倖田來未 (Koda Kumi), born November 13, 1982 in Kyoto, Japan, is a female Japan… Read Full Bio ↴倖田來未 (Koda Kumi), born November 13, 1982 in Kyoto, Japan, is a female Japanese solo R&B and pop singer. She is the older sister of singer misono. She had dreamed of becoming a singer ever since she was in elementary school. She was eventually noticed by Avex Trax and began releasing pop music with an urban feel.

After 10 years, she became one of the best-selling artists of the decade and one of the most popular and influential artists in Japan.

Koda officially debuted with the single TAKE BACK in December 2000.
In 2002, after the release of several singles, she released her first studio album affection, which charted at #12.

Some success came her way when she was asked to do the main songs for the video game, "Final Fantasy X-2", with real Emotion/1000の言葉 (1000 words), Koda also provided the voice for the character Lenne in the Japanese version of the game as well as the character, "Yuna's", opening sequence dance via motion capture. The single proved to be a success, debuting at #3 and becoming Koda's first release to enter the top ten. It sold 282,734 copies and became the #24th highest-selling single of 2003. A few weeks later, Koda released her second studio album, grow into one, which debuting at #9.

In 2004, Koda released three more singles before the release of her 3rd studio album, feel my mind which again showed Koda's determinated progress, charting at #7.

From here on, Koda's success increased and her popularity rose with the release of her 11th single, a cover of 1970's anime opening, キューティーハニー, debuted at #4. This single also marked the start of Koda's to be trademark, new style: "ero-kakoii" (or "ero-Kawaii") which roughly translates as: "sexy-cool" or "sexy-cute". Koda's fourth album secret was released in February 2005. The album debuted #3 with 505,600 copie sold, making it the #22 album of 2005.

With Koda's popularity reaching new heights, she held her first live show, "secret ~FIRST CLASS LIMITED LIVE~", (later becoming one of the top 10 selling DVDs in Japan) and released her sixteenth single, Butterfly. Debuting at #2, it became her highest charting single of her career to date and was very well received by the Japanese public. Following this success, she released her first best-of compilation, BEST ~first things~. This is the album which is said to have skyrocketed her career, reaching #1 on the weekly charts and selling 1,207,793 copies, making it the #6 album of the year and the highest selling female album of 2005.

In December 2005, Koda Kumi began her 12 Singles Project in which she released one single each week for twelve consecutive weeks. The first single, you, became Koda's first ever #1 single. Each of the remaining singles from the project charted in the top five of the weekly singles chart. The success of the project was celebrated with the release of Koda's second best-of compilation album BEST ~second session~ which sold over a million copies in just over a week. It became the #2 album of 2006 with 1,768,628 copies sold. During this time, Kumi also won the 47th Nihon Record Taishō (best award prize in Japan) with Butterfly.

Her 30th single, 恋のつぼみ, the first single to be released since the 12 singles project, was released in May 2006 and debuted at #2 with 140,000 copies sold. The track became one of the most downloaded single of the year, with more than 2 millions legal downloads in just a few weeks. After the release of several successful singles, including 4 hot wave (a maxi summer single) and 夢のうた, which had become her #1 and #2 best selling singles with more than 300,000 copies sold, Koda released her fifth studio album, Black Cherry which remained at the #1 position for four weeks, selling more than 1 million copies. By the end of 2006, both BEST ~first things~ & BEST ~second session~ had nearly sold two million copies. Koda Kumi became the highest selling female artist of the year.

In 2007, Koda Kumi released several singles including 愛のうた, which became one of the most sung songs in Karaoke and one of the biggest hits from Koda’s discography. On the December 21st 2007, Koda Kumi became the seventh Japanese female artist to hold a solo concert at Tokyo Dome. During the concert, she celebrated the 7th year anniversary since her debut in front of 35,000 fans. By the end of the year, Kumi became, for the 2nd time running, the highest selling female artist of the year.

In January 2008, during the promotion of her 6th album, Kingdom, Kumi appeared as a guest on TBS radio show, "All Night Nippon". During which Koda mentioned her manager had recently got married and that she had asked her manager, "whether or not they would have children". When her manager replied that they wouldn't for the time being, Koda responded with her opinion that they ought to have children as soon as possible, as, "when women are around 35 years old their amniotic fluids go bad."
The comment was deemed so offensive that many radio shows and newspapers received angry complaints from women around the country. Koda's official website was shut down, along with endorser websites featuring her. Despite the public backlash, the album reached #1 on the Oricon charts for two weeks, selling over 600,000 copies.

4 months later, Koda made a return to the market with Moon Crying. Through the song, Koda expressed her real feelings and her apologies. The song quickly became a success and Koda was able to make a return to performing her songs on TV and radio. Shortly after the release of her 40th single, Koda released the upbeat single TABOO (to become one of the most popular song with her overseas fan-base) as well as the winter ballad single stay with me (which reached 2,000,000 downloads in few weeks) before the release of her 7th album : TRICK, which topped the Oricon Charts at #1 for 2 consecutive weeks.

In 2010, Koda celebrated the 10th anniversary of career beginnings, making it know that she wished to make the year special for her fans, the first project of the year was the release of her 8th album, UNIVERSE, coupled with a best album containing the biggest hits from her 2006~2008 works. During the year, she released several singles, including Lollipop & 好きで、好きで、好きで。, the later became her biggest digital success since 2008. She later released her first cover album, ETERNITY ~Love & Songs~, and held her first Stadium Tour in Summer 2010. In December, 2010, Koda Kumi hold a special concert in Tokyo Dome, for the 2nd time, in order to close the first chapter of her career with her fans.

