While this performance is several weeks old now, I didn’t have time to check it out until now. Given how much I’ve been enjoying Macross Frontier‘s music for the past couple of seasons, I guess it’s only natural that Northern Cross grew on me fairly quickly. My favorite song to date is still “What ’bout my star? @Formo” (which I would absolutely love to see a live duet performance of), but I really like this song because it’s a lot more upbeat and very unlike the songs typically written for anime. I’m sure most Macross fans have listened to it to death by now (myself included), yet somehow I find that I’m still not sick of it in the slightest.

Anyway, I’ve seen May’n’s performances before, but I’m still impressed by how well she sings live, especially with the dance choreography that goes along with this performance. Granted, the choreography isn’t overly strenuous being mostly Para Para-like movements and she is a J-pop artist first and foremost; however, I’m sure we’re all aware that not a lot of artists can sing studio-like quality live. For those wondering, her stage name “May’n” is a contraction of her full name, Nakabayashi May (中林 芽依). For whatever reason, she decided to change it to this at the beginning of the year.

Finally, I should mention that I was a bit surprised to find out that she’s only 18 years old. Judging by her appearance (which comes off a bit mature), I figured May’n was in her earlier twenties already. In any case, enjoy the video!

28 Comments

  1. I didn’t know she was only 18 either. That’s great casting for Sheryl then since she seems older then she is as well (as was Megumi Nakajima for Ranka, who both seem younger then their age). Anyway, great song and performance.

    lol
  2. Yea nice song, and ya gotta love Megumi for doing both singing and voice for Ranka that way when she sings in the anime it really feels as she is singing it there and then… but they also pull off doing the same thing for sheryl well.

    Chimasternmay
  3. Both Megumi and May’n are quite amazing live. 🙂 I actually have my fists pumping in the air everytime either one makes it on Oricon, or better yet the singles ranking on Music Station these days…

    tau-tau
  4. @SeedFreedom
    completely agreed
    she can learn some better dances to go along with such a great song, her voice is quite nice too…though I wish Endo Aya herself could have sang as Sheryl….o well

    kaminakun
  5. You all are being to harsh on her. I haven’t heard a singer recently that can sing such a difficult song so well live. She did an amazing job with this one. Seriously, though. Megumi Nakajima might be a good singer but I don’t think it’s very hard to sing a song like Seikan Hikou live.

    TMFAN
  6. Old video.. but still loving it.
    Somewhat out of topic but, I feel like point people who like this song to gabrielarobin dot com where a karaoke challenge for this song is being held around there. It’s fun/interesting.

    Yukiruchan
  7. I’d say that she can sing live a lot better then most other jpop stars because in Japan you don’t even NEED to be good at singing to get into this business (I don’t know about you, but I saw this really fat Argentinian guy sing at one of those year end pop concerts with all the most popular stars performing and he sucked + was really popular at that time) :rolleyes:

    I applaud May’n for being one of the few singers in the Jpop industry that has an amazing voice and incredible talent.

    I hope she becomes one of the top Jpop singers in the future, because she has the ability to do it!

    Feylin
  8. @Rina:
    Her backup dancers aren’t chubby at all.They’re what you call HEALTHY. :/

    Anyways,it’s amazing that she’s just 18. She has a ton of potential.
    I love everything about Sheryl and that includes her ‘singing voice’.
    I like hers much more than Ranka’s. It’s a unique and strong voice.

    Kalulu
  9. I want to see May’n and Megumi do a duet PV for What ’bout my Star? @Formo and Lion. That will be a sight to see.

    I hope a duet album for the two will be released with just all of Sheryl’s and Ranka’s songs along with a duet. That will surely soar on the charts.

    Kit-Tsukasa

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