Ken Hirai, known for his sweet, rich vocals, has delivered numerous classic songs.
From Hitomi wo Tojite to POP STAR and the drama theme Itsuka Hanareru Hi ga Kitemo, many people probably want to try singing them at karaoke.
However, we often hear that his distinctive vibrato and wide vocal range can feel intimidating and hard to tackle.
In this article, we’ve picked out relatively easy-to-sing songs from Ken Hirai’s catalog and introduce them while touching on their vocal ranges and melodic characteristics.
Use this as a reference when choosing your next song!
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Ken Hirai's easy-to-sing songs. Songs you want to sing emotionally (1–10)
Dear daysNEW!Hirai Ken
Produced by Kiyoshi Matsuo for the first time in ten years to cap off the 15th anniversary, this exquisite ballad, tinged with sadness yet evoking hope for the future, was released on May 4, 2011 as the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama JIN: The Final Chapter.
The song spans a very wide vocal range from G#2 to C5, with a clear structure where the range gradually rises from the A verse to the B verse and then the chorus.
The low notes in the A verse are pitches you don’t often use, so be careful not to let your voice get muffled.
Take a deep breath and project your voice forward, letting the air flow.
The start of the chorus uses phonemes that make falsetto easy to produce, so if you really let your head voice resonate, you should be able to hit the notes without any problem.
Because it won’t reach / Because it doesn’t reachNEW!Hirai Ken
This is a ballad written as the theme song for the film “50 First Kisses,” starring Takayuki Yamada and Masami Nagasawa in dual leading roles.
It sings of a bittersweet love for someone whose memory resets every day, and the music video’s clown dance in a tatami room became a hot topic.
The vocals over a light electric guitar are particularly striking.
The key point is the chorus’s choppy, start-and-stop melodic line, where the singer intentionally inhales and exhales during the breaks to let you enjoy the sound of the breath.
Try singing it with an easy touch, without overexerting yourself.
LIFE is… ～another story～NEW!Hirai Ken
This is a renowned ballad that was rearranged from a track on the 2003 album “LIFE is…” and released as a single the same year as the theme song for the drama “The Life of Quill, the Seeing-Eye Dog.” Even in difficult circumstances, it expresses the “truth” of facing forward and living on, conveyed through Ken Hirai’s poignant yet warm vocals, making it a song that’s extremely popular among fans.
With its beautiful sound highlighted by piano and string accompaniment, it’s also a personal favorite of mine.
The verse sits in the low range and the chorus leaps into the high range, creating a large contrast, so be sure to lift your facial muscles from the start to avoid your pitch dropping.
Even as the melody changes, if you focus on projecting all your voice from your temples, you’ll find it easier to sing.
I love you.NEW!Hirai Ken
A fragile, gentle ballad produced by Seiji Kameda that sings of the sorrow and love of losing someone dear, it served as the theme song for the film “Ghost: Mou Ichido Dakishimetai,” released on November 10, 2010.
A dramatic signature song commemorating the 15th anniversary of his debut, its music video features Ken Hirai himself giving a powerful performance as a deceased man, resulting in a deeply moving work.
The song’s overall vocal range is E3–D5, roughly two octaves, and as long as you can produce low notes and falsetto without strain, it shouldn’t pose much difficulty.
Try projecting your voice as if pulling it toward the back of your head—you may find it a bit easier to sing.
sentimentalNEW!Hirai Ken
Written and composed by Ken Hirai himself, this ballad captures the tenderness felt at the moment of parting and the poignant ache of a heart drifting away, and it was also used as the image song for the 25th Toyota Cup.
Because it is sung quietly throughout with only piano accompaniment, the delicacy of the vocals stands out.
It’s not a belting style, so I think it’s best to keep the resonance placed in the head consistently as you sing.
If you, like Ken Hirai, consciously lift your eyebrows firmly and aim a thin, straight-upward tone, it should make it easier even for those who struggle with falsetto.
Ken Hirai does this unconsciously too, so try singing while imitating the way he sings.
Nevertheless, I want to do it.NEW!Hirai Ken
A double A-side single that portrays a thrilling, forbidden love where you want to make your crush turn around and notice you.
The music video—shot entirely in Delhi, India—features Ken Hirai dressed as an Indian man, showing off Bollywood dance moves, which became a major talking point.
Viewers have even said it “doesn’t feel out of place.” The lyrics are distinctive, making it a song you can recognize right away.
I think the key is how emotionally you sing the opening of the chorus.
The vocal range isn’t that high, so you might be able to sing it in chest voice.
Once you’re feeling it, belting it out in chest voice instead of falsetto can feel really good.
NonfictionNEW!Hirai Ken
Based on the artist’s real experience of losing someone close, this medium-tempo ballad explores views on life and death and loneliness, and served as the theme song for the TBS drama “A Little Giant” in the April 2017 season.
Kenshi Hirai himself said it “cuts into the dark side of life,” and it’s a masterpiece that expresses an earnest questioning of death and a sense of loss.
The chorus is famous, so I think many people know the song.
The overall vocal range is C3–A4, and the falsetto in the chorus is especially distinctive; if you can’t hit that comfortably, the performance can feel underwhelming.
Rather than belting in chest voice, sing more strongly in falsetto.
Try placing a hand on the back of your head and imagine sending your voice in that direction as you sing.