[Cheering Songs] Japanese tracks to listen to when you’re troubled, lost, or feeling anxious

What do you want to become?Rozarīna

Rosalina 'What Do You Want To Be,' Official Lyric Video

This is a song I want you to listen to when you suddenly feel like you’re losing yourself in the rush of everyday life.

Singer-songwriter Rozarina, whose name comes from a soothing herb, created this track from the struggles she faced during an extremely busy time.

It’s included on her first album, INNER UNIVERSE, released in January 2020.

Although it was initially slated to be left off the album, it made the cut thanks to her strong wishes—a passionate backstory.

On nights when you’re worn out from trying too hard for someone else, this song will gently stay by your side.

-ness; typicality; the quality/essence of being [X] (as in “X-ness” or “X-like character”)SUPER BEAVER

SUPER BEAVER “Rashisa” Music Video

Have you ever felt bewildered by changing surroundings and prying eyes, finding yourself stuck on the question of who you really are? When that happens, this work by the four-piece rock band SUPER BEAVER is exactly what I want you to hear.

It affirms your evolving self and belts out an unshakable inner strength over a rock sound.

Released as a single in September 2014, it was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Barakamon.

Later included on the album Aisuru, it’s one of their signature tracks.

All the more reason to give it a listen when you’re preoccupied with others’ gazes and judgments and feel like you’re losing sight of yourself.

You’ll likely feel a weight lift from your shoulders.

cellsatou

Cell - Sato. [Music Video]

This work by singer-songwriter Sato draws on the curious fact that the human body completely renews itself every few years.

Its message—like reexamining oneself in a changing city—is delicately woven together with the sound of an acoustic guitar.

Released in July 2024, it marked the finale of a seven-month run of consecutive releases.

It’s also included on the album “Like a Newborn’s Cry.” Sato is a rising figure known for the hit song “3%” and the anime theme “Rourou.” When you’re unsettled by changes in your environment or unsure of who you are, listening might just lighten your heart.

How about lending an ear alone on a quiet night?

migratory bird[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Wataridori (MV)

“Wataridori” is one of the two A-side tracks on [Alexandros]’s 10th single.

It was released in March 2015.

The song was a breakthrough that brought the band wider recognition, peaking at No.

5 on the Oricon weekly chart.

It’s especially popular among young people for its refreshing, exhilarating feel.

Life is hard.satō moka

Life is busy

There are days when the weight of everyday life feels like it might crush you, and you can’t help but sigh, right? For anyone carrying that kind of helpless feeling, the opening track of singer-songwriter Moka Sato’s album “ERA,” released in October 2024, offers gentle companionship.

While candidly laying bare the real struggles of life—like daily payments and relationships—its breezy, stylish sound has a way of lifting you up.

A message like “You don’t have to push yourself” seeps deep into your heart, loosening taut strings.

If you’re exhausted from giving your all just to get through each day, try listening to this record and let your shoulders relax.

If being alive is painfulMoriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – If Being Alive Is Painful

It’s a ballad whose shocking opening line makes everyone doubt their ears—and then captures their hearts.

Sung by Naotaro Moriyama, who frames the world from a unique perspective, this masterpiece lays bare both the pain and joy of living.

The lyrics, written by poet Ochanomizu Kazu around 1997, were turned into a song after Moriyama happened upon them.

Released in August 2008 as his 16th single, it also drew attention as the CM song for Shuto Iko, Osaka Isen, and Nagoya Isen.

Its paradoxical wording delivers a message that affirms “living,” one that should especially resonate with those carrying deep worries.

Rather than forcing yourself to be cheerful, why not listen quietly on a night when you want to face your heart with calm?

Only by livingKiroro

Kiroro – Live to the Fullest (Music Video)

Released in 2005 as Kiroro’s 15th single.

Chosen as the opening theme for TV Tokyo’s “Mushiking: The Guardians of the Forest,” the song conveys that everyone is born because they are wanted, and how overjoyed parents are at a child’s birth.

It’s a warm song that makes you feel that simply being alive is enough.