Miki Matsubara’s City Pop Hit “Stay With Me” Gets 2024 Remix for 45th Anniversary

The late Miki Matsubara’s debut single “Stay With Me (Mayonaka no Door)” proves to be a smash hit beyond the grave, not just for Japanese listeners but also for Japanophiles all over the world. 

And on the occasion of the song’s 45th anniversary this week, Matsubara’s estate released its 2024 version via a landing page with links to its versions on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon.

Mixed Reactions to 2024 Remix

“Stay With Me” was originally released on Nov. 5, 1979 and was produced by legendary J-pop musician Tetsuji Hayashi as a funky jazz-pop fusion frequently attributed to 1970s and 1980s Japan, while the 2024 remix produced by Y@suo Ohtani evoked a modern synthesized dancey take on the same genre fusion. 

However, reception of the 2024 remix was mixed at best. 

While some appreciated the fact that Matsubara’s song has been remixed for the 21st century, they claimed the original one released in the 20th was more superior in terms of musicality and quality.

“The 2023 music video release version was more funky,” one YouTube comment wrote. “[T]his version was toned down, but nevertheless, Miki Matsubara-san’s singing is simply ‘euphoric’ even after 45 years.”

“Delete this s*** and let her rest in peace,” ranted another. 

“I’ll stick with the original version by Tetsuji Hayashi,” a third commented on Instagram.

City Pop’s 2020s Resurgence

“Stay With Me” made a resurgence in 2020, which Billboard attributed to the cover made by Indonesian YouTube singer Rainych. The song was also used as a sample for indie rock band Grey Sky Morning’s track “Wajah-Wajah (Sahabat),” which was eventually described as a tribute to Matsubara.

A lyrical English cover of the song was uploaded on YouTube by voice actress and singer Caitlin Myers in 2021, while a recent music video of the 1979 original directed by the Fridman Sisters and starred by local dancers Boxer and Miyu was released in 2023. 

The Matsubara song and Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” were just two of many City Pop tracks that made its comeback as one of the trends that influenced the early 2020s.

Matsubara married her touring drummer Masaki Honjo and eventually died of cervical cancer in 2004 at the age of 44. Honjo died three years later in 2007.

It is understood that Matsubara abruptly abandoned her musical career upon knowledge of her diagnosis.

On the 20th anniversary of her death last month, Tokyo Weekender published a feature article detailing Matsubara’s stellar musical career in Japan beyond her viral hit single, including her song “The Winner,” which was used in the anime television series “Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory.”