Koda released her ninth studio album named Dejavu in March 2011. Shortly after its release, the singer started her national tour. Although Koda decided to perform in hall in order to be closer to her fans, this live tour is so far her longest tour to date with 72 dates from April to October.

Koda's 50th single was released August 2011 titled 4 TIMES. It included 4 songs as well as 4 music videos (first time since Summer 2006). The main song of the single is Poppin' love cocktail feat.TEEDA, a summer song produced by the pop rock band BACK-ON. The same year, she released 2 more singles where Koda shows the sexiest image of herself. In November 2011, Koda performed in Singapore for Mnet Asian Music Awards. She was the only Japanese star to perform and won the "Hottest Asian Artist" award. Koda's tenth album album was announced on December for a release in the beginning of 2012. Entitled , JAPONESQUE, the album includes a music video for each song, 17 in total. In the same time, Koda surprised everyone by writing on her official site that she is engaged to Kenji03 from BACK-ON. She announced her wedding by the end of the year. Few days after, Koda also confessed that she was 8 weeks pregnant.

情熱
倖田來未 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

きっと涙は
音もなく流れるけれど
赤裸々に頬濡らし
心まで溶かしはじめる
こわれるくらい
抱きしめてほしかったけど
想い出に笑われて
足跡も傷跡かくす

遠い昔の夢は
怖いくらいに広く
こぼれそうに蒼ざめた
空に二人抱かれて
遠回りして
あとずさりする
雲を撫でて
ほらね眠りの森が見えた
きっと涙は
音もなく流れるけれど
赤裸々に頬濡らし
心まで溶かしはじめる
こわれるくらい
抱きしめてほしかったけど
想い出に笑われて
足跡も傷跡かくす
遠い昔の夢は
甘いくらいに赤く
可哀相な太陽と
光る蕾隠して
欲張りなだけ
臆病なだけ
鍵をかけた
いつもあなたの森は遠い
もう戻れない
情熱を両手に抱いて
孵らない想い集めて
サヨナラの口づけしましょう
そうね誰より
抱きしめてあげたいけれど
切なさにさらわれて
冗談がやけにむなしい
愛しても愛し切れない夜に
疲れすぎたけど今日もまた
答えのない疑問を抱いて
まぶしい朝日を待ってる
きっと涙は
音もなく流れるけれど
赤裸々に頬濡らし
心まで溶かしはじめる
こわれるくらい
抱きしめてほしかったけど
想い出に笑われて
足跡も傷跡かくす
もう戻れない
情熱を両手に抱いて
孵らない想い集めて
サヨナラの口づけしましょう
そうね誰より
抱きしめてあげたいけれど

切なさにさらわれて
冗談がやけにむなしい

Overall Meaning

These lyrics describe a deep and intense longing for a passionate connection with someone. The singer expresses the pain of unrequited love and the desire to be held and embraced. The tears flow silently, as if to avoid attention, but they leave the singer vulnerable and their heart melting. They longed to be held tightly, but their memories mock them and their footsteps only mask the scars they carry.

The lyrics also touch upon a distant dream from the past that was vast and almost overwhelming, leaving the singer feeling pale and on the brink of spilling over. It seems that the singer and their loved one were embraced by the sky, taking a detour and retracing their steps while caressing the clouds. They catch a glimpse of a sleeping forest, symbolizing a state of rest and peace.

In the second paragraph, the singer reflects on the bittersweet nature of the distant dreams they once had. These dreams were vivid and passionately red, but they were overshadowed by a pitiful sun and hidden buds that shine. The singer admits to being greedy and cowardly, locking away their desires and keeping their forest, which represents their innermost self, far away. It seems like a return to that forest is no longer possible.

The chorus repeats the longing for passionate connection, emphasizing the silent tears and the vulnerability of the singer's heart. They long to be held tightly, but their memories and the scars they carry mock them, making it difficult to fully embrace and be embraced.

In the final paragraph, the singer acknowledges the impossibility of going back to what once was. They hold onto their passion and collect unfulfilled feelings, preparing for a goodbye kiss. The singer wishes they could be the one to hold tightly, but they are overwhelmed by their own melancholy. Jokes feel empty in the face of not being able to fully love someone. The night is filled with a love that cannot be fully expressed, leaving the singer exhausted yet still carrying unanswered questions. They wait for the dazzling morning sun, hoping for a new beginning.

Overall, these lyrics express a deep longing for passionate connection and the pain of unrequited love. The singer's vulnerability and desire to be held and embraced are evident throughout the song, highlighting the complexities of love and the emotions that come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

きっと涙は
Certainly, tears will flow silently

音もなく流れるけれど
Without making a sound

赤裸々に頬濡らし
Drenching my cheeks so openly

心まで溶かしはじめる
Starting to melt my heart

こわれるくらい
To the point of breaking

抱きしめてほしかったけど
I wanted to be embraced

想い出に笑われて
Mocked by memories

足跡も傷跡かくす
Concealing footprints and scars

遠い昔の夢は
The distant dreams of the past

怖いくらいに広く
Are so frighteningly vast

こぼれそうに蒼ざめた
They almost spill and fade away