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.
Imagine
倖田來未 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
あの頃しっくり感じてた
もうあの日の僕ではなく
今日の僕が居る
次の stageへ 奇跡を信じたい
誰にだって持っている freedom
Give me one more,
チャンスを 勇気をくれるなら
明日にはきっと笑ってる僕が居る
誰にだって選択肢がある
行くも 止まるも
暗い空だって 不安な夜だって
翔んでみせる
人生を羽ばたかせるために
想い描こう
晴れ渡るあの空のように
全てが今変わる
Imagine
So let go
ずっと 大切にしていた物が
僕の元を離れたんだ
寂しく 悲しかった
やがてまた大切な物が出来た
『人はみな何かを失い何かを得る』
Give me one more,
Give me one more
雨が降っている時に
翔び立つ鳥の様に強い意志を
誰にだって選択肢がある
行くも 止まるも
暗い空だって 不安な夜だって
翔んでみせる
人生を羽ばたかせるために
想い描こう
晴れ渡るあの空のように
全てが今変わる
失敗は 誰にだって
犠牲を負うのは 他人じゃない
何を言われても oneself
言葉通り let me go
僕は生まれ変わった
Believing me
誰にだって選択肢がある
行くも 止まるも
暗い空だって 不安な夜だって
翔んでみせる
人生を羽ばたかせるために
想い描こう
晴れ渡るあの空のように
全てが今変わる
この広い世界の中で
出会えた奇跡
小さくたって 大きくたって
意味があるはず
人生を羽ばたかせるために
想い描こう
晴れ渡るあの空のように
全てが今変わる
Imagine
So let go
The lyrics of 倖田來未's song "Imagine" convey a message of hope, self-belief, and embracing change. The singer reflects on the past and how they felt comfortable at that time. However, they acknowledge that they have changed since then and that the person they are today is different from who they used to be. They express a desire to believe in miracles and to move forward towards the next stage in their life. The singer emphasizes that everyone possesses freedom, and with one more chance and courage, they can smile in the future. They acknowledge that everyone has choices in life, whether to go or to stop, and they will soar even in dark skies and anxious nights. They envision a brighter future, just like a clear sky, where everything will change. The lyrics also touch upon the theme of loss and gain, as the singer experiences the departure of something precious, but ultimately finds something new and important. The lyrics emphasize that all individuals have choices and the power to transform their lives, and they encourage others to imagine and visualize a future where everything will change for the better.
Line by Line Meaning
なぜだろう
I wonder why
あの頃しっくり感じてた
I felt comfortable back then
もうあの日の僕ではなく
I'm no longer the person I was that day
今日の僕が居る
I exist as the person I am today
次の stageへ 奇跡を信じたい
I want to believe in miracles for the next stage
誰にだって持っている freedom
Everyone has their own freedom
Give me one more,
Give me one more chance
チャンスを 勇気をくれるなら
If it gives me a chance and courage
明日にはきっと笑ってる僕が居る
I will surely be laughing tomorrow
誰にだって選択肢がある
Everyone has choices
行くも 止まるも
Whether to go or stop
暗い空だって 不安な夜だって
Even in dark skies and uneasy nights
翔んでみせる
I will show by flying high
人生を羽ばたかせるために
To make my life take flight
想い描こう
Let's imagine
晴れ渡るあの空のように
Like a clear sky
全てが今変わる
Everything changes now
So let go
So let go
ずっと 大切にしていた物が
The things I had cherished for so long
僕の元を離れたんだ
They have left me
寂しく 悲しかった
I felt lonely and sad
やがてまた大切な物が出来た
Eventually, I found something precious again
『人はみな何かを失い何かを得る』
'People all lose something and gain something'
雨が降っている時に
When it's raining
翔び立つ鳥の様に強い意志を
Like a bird taking flight with strong determination
失敗は 誰にだって
Failure, everyone
犠牲を負うのは 他人じゃない
It's not others who bear the sacrifices
何を言われても oneself
No matter what others say, myself
言葉通り let me go
Let me go as I said
僕は生まれ変わった
I have been reborn
Believing me
Believing in me
この広い世界の中で
In this vast world
出会えた奇跡
The miracle of meeting
小さくたって 大きくたって
Whether small or big
意味があるはず
There must be meaning
全てが今変わる
Everything changes now
Imagine
Imagine
So let go
So let go
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kumi Koda, Fast Lane, Mats Lie Skaare
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind