A Lifetime of Michael-enza Is Fine by Me — Waka Agata
Table of Contents
When it comes to my favorite album, it has to be Michael Jackson's 'NUMBER ONES'.
The Days of His Declining Reputation
I started listening to Western music when I was in 7th grade.
At that time, I was really into R&B and pop rock artists like Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne.
During those days, Michael Jackson was, honestly speaking, perceived as being past his prime.
Overseas weekly magazines only covered his eccentric behavior and the Neverland incidents, and I would only catch glimpses of these stories in the corners of fashion magazines.
I knew his famous songs, but I never thought to revisit them, instead chasing after whatever music was trending.
My Encounter with 'This Is It'
Then, he passed away.
It was just when he was supposed to be preparing for his comeback concerts.
Somehow curious about it all, I ended up revisiting his music through the movie 'This Is It'.
In the footage, he looked pale and thin, and honestly, I worried whether he could even dance in that condition.
But the moment I saw his every gesture and movement, that worry vanished instantly.
Despite his age, his performance was unchanged from his prime.
People say "when he dances, you can see the music," and I truly understood what that meant.
From that point on, I was completely drawn into his world.
I collected his albums, posters, and merchandise, and spent my nights drinking and watching live DVDs after my family had gone to sleep.
I was also captivated by that legendary Bucharest concert live DVD, where he becomes an astronaut at the end and flies off into the sky.
With magical staging, he would disappear for a moment, then seamlessly begin the next song.
Despite all that physical exertion, his vocals never wavered.
The perfection of his performance was extraordinary—I could only be overwhelmed by it.
Michael-enza
Why did we have to lose someone so incredible?
While I thought this, I also realized that without 'This Is It', I probably would never have delved so deeply into his music.
Even after entering university, I continued listening to 'NUMBER ONES' just the same.
Looking at the US charts, artists influenced by him like Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber kept emerging one after another.
Each time, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he were still alive.
Once, I told a senior at my part-time job that I "got into him through This Is It."
They said, "Ah, you're Michael-enza then."
Apparently, playing on "influenza," that's what they call people who became fans through that work.
I felt a bit frustrated by that, but I think it's fine.
Regardless of what the catalyst was, the fact remains that I encountered his music.
If anything, I think being Michael-enza for life would be perfectly fine.
I can't choose which song is the best.
But no matter what's happening, his music continues to support me just the same.
Editor's Note
Waka Agata was my colleague when I (Namio) was at a company called Orange. She's a great singer and continues to live a life enjoying music.
During the launch of Album Sweet, she served as both an advisor and tester, giving me candid feedback many times—she was one of the people who helped polish the service's details together with me.
I encountered the term "Michael-enza" for the first time when I received this manuscript. "Regardless of what the catalyst was, the fact remains that I encountered his music"—this sentence perfectly captures what Album Sweet aspires to be.
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