I never expected to find a Quebecois chanteuse at the heart of the anison (or "animated song") scene, but here she is. And no, I am not even kidding with this random, albeit extremely awesome, news.
Catherine St-Onge, or HIMEKA to Japanese audiences, epitomizes this week's Ani-Manga Extravaganza celebration:
- Tunes: Her debut single, "Asu e no Kizuna" (released May 27, 2009) is the opening theme song for the animated adaptation of the PlayStation 3 game, Valkyria Chronicles. Her second single, "Hatenaki Michi" (released Nov. 25, 2009) is the ending theme for the animated series Tegami Bachi.
- Cute: As a button. See: Photo above, banner below, and competition clips between.
- Canadian: Ms. St-Onge was born and raised in Quebec and just moved to Japan in 2008 to pursue her dreams of singing for animated series.
As for the Queer Component, there are no reports to confirm her orientation (which, in my mind, means she's fair game as far as I am concerned).
Anyway.
When I set out to discover a singer for the Ani-Managa Extravaganza week, I was not expecting to find the soft-spoken, outrageously talented Ms. St-Onge. She's an inspiration to anyone with a dream to pursue, no matter how out of the blue it might appear.
In 2008, Catherine St-Onge relocated to Japan on a working-visa and entered the Second Annual Animax Anison Grand Prix, a competition that gathers aspiring singers from across Japan to compete for the chance to make a professional debut with Sony Music Japan as an anison singer. I cannot even describe how fierce the competition can get at these national contests.
She was selected out of 3,186 other applicants who auditioned in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.
She competed against ten other shortlisted contestants, all Japanese-born individuals, in the final round staged at Tokyo's JCB Hall in September 2008.
At the time, she could only speak minimal amounts of Japanese.
And she won by a virtual landslide.
Despite her small frame and her introverted demeanor, the girl has some pipes on her. I mean, even the judges looked stunned and shocked at her vocal range and her flawless enunciation. She's got a charming awkwardness to her despite the fact that her voice left smoking craters where her challengers once stood.
Need proof? Check out these subbed YouTube clips I stumbled across for an introduction to her skills. Now, the lyrics to the songs are not subbed, but the judges' comments are. And, you can even witness that magical moment when Ms. St-Onge's wildest fantasies came true and she achieved the dream she'd been nursing since she discovered the wonderful world of anime:
Sony Music Japan International describes Catherine St-Onge as the only genuine Western anison singer who debuted in Japan and the first who possesses a French Canadian background.
Since releasing her singles overseas, Ms. St-Onge adopted the stage name HIMEKA and she is set to become one of the hottest stars on the anison circuit.
Well, gosh damn.
Prior to the time she signed with Sony Music Japan, Catherine St-Onge kept an online blog that charted her progress overseas. She has since abandoned the blog and opted for an all-Japanese website courtesy of Sony, but her old haunt still exists and is still a compelling read. It's tri-lingual and entirely engaging.
I am thrilled to have discovered this tale of a far-fetched dream come true. Who knew that such a sweet, Quebecois girl could rocket to the top of the anime pop scene in one year?
So, do it -- whatever goal that's percolating in the back of your mind, go out and try it. Who knows what triumphs might follow? For the time being, just keep hitting play on those clips for an instant shot of optimism and encouragement. Congrats HIMEKA!
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