Interviews

1. Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories

2. Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

3. Embraces his Japanese heritage

4. Never sang Enka outside the family

5. Coming to Japan

6. Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer

7. His clothes are part of his identity

8. Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage

9. Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

10. Nikkei Sansei

11. Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan

12. Singing the way I sing (Japanese)

13. "Harebutai" (Japanese)

14. Getting on Kohaku (Japanese)

15. The first concert in the United States (Japanese)

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer

It was something I wanted to do, you know, since I was, you know, 5 years old. And I never thought I would have the opportunity—you know, because in the United States the word enka is not even, you know, known. So, you know, that childhood dream of mine, you know, always stuck with me and, you know, whenever I was able to speak Japanese and became confident in speaking Japanese, that was a big turning point for me. You know, when I first came to Japan, when I was 15, and then again as an exchange student in college. That—you know, I said well at least I need to at least try to, you know…you know pursue my dream, because, you know, that always stuck with me and its something I knew I wouldn’t be able to do in the U.S. So I went to Japan in 2003 and, you know, worked and, you know, did music part-time…and you know did things on my own and things just, you know, grew from there…and you know…took, you know, small steps here and there, and you know, here I am, you know.

enka identity music

Date: March 30, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Interview by Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum. Courtesy of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

Interviewee Bio

Jero (Jerome Charles White, Jr.) was born on September 4, 1981, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His African American grandfather met his Japanese grandmother as a U.S. serviceman during World War II. They married and had a daughter, Harumi, and eventually moved to his grandfather’s hometown of Pittsburgh. Jero’s parents divorced when he was young so he was raised with a strong sense of Japanese culture. He was introduced to enka by his grandmother and started to sing enka under her encouragment. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, he moved to Japan and worked as an English teacher and as a computer engineer, but started to pursue singing professionally after promising his grandmother that one day he would perform at the Kohaku Uta Gassen, the New Year’s Eve musical special that she enjoyed.

Jero’s mix of traditional enka with a youthful, hip hop style has revitalized a singing style that has been slowly dying out by attracting people from all age groups. He won over many hearts after hearing about his promise to his grandmother and was a highlight of the night when he did appear on the Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2008. He won the Best New Artist award in the Japan Record Awards that year. He has gained popularity among Nikkei and performed for sold-out audiences in the U.S. in 2010.

(March 2010)