Indonesian female metal band shreds stereotypes
An Indonesian heavy metal band whose members are all Muslim women is drawing large numbers of fans worldwide.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
7 hours ago
- NHK
Indonesian female metal band shreds stereotypes
An Indonesian heavy metal band whose members are all Muslim women is drawing large numbers of fans worldwide.
Japan Times
14 hours ago
- Japan Times
Music star Masuiyama, a former ozeki who died Sunday at 76, blazed unique trail
NFL legend Tom Brady was back in Japan this week and made a timely visit to a sumo stable with rich origins. In a Tuesday Instagram post, the seven-time Super Bowl winner shared photos of himself enjoying various attractions and activities in Tokyo and Kyoto with his children. Included in the series of snaps was a shot of Brady watching morning practice at Onoe sumo stable in Tokyo's Ota Ward. The former quarterback is no stranger to Japan's national sport, and has even gotten into the ring with top wrestlers in the past, but his choice of stable this week, almost certainly unbeknownst to him, was particularly fitting. Onoe-beya was founded two decades ago when its stablemaster branched off from Mihogaseki stable and took several wrestlers, including future ōzeki Baruto, with him. Onoe wasn't the only offshoot from Mihogaseki, with Kitanoumi (now Yamahibiki), Hatachiyama and Kise stables all having arisen from the same source. Mihogaseki stable closed down in 2013. Its stablemaster, former ōzeki Masuiyama, died on Sunday of liver failure at age 76. Though Masuiyama may have been out of the sumo world for over a decade at the time of his death, his influence lived on through the wrestlers he recruited and trained, and the stables that emerged under his watch. That influence was seen again this week as English teenager Nicolas Tarasenko officially joined Minato stable — with the aforementioned Baruto having helped facilitate his acceptance into professional sumo. But it wasn't just in sumo where Masuiyama had an impact. A talented singer, he released numerous records while still an active rikishi. Performing primarily in the enka genre, Masuiyama was both popular with fans and feted by the industry, winning various awards and seeing several of his singles sell over a million copies each. In fact, so prominent was his second career that criticism from those who said he wasn't exclusively focused on sumo prompted the Japan Sumo Association to eventually put a stop to wrestlers engaging in outside commercial activities. While that action may have stymied his side job, it didn't stop it permanently and, once he reached the JSA's mandatory retirement age of 65, Masuiyama jumped right back into the music business. While he had been an ōzeki in sumo, he was aiming to become a yokozuna in music, he said. Of course rikishi having non-sumo interests isn't all that unusual, but normally their hobbies or pastimes are a wholly private manner and are afterthoughts until retirement. Masuiyama (front left) observes a ring purification ceremony in Tokyo in 2011. | John Gunning Masuiyama was unique in that he was both an active rikishi and a legitimate star in the world of entertainment. He is one of the only former ōzeki in which an image search for his name will be dominated with content not related to sumo. Whether in kanji characters or the Roman alphabet, Google 'Masuiyama' and you'll be presented with an array of album covers, rather than photos of him in action in the ring. And while he retired as a wrestler before a majority of current international sumo fans were probably even born, his former stable will be familiar to many of them. The building that housed Mihogaseki stable was temporarily the location of Taganoura-beya, and where Kisenosato, Takayasu and that stable's wrestlers trained. Adding to its fame, it was later turned into a sumo-themed restaurant called Chanko Masuiyama. Between 2016 and 2021, it was also the main filming location for Grand Sumo Preview, NHK World's top English-language show on the sport. As one of the presenters of that program, I regularly got a firsthand look at many of the items of Mihogaseki stable memorabilia that filled what had previously been the training room. The board displaying the ring names of the top ranked wrestlers in the stable's history was a reminder that, while he may have been famous as a musician, Masuiyama was also a very accomplished wrestler and part of a strong sumo family. His father was an ōzeki with the same shikona (ring name) and when Masuiyama reached that rank in 1980, it marked the first father-son pairing to reach sumo's second highest rank since the Taisho Era (1912-1926). That promotion at the age of 31 also made him the oldest man ever to make ōzeki — a record that stood until 2007. Masuiyama entered sumo alongside Kitanoumi and trained every day with a stablemate who would go on to become the most dominant yokozuna of his generation and later chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. The two men were part of the JSA's board during the rise of Asashoryu and Hakuho and a visible presence as sumo underwent significant changes and drew increasing interest from overseas. Being overshadowed in the ring by his famous stablemate, and arriving late to the rank of ōzeki, Masuiyama was arguably underappreciated as a wrestler during his active career and overlooked by the generations of fans that came along after he retired. The Tokyo native was an accomplished rikishi in his own right however, and while he may not have come anywhere close to the level of success achieved by Kitanoumi, he certainly helped raise the profile of the sport among a completely different demographic. Masuiyama's dual career as a top wrestler and singing star is utterly unique in the history of sumo, and his impact lives on in both fields.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Sober clubbing brews fresh beat for Singapore's Gen Z
Swaying to dance music and TikTok-fueled pop under a disco ball, young punters are packed shoulder to shoulder while sipping on coffee, their energy powered by pour-overs rather than pints. This is no underground rave, nor a brunch gone wild. It's a caffeine-powered daytime clubbing sesh — part of a growing wave of alcohol-free, Gen Z-driven events gaining traction in Singapore and elsewhere in the world. At a recent event in Singapore's trendy Duxton district, the space was jammed by 4 p.m., with baristas churning out fancy coffees and DJs spinning back-to-back sets. The crowd grooved with energy, even without the usual liquid courage. "A lot of people think alcohol gives you the high, but caffeine sometimes can do that too," says Aden Low, 21, co-founder of Beans and Beats, which organizes coffee raves at different venues. "That's why the atmosphere at our events tends to be quite energetic." The parties blend curated music with specialty coffee served in white paper cups. The vibe is light, friendly and very Gen Z. "It's also the idea that this is a safe space," says Esther Low, 31, who was at the event in Duxton. "When you go to a club setting, there's usually this underlying intention to hook up. So, for me, that's personally why I would prefer this." Several reports say Gen Z is chugging fewer pints than previous generations, with the sober curious movement gaining popularity on social media. Sober curious people cut back on drinking or abstain altogether, often citing health reasons and better mental acuity. "Changes in alcohol use have been observed in population surveys and cohort studies. Generally, alcohol use among young adults has decreased," the World Health Organization said in a 2024 report. Barristas prepare drinks at one of Beans and Beats' coffee raves in Singapore's Duxton area. | AFP-JIJI From London to Los Angeles and Melbourne, similar coffee raves have swept up the social scene, appealing to young partygoers who also want to avoid hangovers. Ashley Chean, a Singaporean student who has been alcohol-free for a year, said she appreciates these sober gatherings. "When I lived in Paris, I realized I had a lot of alcoholic tendencies and I didn't want that to be my lifestyle," the 20-year-old says. "More and more of my friends are sober or sober curious." The coffee clubbing events are usually held in cafes and other spaces such as rooftop bars — as long as there's room for DJs and baristas to do their thing while people dance. The parties typically end by late afternoon, just in time for golden hour selfies. Besides the health benefits of avoiding alcohol, the events appeal to cost-conscious youth in Singapore, one of the most expensive cities in the world. The excess drinking and hard-partying ways of Gen X — fueled by anthems like the Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right (to Party)" and hip-hop videos glamorizing club culture — are fading for members of Gen Z. While organizers don't see Singapore's glitzy nightlife and clubbing being replaced, they hope their combination of beats and brews will keep the dance floor buzzing. "As long as we bring the vibes, we'll be OK," says Chean.
