“Daremo ga me wo ubawareteiku…”
If you thought “Blue Bird” was fast, welcome to the next level. “Idol” (Idol) by YOASOBI took the world by storm as the opening for the anime Oshi no Ko. It topped the Billboard Global charts—a historic feat for J-Pop.
But let’s be honest: It is incredibly hard to sing.
The song switches between cute pop vocals, deep rap, and choir chanting in split seconds.
Can you master it? With our Easy Phonetic Breakdown, yes you can! We’ve slowed down the spelling so your brain can process the speed.
Official Video: YOASOBI – Idol
The Secret Technique: “Chunking”
Don’t try to read every letter. Group them into chunks.
- Instead of: Mu-te-ki-no-e-ga-o-de
- Think: Muteki-no / Egao-de
Idol: Phonetic Lyrics Breakdown
Intro: The Rap (Deep Voice)
| Japanese (Romaji) | Easy Phonetic Lyrics | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Muteki no egao de arasu media | Moo-teh-key no eh-gah-oh deh ah-rah-soo meh-dee-ah | Creating chaos in media with an invincible smile |
| Shiritai sono himitsu misuteriasu | She-ree-tie soh-noh he-meet-soo mee-soo-teh-ree-ah-soo | Want to know that mysterious secret |
| Nuketeru toko sae kanojo no eria | Noo-keh-teh-roo toh-koh sah-eh kah-noh-joh no eh-ree-ah | Even her flaws are within her area |
| Kanpeki de usotsuki na kimi wa | Kan-peh-key deh oo-soh-tsoo-key nah key-me wah | You, the perfect and lying… |
| Tensaiteki na aidoru sama | Ten-sai-teh-key nah eye-doh-roo sah-mah | Genius Idol-sama! |
Verse: The Interrogation (Fast!)
| Japanese (Romaji) | Easy Phonetic Lyrics | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kyou nani tabeta? | Kyo nah-knee tah-beh-tah? | What did you eat today? |
| Suki na hon wa? | Soo-key nah hon wah? | What’s your favorite book? |
| Asobi ni iku nara doko ni iku no? | Ah-soh-bee knee ee-koo nah-rah doh-koh knee ee-koo no? | Where do you go for fun? |
| Nanimo tabetenai | Nah-knee-moh tah-beh-teh-nai | I haven’t eaten anything |
| Sore wa naisho | Soh-reh wah nai-shoh | That’s a secret |
| Nani wo kikaretemo | Nah-knee woh key-kah-reh-teh-moh | No matter what I’m asked |
| Norari kurari | Noh-rah-ree koo-rah-ree | Dodging the question (vaguely) |
Chorus: The High Note Explosion
| Japanese (Romaji) | Easy Phonetic Lyrics | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Daremo ga me wo ubawareteiku | Dah-reh-moh gah meh woh oo-bah-wah-reh-teh-ee-koo | Everyone’s eyes are captivated |
| Kimi wa kanpeki de kyuukyoku no aidoru | Key-me wah kan-peh-key deh kyoo-kyoh-koo no eye-doh-roo | You are the perfect and ultimate idol |
| Konrinzai arawarenai | Kon-rin-zai ah-rah-wah-reh-nai | Never to appear again |
| Ichibanboshi no umarekawari | Ee-chee-ban-boh-she no oo-mah-reh-kah-wah-ree | The reincarnation of the first star |
| Ah, sono egao de | Ah, soh-noh eh-gah-oh deh | Ah, with that smile |
| Aishiteru de | Aye-she-teh-roo deh | With “I love you” |
| Daremo karemo toriko ni shiteiku | Dah-reh-moh kah-reh-moh toh-ree-koh knee she-teh-ee-koo | Making everyone and anyone a prisoner (fan) |
Vocabulary Corner: Idol Lingo
The lyrics are full of words used in Japanese Idol culture.
1. Uso (嘘) & Usotsuki (嘘つき)
- Meaning: Lie & Liar.
- Context: The main theme of the song is that “Lies are the greatest form of love”. Usotsuki is used to describe the idol Ai Hoshino.
2. Kanpeki (完璧)
- Meaning: Perfect.
- Context: “Kimi wa kanpeki” (You are perfect). Use this when your friend does something flawlessly!
3. Himitsu (秘密)
- Meaning: Secret.
- Context: Idols have many secrets (Himitsu). Keep them safe!
4. Toriko (虜)
- Meaning: Prisoner / Captive / Smitten.
- Context: “Toriko ni shiteiku” doesn’t mean putting people in jail. It means captivating their hearts so much they can’t escape your charm.
Singing Tips: The “Character Switch”
This song is like a theater play. You need to act!
- The Rap: Sing with a deeper, slightly bored or arrogant voice.
- The Chorus: Switch immediately to a high-pitched, cute, and energetic “Idol” voice.
- The Chant: In the background, you hear fans shouting “Oi! Oi!”. Don’t forget to do that too for energy!
Conclusion
Mastering “Idol” is a massive achievement. If you can sing this, you can sing almost any Japanese song. It requires speed, pitch control, and acting skills.
Is this too crazy fast for you?
Or try a medium-speed anime song like Blue Bird (Naruto) before attempting this boss level again!