Singing Contests in Japan + Onee Gyaru Advice

What is your biggest dream? Today I talk with the lovely gaijin gyaru Noemie from France as part of my ‘interview with a gyaru/gyaruo’ series on how she’s grown up dreaming of being a singer, which led her to travel across the globe to Japan to sing at the Nodojiman The World contest! Not only is she a songwriter but she’s also an amazing onee gyaru (a more mature gyaru style) so read on for her life as a singer and her advice on how to do onee gyaru.

Hey Noemie! Thank you so much for joining me for this interview. So let’s start with the basics – what’s your gyaru story?

I found gyaru when I discovered Japanese’s music at 13 years old. I don’t remember very much about the “old days”, ahah, but I found “Black Diamond” (a song by Namie Amuro ) and I really liked her fashion and music. I searched some more Japanese singers after that and I found Koda Kumi and Ayumi Hamasaki. I was so impressed by their style and makeup. So I read everything I could about them and found out about “gyaru style”.

After searching on YouTube and found galgals revolution website I began to buy clothes similar to gals and tried to wear lenses. A few days after I discovered a web shop in France who sell gyaru fashion – I bought my first d.i.a belt, and I was so proud! And I discovered Japan Expo , and saw Tokyo Crazy Kawaii too and Black Diamond perform… I was so happy to have seen that event in person.

I met one French gal-unit in Paris during Tokyo Crazy Kawaii and I was so happy to see other girls who liked the fashion too. I met the Black Diamond gal unit too and they really liked my hair (my real hair is very big and curly and I’ve always hated it). I was so surprised that big hair was in fashion for them! I admired all of the gaijin gals so much online and and researched to know more about gyaru.

And during this time I decided : I wanted to be a gal.

Gosh, I’m so jealous that you were able to meet Black Diamond! I would love to meet them one day. I saw on your Instagram that you’re a singer/songwriter and that you went over to Japan for a singing contest (which is AMAZING). Can you tell us more about it?

I started singing since I was 13 years old, and in 2018 one of my friends said to me: there is Nodojiman The World contest in Japan! You must do it! (Nodojiman The World is a program from NIHONTV where they invite foreign people from all over the world and they must sing in front of a jury in Japanese). At the beginning I didn’t believe in myself and thought maybe it’s not for me… Because singing in Japanese in front of all Japan was scary… But I tried it because I thought that I had nothing to lose! So I sent videos in Japanese and worked everyday (and did around 6 songs in total).

I then received an email saying that my videos were amazing! I remember crying when they said to me: we want to invite you to Japan!

This experience was amazing I met new friends from all over the world. I was the only French person there but we all spoke English (even if my English was bad). The production invited the famous Popteen Model Michopa for me, because they know that I like Gyaru fashion. They also invited the famous rock singer Nanase Aikawa as jury too! I was very stressed and even more so when I learnt that the famous producer TSUNKU was going to be there.

For the show I sang “Yumemiru Shoujo Ja Irarenai” from Nanase Aikawa and I went through to the final round and sang “Voyage” by Ayumi Hamasaki (Michopa’s favorite song). The MC asked me: what’s your favorite word in Japanese? And I said: AGEPOYO! Everyone was so shocked (and I think Michopa was too) and I told her that I love her. She said that she’s never been to France but she will think about it. I wanted to show Michopa that gaijin gyaru know her and that she must come visit!

I think this experience it’s one of the best of my life… I will never forget this moment and I can’t be enough thankful enough to Nodojiman The World Production who believed in me and gave me this opportunity.

So I have advice for you guys: if you have a dream , do everything for it and work. Don’t give up even if it’s hard! There is no secret if you want to do something special in your life!

Wow that’s so inspiring! I don’t think I’d be able to sing in front of people, let alone in a completely different language! I am so happy for you that you got to the final round. And you’re a model too as well as a singer! How did you start doing that?

When I began doing music my teachers told me “you must do a book – for an artist it’s important if you wanna ‘sell’ yourself and have a job”. At the beginning I asked my neighbors to take photos of me in the garden or in a little studio that he created! They weren’t professional but the experience was so funny –  we just put on some music and I changed into multiple outfits. It was my first time doing it and I didn’t think that I would be a model one day!

After we created Gyaransu we did many events and organized fashion shows with Shibuya109 brands in France and we became models for them. While on my trip for Nodojiman The World one of my Italian friends of the TV program introduced me to a Japanese photographer and we did some photoshoots in Tokyo Tower too and now I’m in his book which you can buy in Japan!

To evolve as model, I watched many videos on YouTube and asked a lot of advice from other models that I knew. Before I was very shy and I’d never thought that I could do this, but with my musical school in ParisI learnt theatre and my teacher helped every student to be more comfortable in our body and he helped me to feel better on stage and that’s helped me for a lot of things.

Ooh I’d love to do a photoshoot in Japan one day with a professional photographer, I’m so jealous! So, bringing it back to gyaru… you pull off onee gyaru so well! Do you have any advice for other people who want to achieve this look?

Follow every model that you like on social media, and if you can read Ageha magazine or watch videos on YouTube about modern Gals. Always practise your makeup and keep up with the latest fashion on the Shibuya109 website or on your favorite brands’ website! (For me I like Resexxy and Lip Service). But don’t hesitate to do your own onee style! Being yourself is the most important thing and don’t try to be a copy of Japanese gals. It’s better to mix clothes that you like and do more soft makeup (because Gyaru makeup has changed a lot year after year). There is always something to learn that’s why I like it.

Amazing! Thank you so much for doing this interview with me. Before we go – what’s your favourite dessert?

Hmmm that’s difficult as I like all desserts, but if I must choose one I think crêpe with ice cream and a lot of cream and chocolate!

And that’s it for my interview with gyaru Noemie! Do you have any questions for her?
Click here to read my previous interview with gyaruo (the guy version of gyaru), Wes!

Follow her on Youtube and on Facebook!

Love,
Lizzie xx