Swedish music export to Japan have a long and successful history. With artists like Pandora and Meja, Sweden concurred the Japanese market. Those artist and many more were active in mostly in the 90s. That was the age of CDs and album. Sure to say the Japanese audience have a thing for Swedish pop and cute girls.
And now a new Swedish song have won the hearts of the youths in Japan. But not through the old fashion way like in the 90s. Through new technology, remix community and the web an old Swedish song taken Japan by surprise. The song is Caramelldansen, originally made by Caramell was released in 2001. It was later remixed and speed-up called Speedycake Remix, which seems to appeal more to the Japanese youth. I don’t think the remixed track is available for retail in Sweden, it is in Japan.
Whats interesting is in which way it became a success. Some one have taken a piece of the remixed song and made a Anime Music Video, synchronised with the beat. Illustrating two girls doing some moves to the beats. Released and distributed on Youtube it have been watched (at the time of writing) about 1,622,739 times. Also, the concept have been cloned into countless video where different anime charaters makes the same move to the song. Its become a phenomenon spreading. Its even branched Japanese kids and youth recording themselves dancing the Caramell-dance to the beats.
A new Swedish music success, thanks to new technology! I sure liked the song before I heard of this. Welcome to the new world of the prosumers!
Whatz up Guru, what made you want to write on sh remix Web success, in Japan | Daniel.Hjelmtorp.com? I was wondering, because I have been thinking about this since last Friday.