From when she was little, Nishino learned English from eikaiwa schools, and went to America twice. She then was interested in various genres of music, including hip-hop, R&B and reggae. On the other hand, she also enjoyed traditional Japanese literature, and started singing Japanese folk songs. Her dream of becoming a singer started from junior high school. When she was 16 her mother secretly sent a demo tape of hers to the Miss Phoenix Audition (ミス・フェニックスオーディション).
In 2007, while preparing to be a singer, she was also studying English literature at university. At the time she met Australian duo Nervo, who offered Nishino a song called "I Don't Wanna Know" for use in her music project. Nishino rewrote the song's lyrics into Japanese herself, and re-titled it I.
In December 2007 her official site opened, and from that time onwards *I* ~Merry Christmas ver.~ was available as a digital download from several Japanese sites, including mora.jp. Interestingly, the original version of the song "I Don't Wanna Know" was available as a digital download on the American iTunes from New Years' Day onwards. The physical version was released two months later, on the 20th of February.
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Dear My Friends
西野カナ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dear my friends, I wanna change
I won't look back yesterday
On my faith I'll be okay oh
叶えたいもの ひとつ
すごく遠くまで走ってきた
この街じゃ私は独り
誰もいないドア開けると
アルバムの中に帰りたくなるけど
'Cause I miss you
一人空の声 感じてたよ
遠くに聴こえる
Dear my friends
私がんばってるからね
あきらめたくない destiny
どこまでもいくよ
Dear my friends, I wanna change
I won't look back yesterday
On my faith I'll be okay oh
届かないもの ひとつ
知るたびに 折れそうになる
涙あふれた瞳の奥
アルバムの中のみんなが笑ってる
'Cause I miss you
一人空の声感じてたよ
遠くに聴こえる
Dear my friends
私がんばってるからね
あきらめたくない destiny
どこまでもいくよ
今がどんなにつらくても
みんなと笑って会えますように
前を向いて
'Cause I miss you
一人空の声感じてたよ
遠くに聴こえる
Dear my friends
私がんばってるからね
あきらめたくない destiny
どこまでもいくよ
Dear my friends, I wanna change
I won't look back yesterday
On my faith I'll be okay oh
Dear my friends, I wanna change
I won't look back yesterday
On my faith I'll be okay oh
Dear my friends
Dear My Friends is a song about wanting to change and move forward in life, while also feeling a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. The main theme of the song is friendship and the importance of having a support system to help us through difficult times. The lyrics express a desire to overcome obstacles and pursue one's dreams, while also acknowledging the challenges and setbacks that come with this journey. The use of personal pronouns ("I", "me", "my") throughout the song emphasizes the individual's personal struggles, but the chorus ("Dear my friends, I wanna change") shows a recognition of the importance of friends and their support in making positive changes.
The song opens with the singer looking back at the journey they've taken so far and feeling isolated in the bustling city. They long to return home and be surrounded by friends, but know that they need to keep moving forward. The verse "届かないもの ひとつ / 知るたびに 折れそうになる" ("There's one thing I can't reach / And every time I realize it, I feel like giving up") expresses the frustration and disappointment that can come with pursuing a dream that seems out of reach.
Despite these struggles, the chorus is a reminder to the listener that they are not alone and that they have people cheering them on. The line "一人空の声 感じてたよ / 遠くに聴こえる / Dear my friends" ("I felt like I was shouting into an empty space / But I hear you, my dear friends, from far away") is particularly poignant, as it shows that even when we feel alone, there are people out there who care about us and want us to succeed.
Overall, Dear My Friends is a song that encapsulates the ups and downs of life, and the importance of having friends to share both the good and the bad times.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear my friends, I wanna change
Addressing her loved ones, the singer shares her desire to change for the better.
I won't look back yesterday
She understands that looking back at the past will prevent her from moving forward with her life.
On my faith I'll be okay oh
Having faith in herself, the singer believes that she will be okay in the end.
叶えたいもの ひとつ
The singer has one thing she wants to accomplish in her life.
すごく遠くまで走ってきた
She has come a long way to achieve her goal.
すれ違うスクランブル
In this busy and noisy city, she feels alone and disconnected from her surroundings.
この街じゃ私は独り
She feels lonely and isolated in this city.
誰もいないドア開けると
When she opens the door and nobody is there, she wants to go back to the past and see the people who have left.
アルバムの中に帰りたくなるけど
She longs to go back to the past and be with her loved ones, as captured in the memories of her album.
'Cause I miss you
She is missing her friends and the old days.
一人空の声 感じてたよ
She feels like her voice echoes in an empty space, emphasizing her loneliness.
遠くに聴こえる
Faint echoes of her voice can be heard from far away.
私がんばってるからね
Assuring her friends, she tells them that she is doing her best.
あきらめたくない destiny
She does not want to give up on her dreams and destiny.
どこまでもいくよ
She will go anywhere and do anything to reach her goal.
届かないもの ひとつ
She has one thing that she cannot reach or achieve no matter how hard she tries.
知るたびに 折れそうになる
Every time she tries to reach this goal and fails, she gets closer to breaking down.
涙あふれた瞳の奥
Her eyes fill with tears from the pain and sadness of not being able to achieve her goal.
アルバムの中のみんなが笑ってる
The people in her album are all smiling, and it makes her reminisce about the happy moments of the past.
今がどんなにつらくても
No matter how difficult her current situation may be.
みんなと笑って会えますように
She wishes to be reunited with her friends and be able to laugh together again.
前を向いて
She encourages herself to look forward and not dwell on the past.
Dear my friends, I wanna change
Repeating the opening line, the singer affirms that she wants to change for the better.
I won't look back yesterday
Repeating a previous line, she emphasizes that she will not look back at the past.
On my faith I'll be okay oh
Repeating a previous line, she believes that she will be okay in the end.
Dear my friends
Repeating the title and addressing her loved ones once again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kana Nishino, Susumu Kawai
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind