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.
one
倖田來未 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
「これで良かった?」なんて
自分に言い聞かせて
好きでもない物さえ
手にして傷ついて
幸せに背を向けた
閉じ込めていた
ありのまま そのままでいい
No one
この声がチカラになって
No one
Hey now fire! Fire!
誰もが freedom and dreamer
果てなき未来へ
No one hey now
Hey!
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
不安の雨に身を濡らされて
凍えた夜もあったけれど
そっと光射すように
微笑えみかけてくれる
人の優しさに触れた
「知らないと言われるくらいなら
嫌われたって 私らしく」
No one
この声が力になって
No one
Hey now fire! fire!
誰もが freedom and dreamer
果てなき未来へ
No one hey now
Hey!
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
Hey!
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
Hey!
Get up stand up for life, get up stand up for life, get up stand up for life, okay
どれだけの道を選んで
どれだけの未知乗り越え
僕らは迷いながら今
あの日の涙はもう
足元照らす a beam of hope
理想掲げ 目を覚ませ
Hey!
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
Hey!
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
No one
この声がチカラになって
No one
この声がチカラになって
No one
この声がチカラになって
No one
Hey!
The lyrics of 倖田來未's song One describe a person's journey towards self-discovery and finding their place in the world. The first verse talks about going with the flow and settling for things that don't necessarily make the person happy. The next verse talks about breaking free from societal expectations and being true to oneself. The chorus speaks of the power of the person's voice and how it can help them achieve their dreams and aspirations. The lyrics urge the listener to stand up and fight for their beliefs and dreams.
The bridge talks about the struggles and challenges that the person faced along the way but how they were able to overcome them with the help of others' kindness and understanding. The final chorus talks about how the person's journey has led them to a place of hope, where they can see their ideal future and believe in themselves and their abilities.
Line by Line Meaning
One way 流れに流されて
Going with the flow, without thinking, and not standing up for oneself
「これで良かった?」なんて
Questioning one's choices and feeling uncertain about them
自分に言い聞かせて
Trying to convince oneself that everything is okay
好きでもない物さえ
Having things that one doesn't like or enjoy in life, making them feel unfulfilled
手にして傷ついて
Holding onto things that cause pain and suffering, and not letting go of them
幸せに背を向けた
Turning away from happiness and ignoring it
閉じ込めていた
Holding onto one's sense of self and identity
「らしさ」戻して
Returning to one's authentic self and being true to oneself
ありのまま そのままでいい
Being okay with oneself as they are, without trying to be someone else
No one
Feeling like no one understands or cares about oneself
この声がチカラになって
Finding power in one's own voice and words
Hey now fire! Fire!
Burning passion and energy
誰もが freedom and dreamer
Everyone has the freedom to dream and pursue their own goals
果てなき未来へ
Towards an endless future
Hey!
A call to action and motivation
Get up stand up, get up stand up, get up stand up
Standing up for oneself and taking action
不安の雨に身を濡らされて
Feeling exposed and vulnerable in the rain of insecurity and anxiety
凍えた夜もあったけれど
Having gone through cold, dark, and bleak times
そっと光射すように
Finding a glimmer of hope and light in the darkness
微笑えみかけてくれる
Being touched by other people's kindness and smiles
人の優しさに触れた
Experiencing the warmth and kindness of others
知らないと言われるくらいなら
Choosing to be true to oneself, even if it means being misunderstood by others
嫌われたって 私らしく」
Being oneself, even if it means being disliked or unpopular
どれだけの道を選んで
Reflecting on the choices made in life
どれだけの未知乗り越え
Overcoming the unknown and the obstacles that come with it
僕らは迷いながら今
Being lost or uncertain in the present, but still trying to move forward
あの日の涙はもう
Letting go of the tears shed in the past
足元照らす a beam of hope
Finding hope and light in the present moment
理想掲げ 目を覚ませ
Aspiring to be better and having a clear vision of what one wants in life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hi-yunk, Kumi Koda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind