Are you new to Vocaloid? Or perhaps you’re looking for cool new songs to listen to. In recent years, Vocaloid has gained immense popularity, but why? Could it be the singers? Or could it be the astounding songs that are being produced right this second?
From trending songs to brilliant bangers, this article will explore 10 Vocaloid songs that are, quite literally, music to your ears.
10. Matryoshka by Hachi
Matryoshka by Hachi
Matryoshka is a hit song, with almost 60 million views on the original video. It was produced by Hachi, who is better known as Kenshi Yonezu. This is the same person who sang openings for Chainsaw Man and My Hero Academia.
The song itself is an enigma. Fans have discovered that the song is named after the Russian doll because no matter how many topics the song covers, they lead to almost nothing being revealed, much like how the smallest matryoshka doll is always empty in the end.
The sad and vaguely nostalgic tune harmonises excellently with the music video, featuring Hatsune Miku and GUMI seemingly dancing to the song. All in all, the song is incredibly hypnotising and can get you stuck listening for hours.
9. KING by Kanaria
KING by Kanaria
KING is a song produced by the musical prodigy Kanaria, who first made his appearance on the Vocaloid scene at only 17. It’s sung by GUMI, and has been covered by a barrage of artists. It’s part of an album of royalty-themed Vocaloid songs, also called King.
The song can be interpreted differently by whoever listens to it. However, the most popular opinion is that the song narrates a character who’s aiming to have power and authority, similarly to a king, whilst being in a relationship. There are themes of gaslighting, displaying the toxicity of an unstable power dynamic within relationships.
The music video is heavily painted in a luxurious red, with the main singer sitting on a throne with a haughty expression. This playful song portrays the very essence of power and prestige, making it a great song to listen to when trying to get something done.
8. Unknown Mother Goose by Wowaka
Unknown Mother Goose by Wowaka
Unknown Mother Goose is a song by the world-renowned Vocaloid producer, Wowaka. Although he passed in 2019, his songs still continue to live on and touch the hearts of those who listen to them. The song doesn’t have an active music video and is longer than most of his other songs sung by Hatsune Miku.
The song may be one that expresses the producer’s feelings. It’s about the struggle a person may have to profess their love to someone, out of fear that they’d be misunderstood or rejected. Despite this, the song also describes how the future is worth it, so you should continue to power through hardships because you never know what may happen.
Expressing love is hard, and the song’s title represents this, as a ‘Mother Goose’ has a strong sense of love for her geese, but ‘Unknown’ here shows the singer’s wish to keep the feelings hidden due to the various reasons stated in the song.
There is a variety of singing styles in this single song, including rap, which contrasts with the benign and soothing background music, really conveying the conflicting emotions of love we’ve all felt at some point.
7. Nero by Hiiragi Kirai
Nero by Hiiragi Kirai
Nero is a Vocaloid song that was sung by V Flower in the video released by Hiiragi Kirai. However, the song was commissioned to be sung by a human for the opening of the anime, Dead Mount Death Play. This distinctive song also involves classical instruments such as the piano and clarinet.
The music video depicts two people, presumably a couple, eventually succumbing to the darkness that engulfs them, and the lyrics match this. There are heavy themes of death, and the darkness is mentioned to be representative of different aspects, including hatred, evil and jealousy. Hiiragi often incorporates pseudo-religious themes in his songs, so the darkness can also mean sin, or separation.
The dramatic musical pieces in the background hits the spot in terms of portraying the fight against despair and darkness, and the sudden shift in music right at the end makes the listener truly aware of reality and contemplate their own situation.
6. I Want to be Your Heart by YurryCanon
I Want to be Your Heart by YurryCanon
I Want to be Your Heart is a song by YurryCanon, with GUMI’s vocals, that’s part of a series of interlinked stories. The themes with umbrellas, hearts and death seem to be carried across the majority of songs within the Kardia album it’s in; Kardia itself being the Greek word for heart.
The song is about a girl professing a love for her friend for the very first and last time, as the friend has unfortunately died. The girl is overcome with grief and wishes she could give up her heart so she has a reason to live, and so she could be the reason for her friend to live too. It may be hinted that she ends her life in the end to be with her friend
This nostalgic song is reminiscent of eastern-european music, and is fast-paced to match the rushing thoughts of death the girl is feeling. In the video we see the two girls and breathtaking watercolour art, adding to the emotion and grief this song gives.
5. ROKI by mikitoP
ROKI by mikitoP
ROKI is a song by mikitoP that immediately became a success, despite the lack of a music video. Not only is it sung by Rin Kagamine, but mikitoP also duets with her, creating an alluring harmony. The song is a type of rock and roll hybrid with pop, creating a fascinating blend of vocals.
The song is an uplifting tune that is motivating the listeners to persevere and work hard. It’s contemporary and incorporates slang into its lyrics. The song’s catchy tune and family-friendly lyrics made it a hit among today’s youth, as it stands out from the common song about sadness
The fantastic use of beat drops throughout the song keeps the listener hooked and is a treat to the ears. It has a consistently intriguing beat that keeps you listening until you don’t even realise it’s the end.
4. Android Girl by DECO*27
Android Girl by Wowaka
Android Girl is a song by DECO*27, who has produced many hits since his debut. It’s a continuation of the song Two Breaths Walking, also sung by Hatsune Miku, where the characters seen are grown up. The song boasts 15 million views, despite being released fairly recently.
Seen in the pristinely animated video is a boy and an android girl, who are battling their love for eachother. The boy doesn’t seem to recognize the girl anymore due to how much she has changed, and believes their relationship can’t be reconciled. The girl wants to end things too, but ends up faltering when she thinks of their past together.
In the end they break apart, which listeners could relate to greatly, as many of us have been in relationships that warp over time to the point where nothing is salvageable. The song has an extensive storyline within the short video, making it a treat to listen to and decipher. It’s worth listening to Two Breaths Walking as well, to get a full idea of the picture being painted.
3. Airhead by Picon
Airhead by Picon
Airhead is Picon’s most popular video to date, with it reaching the Hall of Legend soon after its release. It’s sung by Hatsune Miku, in a rather calm voice, adding to the song’s tranquil melody.
This song, similar to the aforementioned Matryoshka, doesn’t have a set meaning. However, there is a loose connection to the ending of a relationship, and this song would be the kind of melancholic emptiness one feels after a breakup.
The hand-drawn art style of images combined with the digital-style font, in addition to the almost monochromatic visuals perfectly compliment the simplicity of the background music, showing the skill of the artist, the vocal composer and the musician in making this song relate to the mundanity of everyday life.
2. It’s Just Life by nulut
It's Just Life by nulut
It’s Just Life is a song produced by nulut, a highly proficient artist who is an expert at using V Flower for his songs. It’s Just Life's title can also be described as Nothing But Life, indicating that nothing that happens in life is ever that serious, as it’s just life, and everyone gets through it eventually.
The protagonist in the song is lamenting about how their partner has grown cold and distant, while narrating his concerns for other things, such as his desire to be artistic but the society he lives in pushes him to develop ideals he can’t relate to. At the end of the song, he looks in the mirror and sees himself as a weak and flimsy version of who he thought he was.
This song is seen as an anthem for burnt-out students, who can’t seem to find the same motivation and zest for life that they used to, and are now living their life day by day in the exact same way. Therefore, this is a good song to listen to when in need of a break from the workload.
1. Wozwald by NILFRUITS
Wozwald by NILFRUITS
Wozwald is a song by NILFRUITS that’s not only revered by the Vocaloid fandom, but also the Disney fandom too. The never-heard-before tuning of V Flower caused a storm, as previous songs by NILFRUITS weren’t as unique in terms of composition. The music video itself could be considered a visual novel, with its captivating animation by Wooma.
The song is heavily linked with Disney, with even the title being named after Walt Disney’s first character, Oswald. The story in the video is fairly long, but the gist of it is:
The main character seen is supposed to portray Mickey, and the narration is almost sarcastic in its attitude towards how Mickey doesn’t deserve the fame he has, due to Oswald being the original character. Mickey also has an addiction to sarsaparilla and Walt Disney is even seen as the father of Mickey and the resentful Oswald. All of the characters go by different names to protect copyright laws.
The plot is thicker than this, and the video is completely captivating as a whole. Any fan of Vocaloid, Disney or a well-rounded music video in general should give this song a listen, as it is guaranteed not to disappoint.
