Diana Ross

When hesitating about going to a concert with the tagline "This might be her last performance in Japan," such words can be a good starting point. Tonight's Budokan audience, largely composed of people in their 50s and 60s, marked her first solo performance in Japan in 18 years. It was part of a tour that has been taking place in North America since last year, and featured a luxurious setlist including several costume changes. More than anything, her voice was in excellent condition, and we were able to fully enjoy the appeal of her well-known hit songs. The songs, carefully selected from her long career, were varied, ranging from old and new hits to jazz and musical movie soundtracks. For the encore, she performed "If We Hold On Together" as a special track only for Japan, which became a grand chorus involving the entire audience, making for a very moving finale. Even without flamboyance, these kinds of deeply touching live performances remain in our memories for a long time. It was a fortunate start to the year in terms of live music.