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.
LOVE HOLIC
倖田來未 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
よくもそんなにいざこざ
あるもんやねこんな二人
どっちもどっち押して引いて
結局つらいあたし
でもこうして離れなれへんねん
ホンマにタイミング
それだけって言えますか
バリ3で正座して待っていたか
返事が来たかと
思えばとんだメールやし恋愛は
二人でするねんで知ってました
会えないこの距離を縮めてくれる
はずの機械は無意味
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから
絶対誰にも負けない
この想い未来へさぁゆけっ
もっともっと見えない
不安なくしてほしい
あの一言聞かせてほしい
朝まで二人で過ごして全然寝てない
はずやのにメイク載り良し
いつもよりも目覚めなんてバッチリ
うれしい負けって恋愛にしかない
それなら願うよ神様
あたしに勝ち星ください
空見上げればいっぱい
散らばっていて本物がわからへん
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから
邪魔っ子にはなりたくない
そうやのにわがまま勃発
もっともっと抱き合って
愛を確かめ合おう
あなたの匂いあたしをつつんでく
あたしあなたの1%で
イイなんてそんなん綺麗すぎるから
あなたの全てあたしで
埋め尽くしたいねん
もう我慢はしいひんから
またまた愛のすれ違いよくも
そんなにいざこざ
あるもんやねこんな二人
どっちもどっち押して引いて
結局つらいあたしでもこうして
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから
絶対誰にも負けない
この想い未来へさぁゆけっ
もっともっと見えない
不安なくしてほしい
あの一言聞かせてほしい
The lyrics of LOVE HOLIC by Koda Kumi depict the ups and downs of a tumultuous relationship, with the constant miscommunication and misunderstandings between the two partners. The first verse talks about their constant disagreements and their inability to resolve their issues, leading to the singer's misery. Despite their struggles, the singer cannot imagine being apart from their lover, highlighting the complexities of love and relationships.
The second verse shows the singer's desire to be with their lover despite the physical distance between them. However, they feel like technology and communication devices are unable to bridge the gap between them, and that their love is deeper and more profound than just exchanging messages. The chorus expresses the singer's unwavering love and determination to continue loving their partner, even in the face of obstacles and jealousy.
The bridge talks about the singer's all-consuming desire for their partner and their desire to be a part of every aspect of their life. They long for more physical contact and reassurance, wanting to be close to their partner and feel their warmth.
Overall, LOVE HOLIC is a reflection on the complexities of relationships, the ups and downs of love, and the desire to be with someone despite the struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
またまた愛のすれ違い
Once again, our love has gone astray
よくもそんなにいざこざ あるもんやねこんな二人
It's amazing how much drama we have, the two of us
どっちもどっち押して引いて 結局つらいあたし
We both push and pull, and in the end, it's painful for me
でもこうして離れなれへんねん
But even so, I can't distance myself from you
ホンマにタイミング それだけって言えますか
Is it really just a matter of timing, can we say that's all?
どれだけ携帯の前で バリ3で正座して待っていたか 返事が来たかと
I don't even know how long I sat in front of my phone, eagerly waiting for your response
思えばとんだメールやし恋愛は 二人でするねんで知ってました
In hindsight, our messages were all wrong, but I know love is something we create together
会えないこの距離を縮めてくれる はずの機械は無意味
The machine that was supposed to bridge the distance between us is pointless
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから 絶対誰にも負けない この想い未来へさぁゆけっ
I love you so much, I won't lose to anyone, let's take this feeling into the future
もっともっと見えない 不安なくしてほしい あの一言聞かせてほしい
I want to be free of these invisible, uneasy feelings, please tell me those words
朝まで二人で過ごして全然寝てない はずやのにメイク載り良し いつもよりも目覚めなんてバッチリ うれしい負けって恋愛にしかない それなら願うよ神様
We spent the night together, but I didn't sleep at all; even so, my makeup looks good and I woke up better than usual. Losing in love is the only happy defeat. If that's the case, I'll make a wish, O God,
あたしに勝ち星ください 空見上げればいっぱい 散らばっていて本物がわからへん
Please give me a winning star. Looking up at the sky, there are so many stars scattered about and I can't tell which ones are real
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから 邪魔っ子にはなりたくない そうやのにわがまま勃発 もっともっと抱き合って 愛を確かめ合おう あなたの匂いあたしをつつんでく
I love you so much, I don't want to be a nuisance, but my selfishness is flaring up. Let's hold each other more and confirm our love; your scent envelops me
あたしあなたの1%で イイなんてそんなん綺麗すぎるから あなたの全てあたしで 埋め尽くしたいねん もう我慢はしいひんから
Saying that I'm enough with just 1% of you is too beautiful to be true. I want to fill myself with all of you. I can't stand it anymore
またまた愛のすれ違いよくも そんなにいざこざ あるもんやねこんな二人 どっちもどっち押して引いて 結局つらいあたし
Once again, our love has gone astray. It's amazing how much drama we have, the two of us. We both push and pull, and in the end, it's painful for me
でもこうして離れなれへんねん
But even so, I can't distance myself from you
めっちゃめっちゃ好きやから 絶対誰にも負けない この想い未来へさぁゆけっ
I love you so much, I won't lose to anyone, let's take this feeling into the future
もっともっと見えない 不安なくしてほしい あの一言聞かせてほしい
I want to be free of these invisible, uneasy feelings, please tell me those words
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kumi Kouda, Tsutomu Yamasaki
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind