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.
To be one
倖田來未 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
何かがそう 起こる気がしてるんだ この瞬間に
I'll be there for you
風が私に 教えてくれる 愛の言葉
期待を胸に 抱いて流れる 愛の Melody
I'll be there for you, Only for you 抱きしめて
焼け付くような この太陽に
わけも無く はやる気持ち 感じているよ
君と 眩しい光の中に
何かがそう 起こる気がしてるんだ この瞬間に
I'll be there for you
海に映った 月の上を裸足で渡ろう
きっと どこかに 導いてくれるから Sing a song
I'll be there for you So forever この道が
I'll be there for you So forever 君の未来も 果てなく 広がるだろう
星がまばたきしているんだ
光が海に溶けて このまま Kiss をしよう
裸足のまま かけてゆこう
砂浜に 足跡を一歩ずつ感じながら
I'll be there for you
そばで笑ってよ そばで笑いたい
焼け付くような この太陽に
わけも無く はやる気持ち 感じているよ
君と 眩しい光の中に
何かがそう 起こる気がしてるんだ この瞬間に
青い空の彼方に見える
描かれた 未来の地図 開いていけば きっと
眩しい光が見えるはずなんだ
君とそう 奏でて歩いていこう
I'll be there for you
The song "I'll be there" by 倖田來未 (Koda Kumi) is a song about love, the excitement of being with someone special, and the promise to always be there for them. The lyrics describe the intense feeling of being under the sun, feeling a rush of emotions and the belief that something magical is about to happen. At this moment, the singer assures the listener that she will be there for them.
The wind becomes a messenger of love, carrying its message through the melody. The singer holds the expectation of love in her heart and flows with the melody of love. She promises to be by the side of the listener, to hold and embrace them, and to laugh with them.
The song continues with a dreamy atmosphere, where the singer urges the listener to cross the moonlit sea and trust that they will be led to a destination. The lyrics also describe the stars twinkling in the sky and the warm, comforting kiss of the sun on the ocean. The singer wants to feel the sand under their feet, walk barefoot and leave footprints on the beach, all while exploring the endless possibilities that the future holds.
The lyrics are a promise to always be there for the listener, even as they cross the vast horizon of the blue sky and look for their future. The singer hopes to walk this journey of love with the listener, playing music along the way, and being by their side.
Line by Line Meaning
焼け付くような この太陽に
何かがそう 起こる気がしてるんだ この瞬間に
I'll be there for you
I have a feeling that something will happen under this scorching sun, and I will be there by your side at this very moment.
風が私に 教えてくれる 愛の言葉
期待を胸に 抱いて流れる 愛の Melody
The wind whispers love words to me, and I embrace the melody of love with anticipation in my heart.
I'll be there for you, Only for you 抱きしめて
I'll be there for you, Only for you そばで笑ってよ そばで笑いたい
I will be there for you and only you. Hold me close, let's laugh together and be by each other's side.
海に映った 月の上を裸足で渡ろう
きっと どこかに 導いてくれるから Sing a song
Let's walk barefoot on the moon reflected in the sea. We will be led somewhere, so let's sing a song.
I'll be there for you So forever この道が
I'll be there for you So forever 君の未来も 果てなく 広がるだろう
I will be there for you always. This road and your future will continue to spread out infinitely.
星がまばたきしているんだ
光が海に溶けて このまま Kiss をしよう
裸足のまま かけてゆこう
砂浜に 足跡を一歩ずつ感じながら
I'll be there for you
The stars are twinkling, and the light is melting into the sea. Let's kiss like this, and run barefoot on the sand, feeling each step we take. I will be there for you.
焼け付くような この太陽に
わけも無く はやる気持ち 感じているよ
君と 眩しい光の中に
何かがそう 起こる気がしてるんだ この瞬間に
I'll be there for you
I feel restless under this blazing sun for no apparent reason. I have a feeling that something will happen in this moment, as we stand in the dazzling light together. I will be there for you.
青い空の彼方に見える
描かれた 未来の地図 開いていけば きっと
眩しい光が見えるはずなんだ
君とそう 奏でて歩いていこう
I'll be there for you
A map of the future is drawn beyond the blue sky. If we open it, we should be able to see a dazzling light. Let's walk and play music together toward that future. I will be there for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kumi Koda, Shintaro Hagiwara
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind