She sang in the soda clubs in each of the military bases here and there. In her dressing room prior to the performance, wearing a navy blue SJSU T-shirt over her bright pink dress, Hayama said she enjoys performing with the mandolin club. Hayama said she was inspired by many of the American pop musicians of the '50s including Doris Day, Peggy Lee and Rosemary Clooney. But the American singer who started it all, Hayama said, was Bing Crosby. His voice is so very sweet and like velvet.
Classical music is more tight and stiff.
But Bing Crosby's voice is very comfortable and I wished I could sing like that. During these latin-flavored numbers, four to five of the mandolin players jumped from their chairs, flailing their arm and legs as they danced around the stage singing. Their spirit and enthusiasm was contagious as smiles and laughter spread across the audience and they clapped along with the student musicians. The second part of the show also included a medley from popular Disney films. Hayama told the audience that she was inspired to write a Japanese version of the song after she first saw the musical performed on Broadway in 1960.