Angela Aki - Tegami Mashup 手紙・アンジェラ・アキ 【HD】 video

A YouTube tribute to Angela Aki's "Tegami (Letter - Greetings to a 15 Year Old)" "手紙 (Haikei Jūgo no Kimi e)" アンジェラ・アキA mashup remix version of the popular song that's become the Japanese equivalent of Vitamin C's "Graduation Song (Friends Forever)." It features individuals, school choruses and others doing their renditions of the song that's become a graduation anthem at schools throughout Japan. What really struck me about "Tegami" was how beloved it has become in Japan and, now, abroad. It possesses a simple yet memorable melody (including some terrific "hooks"), and inspirational lyrics with a positive message. The Japanese are a sentimental people, and that is clearly illustrated in the emotional and heartfelt response this song manages to evoke, particularly among adolscents facing an uncertain future. High school graduation is an all-important milestone in Japan and treated with a great deal of solemnity and reverence, more so than in the States. And this song is so well suited to the occasion. Personally, the best part is the "Keep on believing!" bridge in the middle when everyone rocks out. Love that one school band concert clip where they're all jumping and clapping. Angela Aki originally wrote "Tegami" at the request of NHK, the national public broadcasting network, as a compulsory song in the 75th NHK National School Music Contest in 2008. Aki's father is Japanese and her mother is Italian-American. The bilingual singer-songwriter is a graduate of ...