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.
GO WAY!!
倖田來未 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
君がくれた夢を
今でも 追い続けていこう
そう思った
So fly!
羽ばたいていこうよ
君がくれた勇気
信じて どこまでもいけるはず
同じ空こうして見ながら
違う場所にいる
誰かのことをそっと考える
多分君と同じ気持ちなのに
切なすぎるこの気持ち
だけどいいの
<目覚めた朝は もう恋の中で>
君の言葉で 未来広がる
Go way!
君がくれた夢を
今でも 追い続けていこう
そう思った
So fly!
羽ばたいていこうよ
君がくれた勇気
信じて どこまでもいけるはず
Go my way!
いつからかこんな気持ちに
気づいていた私だったけど
変わらない距離感
近すぎてわからないことだらけで
自分の羽 広げて見失ってた
<目の前いたのに 羽が邪魔をして>
むこうにある大切なもの
Go way!
気付けなかったけど
君は教えてくれた
両手をつないだまま
So fly!
そのままのふたりで
君がいう未来へ
お互い想う場所へいこう
Go my way!
Go way!
君がくれた夢を
今でも 追い続けていこう
そう思った
So fly!
羽ばたいていこうよ
君がくれた勇気
信じて どこまでもいけるはず
Go my way!
The song "GO WAY!!" by Koda Kumi is a beautiful reflection on the feelings of longing, distance, and determination in pursuing one's dreams and facing challenges. The opening lines "Go way! 君がくれた夢を 今でも 追い続けていこう そう思った" express a sense of resolute determination to continue chasing the dreams that were given by someone special. The singer is inspired by the courage and dreams bestowed upon them by this person, believing that with this support, they can go anywhere and achieve anything.
As the song progresses, it delves into the emotional complexities of looking at the same sky as the person they care about but being in different places physically and emotionally. The lyrics convey a sense of silently thinking about the other person and feeling the same emotions, even though the distance between them is painful to bear. Despite this longing, the singer acknowledges that it's okay to feel this way and finds solace in the hope and future that the other person's words bring into their life.
The next verses touch upon the singer's self-realization of their own feelings and the struggle with the unchanging distance between them and the other person. The imagery of spreading one's wings but losing sight of oneself represents a sense of confusion and uncertainty in navigating the complexities of the relationship. However, the song also highlights the importance of the other person in helping the singer realize what they were blind to and guiding them towards a future filled with mutual love and understanding.
In the final chorus of the song, the lyrics come full circle, reinforcing the determination to continue pursuing the dreams given by the special person and to soar with the courage they provided. The repeated exhortation to "Go my way!" encapsulates a sense of unity in moving forward together towards a shared future and a place where their feelings for each other can flourish. Overall, "GO WAY!!" beautifully captures the bittersweet emotions of love, distance, self-discovery, and the unwavering belief in following one's dreams with the support of a cherished individual.
Line by Line Meaning
Go way!
Let's move forward and leave behind any obstacles or doubts.
君がくれた夢を 今でも 追い続けていこう そう思った
I will continue to chase the dreams you gave me, even now. That's what I thought.
So fly!
Let's soar high and embrace new challenges confidently.
羽ばたいていこうよ 君がくれた勇気 信じて どこまでもいけるはず
Let's spread our wings and believe in the courage you gave me. We should be able to go anywhere.
Go my way!
Let's follow the path that we have chosen together.
同じ空こうして見ながら 違う場所にいる
While we look at the same sky, we may be in different places.
誰かのことをそっと考える 多分君と同じ気持ちなのに
Thinking about someone quietly, perhaps having the same feelings as you.
切なすぎるこの気持ち だけどいいの
This feeling of longing is painful, but it's okay.
<目覚めた朝は もう恋の中で> 君の言葉で 未来広がる
In the morning light, I am already immersed in love. Your words are what expand my future.
いつからかこんな気持ちに 気づいていた私だったけど
I have been aware of these feelings for a while now.
変わらない距離感 近すぎてわからないことだらけで
The unchanging distance makes everything unclear because we are too close.
自分の羽 広げて見失ってた <目の前いたのに 羽が邪魔をして>
I lost sight of my own wings while they were right in front of me. My wings were blocking my view.
むこうにある大切なもの
The precious things that lie ahead.
Go way! 気付けなかったけど 君は教えてくれた
I didn't realize it, but you taught me.
両手をつないだまま So fly! そのままのふたりで
Holding hands, let's fly together just the way we are.
君がいう未来へ お互い想う場所へいこう Go my way!
Let's go to the future you talk about, to the place where we both have feelings for each other. Follow my way!
Lyrics © TV Asahi Music Co., Ltd.
Written by: Hiroshi Komatsu, Kumi Kouda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dogesh
I am an Indian and don't even understand a single word but still in love with this song and her voice
Legends were right , music have no language..... ❤❤❤
サイゼリア
Me too!
林技政
I like this song,because in Crayon Shin-chan everyone are dance Samba
fuchhin0930
何故かApple Musicに無いんだよなぁこの曲
JapaniseYourSelf
@fuchhin0930 何故かはわからない。少なくともあなたはそれを見つけることができました! 😊👍
平木利磨
😭ダントツワンクラスが耳に入りやすかったね。👍やり抜く元気があるなぁ。