Hello, I’m Kodak.
You find a Japanese artist covering Vocaloid and J-pop songs on YouTube or Nico Nico Douga.
Fans call the performer an utaite.
But in Japanese internet culture, utaite usually refers to a vocalist known for posting “I tried singing” cover performances online—especially in the culture that grew around Nico Nico Douga, Vocaloid music, and later YouTube.
歌い手 (utaite)
＝ literally, a person who sings
In modern online culture:
a singer or vocalist who posts cover performances—often called 歌ってみた (utatte mita) videos—on platforms such as Nico Nico Douga and YouTube
An utaite may be amateur, independent, professionally signed, anonymous, face-revealing, cover-focused, or active with original music.
The difference is mainly what the label emphasizes:
singer / 歌手 ⇒ singing as a profession or public role
utaite / 歌い手 ⇒ singing activity, performance identity, and connection with online cover culture
In this article, you will learn:
② what 歌ってみた means
③ how utaite culture developed
④ the difference between utaite and 歌手 (kashu)
⑤ whether an utaite can become a professional singer
⑥ how utaite differ from Vocaloid, VTubers, idols, and band vocalists
⑦ useful Japanese phrases for discussing utaite and cover songs
- 1 What Does Utaite Mean in Japanese?
- 2 How Is the Word Utaite Formed?
- 3 What Does 歌ってみた (Utatte Mita) Mean?
- 4 How Did Utaite Culture Develop?
- 5 Utaite vs Singer in Japan: What Is the Difference?
- 6 Can a Professional Artist Still Be an Utaite?
- 7 Utaite vs Cover Singer
- 8 Utaite vs Vocalist
- 9 Utaite vs Vocaloid
- 10 Utaite vs Vocaloid Producer
- 11 Utaite vs VTuber
- 12 Utaite vs Idol
- 13 Do Utaite Only Sing Vocaloid Songs?
- 14 Do Utaite Have to Hide Their Faces?
- 15 How Is an Utaite Cover Made?
- 16 Copyright Basics for 歌ってみた Covers
- 17 Pronunciation and Writing of Utaite
- 18 How to Use Utaite in Japanese
- 19 Useful Utaite and Cover-Song Vocabulary
- 20 Natural Conversations About Utaite
- 21 Common Beginner Mistakes
- 21.1 Mistake 1: Translating Utaite as “Amateur Singer”
- 21.2 Mistake 2: Thinking a Professional Cannot Be an Utaite
- 21.3 Mistake 3: Thinking Every Utaite Is Anonymous
- 21.4 Mistake 4: Calling Vocaloid Characters Utaite
- 21.5 Mistake 5: Thinking Utaite Only Sing Covers Forever
- 21.6 Mistake 6: Calling Every Online Cover Singer an Utaite
- 21.7 Mistake 7: Assuming a Cover Is Automatically Free to Upload
- 22 FAQ About Utaite Meaning
- 22.1 What does utaite mean?
- 22.2 How do you write utaite in Japanese?
- 22.3 How do you pronounce utaite?
- 22.4 What is the difference between utaite and singer?
- 22.5 Is an utaite an amateur singer?
- 22.6 Can an utaite sing original songs?
- 22.7 Is Ado an utaite?
- 22.8 What does utatte mita mean?
- 22.9 What is the difference between utaite and Vocaloid?
- 22.10 What is the difference between utaite and VTuber?
- 22.11 Do utaite have to hide their faces?
- 22.12 Is utaite the same as a cover singer?
- 23 Summary: Utaite Is More Than the Japanese Word for Singer
- 24 Related Articles
- 25 References
What Does Utaite Mean in Japanese?
歌い手 (utaite) has a broad dictionary meaning and a narrower internet-culture meaning.
a person who sings; a singer; someone who sings professionally or skillfully
Internet-culture meaning
a vocalist associated with posting cover performances online, especially 歌ってみた videos
The General Japanese Meaning
この歌の歌い手は誰ですか。
Kono uta no utaite wa dare desu ka.
Who is the singer of this song?
In this sentence, 歌い手 may simply mean the person performing the song. There is not necessarily any connection to internet culture.
The Internet-Culture Meaning
彼女は動画サイトで活動している歌い手です。
Kanojo wa dōga saito de katsudō shite iru utaite desu.
She is an utaite active on video-sharing platforms.
Here, the word suggests an online vocalist who posts covers, participates in creator culture, or has roots in the 歌ってみた scene.
In a general sentence, 歌い手 can still mean any singer. In discussions of Vocaloid covers, Nico Nico Douga, YouTube creators, avatars, mixing, and online fandom, it usually carries the internet-culture meaning.
How Is the Word Utaite Formed?
The word combines the verb 歌う (utau: to sing) with 手 (te: person who performs a role).
to sing
↓ verb stem
歌い (utai)
singing / to sing
＋
手 (te)
the person who performs the action or takes that role
＝
歌い手 (utaite)
the person who sings
The 手 here does not literally mean a physical hand. It appears in many words for people performing particular communicative or creative roles.
speaker; the person talking
聞き手 (kikite)
listener; interviewer
書き手 (kakite)
writer; the person writing
読み手 (yomite)
reader; the person reading
踊り手 (odorite)
dancer—especially an online dance creator in some contexts
歌い手 (utaite)
singer; the person singing
The core image is simply “the person on the singing side.”
What Does 歌ってみた (Utatte Mita) Mean?
Utaite culture is closely connected with the phrase 歌ってみた (utatte mita).
the te-form of 歌う, “to sing”
みた (mita)
past form of みる in the pattern ～てみる, “to try doing”
歌ってみた
literally, “I tried singing it”
naturally, “song cover” or “I covered this song”
On Japanese video platforms, creators have used titles and category labels such as:
I tried singing it / song cover
踊ってみた
I tried dancing it / dance cover
演奏してみた
I tried performing it / instrumental cover
作ってみた
I tried making it
好きなボカロ曲を歌ってみました。
Suki na bokaro-kyoku o utatte mimashita.
I tried covering my favorite Vocaloid song.
新しい歌ってみた動画を投稿しました。
Atarashii utatte mita dōga o tōkō shimashita.
I uploaded a new cover video.
Over time, 歌ってみた became the established name of a whole online cover culture, even when the singer, recording, mixing, and video are highly professional.
How Did Utaite Culture Develop?
The word 歌い手 existed long before the internet. What changed was the cultural meaning attached to it.
During the rise of Nico Nico Douga in the late 2000s, users uploaded performances under categories such as 歌ってみた, 踊ってみた, and 演奏してみた.
Many singers covered:
・anime songs
・J-pop and rock songs
・game music
・other internet creators’ original music
・popular songs rearranged in a new vocal style
The performers built identities through usernames, profile illustrations, comments, collaborations, live events, albums, and fan communities.
Before the internet
歌い手 is a general Japanese word for a singer or person who sings
↓
Late 2000s
Nico Nico Douga and 歌ってみた culture make “utaite” a recognizable online creator identity
↓
2010s
Popular utaite form units, release albums, perform live, and enter the commercial music industry
↓
2020s
Activity expands across YouTube, TikTok, streaming services, virtual performance, original music, and international fandom
Dwango’s official materials have long described 歌ってみた as a major Nico Nico category and called the performers active there 歌い手. In 2022, the company launched 歌ってみた Collection as a posting festival specifically for utaite and fans of cover-song culture.
Nico Nico culture gave the existing word a new, more specific identity: an online vocalist connected with user-posted cover performances.
Utaite vs Singer in Japan: What Is the Difference?
The closest ordinary Japanese word for a professional singer is 歌手 (kashu).
| Word | Basic meaning | What the label emphasizes |
|---|---|---|
| 歌い手 | Person who sings; online cover vocalist | Performance role, creator identity, and online singing culture |
| 歌手 | Professional singer | Occupation and established public music career |
| シンガー | Singer | Modern stylistic label; often used in profiles and genre descriptions |
歌手 Emphasizes a Profession
Japanese dictionaries define 歌手 as a person who sings professionally.
彼女はプロの歌手です。
Kanojo wa puro no kashu desu.
She is a professional singer.
歌い手 Emphasizes the Singing Role or Culture
彼は歌ってみたで人気になった歌い手です。
Kare wa utatte mita de ninki ni natta utaite desu.
He is an utaite who became popular through cover videos.
The word tells us something about the singer’s activity and cultural background, not necessarily whether singing is paid employment.
An amateur cover creator may be an utaite. A signed artist may also continue to identify as an utaite. One word describes the creator culture; the other can describe the profession.
A person can be both.
歌手
“What is this person’s profession or public music role?”
歌い手
“What kind of singing activity and online culture is this person associated with?”
Can a Professional Artist Still Be an Utaite?
Yes. Becoming commercially successful does not automatically erase the utaite identity.
A clear example is Ado. Even after a major-label debut, international releases, and large concert tours, her official Universal Music biography continues to describe her as a 歌い手.
An artist may begin through online covers, keep the vocal interpretation and creator-network culture of that scene, and later sing original songs professionally.
Utaite vs Cover Singer
Cover singer is often the most useful short English explanation of utaite—but it is not a perfect translation.
Many utaite become known by recording their own versions of existing songs.
Why it is incomplete
Utaite is connected with a specific Japanese internet culture, vocabulary, creator network, visual identity, and history. Many utaite also release original music.
The word is most natural when the performer identifies with, or is discussed within, Japanese 歌ってみた culture. Calling every Western YouTube cover singer an utaite may ignore how that person describes their own work.
Utaite vs Vocalist
ボーカリスト (bōkarisuto) means vocalist. It often describes the person responsible for vocals in a band, group, recording, or performance.
the vocalist of a band
ネットで活動する歌い手
an utaite active online
The same person can be both. For example, an utaite may join a unit and serve as its vocalist.
Use the culture-specific sense of utaite only when the online cover-creator background is relevant.
Utaite vs Vocaloid
An utaite is a human singer. Vocaloid is singing-synthesis technology used to create a computer-generated vocal performance.
| Utaite | Vocaloid | |
|---|---|---|
| Voice source | A human vocalist | A synthesized singing voice based on a voicebank |
| Typical creator role | Sings and interprets the song | A producer programs notes, lyrics, timing, and expression |
| Common relationship | May cover a Vocaloid song | May provide the original version that utaite cover |
A human performer who covers a Hatsune Miku song may be an utaite.
Utaite vs Vocaloid Producer
A ボカロP (Vocaloid producer) generally writes, composes, arranges, or produces songs using Vocaloid or related singing-synthesis voices.
creates or produces the song
歌い手
sings and interprets the song
MIX師
edits and mixes the vocal recording
絵師
creates illustrations
動画師
creates or edits the video
These roles can overlap. An utaite may also write songs, produce Vocaloid tracks, mix audio, draw illustrations, or edit videos.
Japanese internet music labels describe activities, not mutually exclusive boxes.
Utaite vs VTuber
A VTuber is a creator who presents through a virtual character or avatar. An utaite is defined mainly by singing activity and culture.
describes the presentation format or virtual identity
Utaite
describes the singing activity and connection with cover culture
A VTuber who regularly posts 歌ってみた videos may also be described as an utaite. An utaite who uses an illustrated avatar is not automatically a VTuber.
Many utaite use a fixed illustration, logo, or character design without performing as a live virtual avatar. Face concealment alone does not define a VTuber.
Utaite vs Idol
アイドル (idol) usually describes an entertainment role built around singing, dancing, personality, visual presentation, fan interaction, and group or agency promotion.
Utaite centers more directly on online singing and vocal interpretation.
voice, covers, interpretation, recording, internet creator culture
Idol identity often emphasizes:
group activities, performance, personality, visual branding, fan events, and entertainment growth
The categories can overlap. An idol may upload cover videos, and an utaite group may use idol-style promotion.
Do Utaite Only Sing Vocaloid Songs?
No. Vocaloid music is central to utaite history, but utaite may cover many kinds of music.
・J-pop
・rock
・anime songs
・game songs
・idol songs
・Western pop
・other utaite or internet artists’ songs
・original songs written for the performer
However, someone who only releases original music and has no connection to that scene may be described more naturally as a singer, artist, vocalist, or singer-songwriter.
Do Utaite Have to Hide Their Faces?
No. Face concealment is common in parts of internet music culture, but it is not a requirement.
・use only a username and illustration
・show a partial silhouette
・appear in costume
・reveal their face in live performances
・show their face from the beginning
・change presentation style over time
Some performers value privacy. Others use visual characters as part of the art. Some simply began recording at home without planning a conventional celebrity image.
The defining connection is singing activity—especially online cover and creator culture.
How Is an Utaite Cover Made?
A polished 歌ってみた video may involve several creators.
1. Choose the song
The singer selects a song and confirms the creator’s cover rules.
2. Obtain or create an instrumental
The performer uses an officially distributed off-vocal track or properly authorized accompaniment.
3. Record the vocals
Main vocals, harmonies, doubles, ad-libs, and spoken parts may be recorded separately.
4. Edit and mix
Timing, pitch, noise, balance, effects, and vocal tone are adjusted.
5. Create visual material
An illustration, lyric video, animation, or original music video may be produced.
6. Credit the creators
The original song, producer, mixer, illustrator, video creator, and other contributors are listed.
7. Upload and share
The cover is posted to Nico Nico Douga, YouTube, TikTok, or another service.
One person may sing, another may mix, another may illustrate, and another may edit the video. Some utaite are also skilled in several of those roles.
Copyright Basics for 歌ってみた Covers
Posting a cover does not mean that every song, recording, illustration, or video can automatically be used without permission.
・the melody and lyrics
・the original commercial sound recording
・a distributed instrumental track
・an arrangement or translation
・illustrations and video footage
・the platform’s music agreements and posting rules
Japanese rights-management organizations explain that certain licensed platforms can handle some composition and lyric rights collectively. However, using someone else’s commercial recording or instrumental may require separate permission from the sound-recording owner.
The safest practice is to use an official instrumental provided for covers, follow the original creator’s guidelines, credit everyone properly, and check the current rules of the platform and rights holders.
Your new vocal recording is yours, but the underlying melody and lyrics still belong to their rights holders. The instrumental, artwork, and video may have separate owners too.
Pronunciation and Writing of Utaite
Hiragana: うたいて
Katakana: ウタイテ
Romaji: utaite
Mora: う・た・い・て (4 morae)
Pronounce each mora clearly:
う = u
た = ta
い = i
て = te
The sequence ai contains two Japanese morae: た・い. Avoid compressing the word into something like “you-tie-tay.”
The ordinary standard spelling is 歌い手, while うたいて and ウタイテ may appear for readability or design.
How to Use Utaite in Japanese
歌い手として活動する: To Be Active as an Utaite
私は歌い手として活動しています。
Watashi wa utaite to shite katsudō shite imasu.
I am active as an utaite.
歌い手になる: To Become an Utaite
いつか歌い手になりたいです。
Itsuka utaite ni naritai desu.
I want to become an utaite someday.
好きな歌い手: Favorite Utaite
好きな歌い手は誰ですか。
Suki na utaite wa dare desu ka.
Who is your favorite utaite?
人気の歌い手: Popular Utaite
彼は若いリスナーに人気の歌い手です。
Kare wa wakai risunā ni ninki no utaite desu.
He is an utaite popular with younger listeners.
歌い手さん: Polite or Affectionate Reference
この歌い手さんの声が好きです。
Kono utaite-san no koe ga suki desu.
I like this utaite’s voice.
It treats the person behind the role politely.
Useful Utaite and Cover-Song Vocabulary
a song-cover post or video
原曲 (genkyoku)
the original song
本家 (honke)
the original creator or original version in fan-community usage
オフボーカル (ofu bōkaru)
off-vocal; instrumental track
音源 (ongen)
audio source or recording
録音 (rokuon)
recording
MIX / ミックス
editing and balancing the recorded vocals and instrumental
ハモリ (hamori)
harmony vocals
コラボ (korabo)
collaboration
歌い手グループ (utaite gurūpu)
utaite group or vocal creator unit
オリジナル曲 (orijinaru-kyoku)
original song
初投稿 (hatsu tōkō)
first upload or debut post
Natural Conversations About Utaite
Conversation 1: Asking What Utaite Means
Utaite tte nani?
What is an utaite?
Netto ni utatte mita dōga o tōkō shite iru hito no koto da yo.
It means someone who posts cover-song videos online.
Conversation 2: Sharing a Favorite Creator
Saikin, dare no utatte mita o kiiteru?
Whose covers have you been listening to lately?
Kono utaite-san. Kōon ga sugoku kirei nan da.
This utaite. Their high notes are really beautiful.
Conversation 3: Cover or Original Song?
Kore wa utatte mita?
Is this a cover?
Uun, sono utaite no orijinaru-kyoku da yo.
No, it is that utaite’s original song.
Conversation 4: Starting as an Utaite
Utaite o hajimetai n da kedo, nani ga hitsuyō kana.
I want to start as an utaite. What do I need?
Mazu wa kyoku no riyō rūru o kakunin shite, rokuon shite mitara?
Why not start by checking the song’s usage rules and trying a recording?
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Translating Utaite as “Amateur Singer”
Some utaite are amateurs, but others earn money, release commercial music, sign with labels, and perform major concerts.
Mistake 2: Thinking a Professional Cannot Be an Utaite
Professional status and utaite identity can coexist.
Mistake 3: Thinking Every Utaite Is Anonymous
Some hide their faces, while others appear publicly. Anonymity is not a requirement.
Mistake 4: Calling Vocaloid Characters Utaite
Utaite are human singers. Vocaloid performances use synthesized voices.
Mistake 5: Thinking Utaite Only Sing Covers Forever
Many release original songs, compose music, form units, tour, or develop broader artist careers.
Mistake 6: Calling Every Online Cover Singer an Utaite
The term carries a Japanese cultural context. Use it when the performer or community identifies with that scene.
Mistake 7: Assuming a Cover Is Automatically Free to Upload
Rights to the song, instrumental, recording, arrangement, illustration, and video may be separate. Always follow the relevant guidelines.
FAQ About Utaite Meaning
What does utaite mean?
Utaite literally means a person who sings. In Japanese internet culture, it usually means a vocalist known for posting online cover performances called 歌ってみた.
How do you write utaite in Japanese?
The standard spelling is 歌い手. It can also be written うたいて in hiragana or stylized as ウタイテ in katakana.
How do you pronounce utaite?
Pronounce it in four Japanese morae: u-ta-i-te (う・た・い・て).
What is the difference between utaite and singer?
A singer is anyone who sings. In Japan, 歌手 often emphasizes singing as a profession, while 歌い手 can emphasize the performer role and an identity connected with online cover culture.
Is an utaite an amateur singer?
Not necessarily. Utaite may be amateur, independent, or professionally signed.
Can an utaite sing original songs?
Yes. Although many become known through covers, utaite may release original songs, write music, form groups, and build professional careers.
Is Ado an utaite?
Yes. Ado’s official record-label biography describes her as a 歌い手, even after her major-label debut and international success.
What does utatte mita mean?
歌ってみた literally means “I tried singing it.” Online, it refers to a song-cover post or video.
What is the difference between utaite and Vocaloid?
An utaite is a human singer. Vocaloid is singing-synthesis technology. Utaite often cover songs originally performed with Vocaloid voices.
What is the difference between utaite and VTuber?
Utaite describes singing activity and cover culture. VTuber describes presenting through a virtual identity or avatar. A creator can be both.
Do utaite have to hide their faces?
No. Some use illustrations or conceal their faces, while others appear publicly. Face concealment is a presentation choice, not part of the definition.
Is utaite the same as a cover singer?
“Cover singer” is a useful short explanation, but utaite also carries the history, vocabulary, community, and creator culture of Japanese 歌ってみた.
Summary: Utaite Is More Than the Japanese Word for Singer
歌い手 means a person who sings.
● Internet meaning
An online vocalist associated with posting cover performances known as 歌ってみた.
● Utaite vs singer
歌手 often emphasizes a professional occupation. 歌い手 emphasizes the singing role, creator identity, and online cover culture. A person can be both.
● Typical music
Vocaloid, J-pop, anime songs, rock, game music, Western songs, and original music.
● Not a requirement
An utaite does not have to be amateur, anonymous, faceless, or limited to cover songs.
● Related term
歌ってみた literally means “I tried singing it” and refers to an online song cover.
● Important distinction
Utaite are human singers. Vocaloid uses synthesized singing voices.
Ask what the label is telling you about their history, community, and way of sharing music.
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References
- Kotobank: 歌い手 — general dictionary meanings, including a person who sings and a professional singer.
- Kotobank: 歌手 — definition of a person who sings professionally.
- Dwango: ROOT FIVE — an official example describing performers popular in Nico Nico’s 歌ってみた category as utaite.
- Dwango: 歌ってみた Collection 2022 — the launch of a posting festival for utaite and fans of 歌ってみた culture.
- Dwango: Monetizing 歌ってみた Releases — discussion of utaite, cover works, rights clearance, and music streaming.
- Universal Music Japan: Ado Biography — an official profile continuing to describe Ado as a 歌い手 after major commercial success.
- Billboard Japan: 歌い手, ボカロP, and 絵師 in the Internet Music Scene — description of utaite as vocalists posting 歌ってみた videos on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube.
- JASRAC: Music Use on Video-Sharing Services — guidance on platform agreements and music use in uploaded videos.
- NexTone: Precautions for Music on Video Platforms — distinctions between composition rights and third-party sound-recording rights.
