green marks harsh, distorted vocals.
Underlines mark backing vocal notes and notes obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic and intentional spoken notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person’s vocal capabilities.
