歌ってみた

• Reading: うたってみた
• Romaji: utatte mita
• Kanji breakdown: 歌 (sing) + って (te-form connector) + みた (tried) → tried singing; a singing cover video genre
• Pronunciation: /u.tat.te.mi.ta/

Meaning

'I tried singing it' — a genre of online cover videos where users record themselves singing songs.

歌ってみた is both a phrase and a content genre that originated on Nico Nico Douga. Creators record covers of popular songs (especially Vocaloid tracks, anime songs, and J-pop) and upload them with the tag 歌ってみた. Some utaite (歌い手, singers in this genre) have become professional artists. The format emphasizes vocal ability and personal interpretation, and has its own dedicated fan communities.

Examples

1. 歌ってみた動画上げたら思ったより再生回数伸びてびっくりした。 I uploaded a singing cover and was surprised it got way more views than I expected.
2. この歌い手の歌ってみた全部聴いたけどハズレがない。 I've listened to every single cover by this singer and there's not a bad one.
3. 歌ってみたから始めてメジャーデビューした人もいるんだよ。 There are actually people who started with singing covers and went on to make a major debut.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, video platforms, music communities

Tone: creative, casual

Do Say

• 歌ってみた始めたいんだけど、機材何がいる？ (I want to start making singing covers — what equipment do I need?)
• この曲の歌ってみた、誰のが一番好き？ (Whose singing cover of this song do you like best?)

Don't Say

• 歌ってみた動画に「下手」とコメントするのは避ける (Avoid commenting 'bad singing' on cover videos — creators put themselves out there)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking 歌ってみた is just singing in a room — many creators use professional-grade recording setups
• Confusing 歌い手 (utaite, the singer) with the genre name 歌ってみた

Origin & History

Emerged on Nico Nico Douga in the mid-2000s as a tag for user-uploaded singing videos. The '-てみた' (tried doing) format became a genre identifier, spawning related formats like 踊ってみた (tried dancing) and 弾いてみた (tried playing).

Cultural Context

Era: Mid-2000s Nico Nico Douga culture

Generation: Teens to 30s, internet-native generation

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Nico Nico Douga originated the format, but it has spread to YouTube and other platforms. Several professional artists launched careers through 歌ってみた.