舞 (Mai) is also known as Ruppina. Real name: 工藤舞, Kudou Mai) was born July … Read Full Bio ↴舞 (Mai) is also known as Ruppina. Real name: 工藤舞, Kudou Mai) was born July 18, 1984 in Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan. She has been involved musically and enjoyed singing since she was a child. During her sixth year in elementary school she was part of Ishikari Kurenai Taiko, a drum group, and Ishikari Ryuusei Umi, a soran (traditional Japanese dance) dance group. It was a huge team, winning the semi-grand prix award out of 400 teams in her second year of high school.

During her third year of junior high school, her father fell ill and collapsed. After this Mai had ambitions to become a nurse, but she still enjoyed singing and was considering pursuing a career. Later Mai found out from a friend about a vocal audition going on so she made a demo tape and impressed the scouts. An indie label made 500 copies of the tape and had a Hokkaido radio station play it, with the copies being sold at a Sapporo CD shop. It was sold out in four days. After this, Ruppina was created.

In her third year of high school she visited Tokyo with her family and was additionally scouted in Shibuya. She sent her Ruppina demo track to avex, impressing CEO Matsuura Max so much that he personally went to Hokkaido to meet her. Mai was still torn between becoming a nurse or a singer at this point and Matsuura helped her make up her mind by telling her that “Songs can also encourage people.”

She moved to Tokyo in July that year, recording a demo tape in May 2002. Ruppina’s first single Free Will/Violet Flow was put on the market as a limited release in December of that year. Throughout her career as Ruppina, five singles, two mini-albums, and one full-length album (excluding the Best) were released. However, Ruppina was not going in a direction Mai wanted: even though “Kudo Mai” was reflected as “Ruppina”, Mai felt that she wasn’t right as “Ruppina”. With lots of support from her friends and family, she made steps to becoming solo as “Mai”, starting with her In the Name of Love single. After the best album Ruppina Best was released, the Ruppina project was ended November 16th, 2005.

The next month would mark Mai’s official “solo” debut. Her first single - “Reborn” expressed the theme of rebirth and the art of female beauty without the need of clothing. The song was used as the ending theme for Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ, beginning with the December 5th episode. Unlike Ruppina, whose music was more a mix of pop, rock, and techno, as “Mai”, her music is consistently a mix of techno and pop. What makes Reborn unique (and all of Mai’s singles, for that matter) is that Mai was totally nude during the song’s PV and is nude on the jacket cover, but lights and positioning of her arms and legs hide most of her. Reborn was also used as the theme song for the Xbox 360 game “eM”.

“Eyes” was released almost five months later, this time with the theme of “awakening”. It builds on the theme from Reborn in that after being born, one awakes, and standing confidently one can progress towards his or her goal.

Mai will appear in the 2006 movie Backdancers! as the fictional pop star Mayu, leader of Mayu With Super Tigers. The song she recorded for the film is included on its soundtrack.

Recently, Mai has released her third single “Princess Candy” and following debut album “MAISELF”.

EYES
舞 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Looking over the edge
I can almost see you smile
But I can't be too sure
Looking to the light
I can almost hear you call
But I can't be too sure
Please don't leave me here alone
It's getting dark

Please take me home
What else can I say
To make you look my way
I've tried to do the things you've said
It's not working
Is it all in my head
I want to close my eyes
And count to ten
And when I open them
I want to be somewhere else
I just don't see the things
Other people seem to see
Reaching out to touch you
A name without a face
But I don't really understand
I ask to you these questions
For you I do recall
After it all
Please don't leave me here alone
It's getting dark
Please take me home
I've tried to do the things you've said
It's not working

Is it all in my head
(Chorus)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Eyes" by 舞 convey a sense of longing and confusion. The singer appears to be standing on the edge of something, both literally and metaphorically. They can see someone they care about smiling and hear them calling out, but they're not certain of anything. They plead with this person not to leave them alone in the darkness. The singer wishes they could see the world as clearly as others do and understands why they might be perceived as strange or aloof. They yearn to be closer to the person they're addressing but feel as if they are separated by distance and misunderstanding.

The lyrics are open to interpretation but could be read as a representation of mental health struggles or the difficulties of communication in relationships. The singer is struggling to connect to the world and the other person, and it feels as if they're fighting against an invisible barrier. They're desperate for the other person to see and understand them, but they're not sure how to make that happen. The repetition of "it's not working, is it all in my head?" suggests that the singer is questioning their own sanity and whether what they're experiencing is real.

One interesting fact about this song is that it was written and performed by 舞, a virtual pop star created through computer animation. 舞 first debuted in 2018 and has gone on to release several albums and music videos. Another fact is that the song has been covered by several other virtual pop stars, including Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin. The lyrics were written by a Japanese composer and producer named Neru.

The music video for "Eyes" features 舞 standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking a cityscape. The animation is quite striking, with neon lights and bold colors. The emphasis on eyes throughout the video is fitting given the title of the song. The video has amassed over 8 million views on YouTube. Another interesting fact is that 舞 has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon in Japan and has appeared in TV commercials, fashion magazines, and even a video game.

In terms of the chords for "Eyes," it's difficult to say as the song was created using computer software rather than traditional instruments. However, fans have created piano covers and tutorials on YouTube that could potentially provide some insight into how to play the song. The overall sound is quite electronic, with a mix of synths and drum machines.

In conclusion, the lyrics to "Eyes" by 舞 are thought-provoking and poignant. They offer a glimpse into the struggles of someone who feels disconnected from the world and the people around them. Despite the virtual nature of the artist, the emotions conveyed in the song feel real and relatable. The song's popularity in Japan and beyond is a testament to its universal themes and catchy melody.

Chords: unavailable

Line by Line Meaning

Looking over the edge I can almost see you smile But I can't be too sure
Standing near an edge, I imagine seeing a smile on your face, but I'm uncertain whether it's real or not.

Looking to the light I can almost hear you call But I can't be too sure
Gazing towards the light, it almost feels like you're calling out to me, yet I'm uncertain whether it's just my imagination.

Please don't leave me here alone It's getting dark Please take me home
As the situation darkens, I become increasingly afraid of being left alone, begging you to take me back to safety.

What else can I say To make you look my way I've tried to do the things you've said It's not working Is it all in my head
I'm at a loss of words to make you notice me, having tried following your advice yet failing, causing me to question whether my own perceptions are deceiving me.

I want to close my eyes And count to ten And when I open them I want to be somewhere else
Desperate to escape my current reality, I dream of closing my eyes and opening them to find myself in a completely different place.

I just don't see the things Other people seem to see Reaching out to touch you A name without a face But I don't really understand I ask to you these questions For you I do recall After it all
I struggle to see what others see, trying to reach out to touch you even though I can't put a face to your name, feeling bewildered and lost as I ask you these questions, despite still remembering who you are at the end of the day.

I've tried to do the things you've said It's not working Is it all in my head
Even though I followed your instructions, it's simply not working out, leaving me questioning whether it's my own mind that's playing tricks on me.

(Chorus)
Repeating the plea to not be left alone as it grows darker and the uncertainty only intensifies.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EVAN LOWENSTEIN, JARON LOWENSTEIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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