“My hometown’s never felt like home. I’m not asking for your pity but there’s nowhere left to go”. “Japan” by Wallice is an ode to trying to find yourself in between places where you are supposed to feel like you belong. In this song, Wallice talks about her dad being from central Japan, but when she finds herself there, it doesn’t feel like home to her. Wallice’s voice brings powerful emotion to the themes she sings about and relates directly to those who have experienced what she has. Many Americans whose parents are from other countries can sometimes feel lost and disconnected from places where they are “from” and it can cause a numbing ache, especially as teenagers and young adults, where trying to feel comfortable in one’s identity is a central life experience. Wallice does an incredible job of describing these feelings in “Japan”.
Wallice is a real songwriter – through and through, and this is evident in her ability to bring such a powerful story to life between acoustic guitars and echoing vocals. The feeling you feel when Wallice sings “Tokyo’s so loud” is unlike any other. Even if you don’t relate to the overarching themes of “Japan”, you can find yourself relating to that feeling of not belonging. You feel her pain in every sentence. The song ends with Wallice singing “I wish we had more time”.
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Velvet Noise 