MIYAVI is the ex-guitarist of Dué le quartz. During his time with Dué le quartz, he was known as Miyabi, meaning elegant. After going solo in late 2002, he changed his stage name to 雅-MIYAVI-. In 2013, with the release of his self titled album MIYAVI, the artist went through another name change, simplifying the name by dropping the kanji.
Dué le quartz: Miyabi's position in the band was that of guitarist and, occasionally, background vocals. He was the youngest member of the band, joining in 1999 at age 17, and developed the "youthful and flamboyant" image he still carries on today in his solo career, albeit it has been tweaked a bit. Dué le quartz disbanded in September of 2002, with Miyabi following up shortly afterward with the announcement of his solo career.
As a solo artist, Miyabi appeared on TV to promote his debut album, 【雅楽】-gagaku-, also stressing the name change from Miyabi to 雅-MIYAVI-. He continued to stress this change on into the first year of his solo career. It wasn't long before he had amassed a very large fan base, despite having lost some of his old fans from his Dué le quartz days, going on to release multiple singles and another album. About two years later, in late 2004, he was signed (or "married" as Universal and he had jokingly put it) to Universal Records Japan, making the transition from indie to major. The release of the single ロックの逆襲 -スーパースターの条件-/21世紀型行進曲 marked his major label debut. Around that same time, in late 2004, he also started referring to himself as MYV, but remained listed as "雅-MIYAVI-" on both his official website and in magazines.
In 2007, MIYAVI became a member of the supergroup S.K.I.N. along with three other notable Japanese rock musicians associated with or closely related to the visual kei movement - YOSHIKI, Gackt and SUGIZO. S.K.I.N. debuted with their first and so far only concert held on June 29 at Long Beach Arena, California, USA. After their debut performance, the band's activities suddenly came to a halt. The future of the project still remains unclear.
MIYAVI embarked on his first world tour in 2008, performing 33 concerts in North and South America, Europe and Asia. The concerts gained extensive media coverage and the majority of them were sold out. It was the most successful international tour undertaken by a Japanese artist to date.
On March 14, 2009, MIYAVI married the Japanese singer melody.. He announced the marriage and that his wife was expecting their first child on his official MySpace blog. Lovelie (Airi) Miyavi (愛理 雅) was born July 29, 2009. MIYAVI and melody. welcomed their second daughter, Jewelie Aoi, October 21, 2010.
In April 2009, MIYAVI left PS COMPANY Co,. , his record label, and Universal Records Japan with the expiration of his contract. On April 8th, he announced that he had started his own company J-glam Inc.. On December 31 that same year he also signed a contract with EMI Music Japan. His first single with EMI, Survive, was released March 10, 2010.
In 2013, with the release of his self titled seventh studio album MIYAVI (released June 19 in Japan) and singles leading up to it, MIYAVI changed his stage name from 雅-MIYAVI- to MIYAVI. The album is MIYAVI's first release in which the majority of the song lyrics are in English. It is also MIYAVI's best-selling album so far. In October that same year it was announced that the artist would venture into professional acting with his international debut in the film Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie. The film was released in December 2014. During the release of the film, MIYAVI and his family relocated to Los Angeles, California, USA, where they currently still reside.
In 2017, MIYAVI celebrated his 15th year as a solo artist with the release of an anniversary compilation album, All Time Best: Day 2 on April 2, and a tour in Japan titled MIYAVI 15th Anniversary Live „NEO TOKYO 15” beginning May 21. He also played a cameo role in the movie Kong: Skull Island.
As of 2017, MIYAVI has embarked on a total of five world tours, performing mainly in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
http://myv382tokyo.com/
Freedom Fighters
雅-MIYAVI- Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the Statue of Un-liberty
Take the rudder, boy
And ram us (not into a building) into this age
Freedom of Speech? Freedom of Thought?
Without even sparing a thought on the freedoms we do have
It's "please please please"
Freedom of Blame! Freedom of Abuse!
Spending money we don't have, every last penny
That's what you call freedom right?
Isn't that also freedom?
So, will you also sell that freedom?
Then, what in the world is freedom anyway?
We're Freedom Fighters
When you close your eyes, blue sky
When you reach out, there is freedom
On days it gets cloudy and starts to rain
Let's take a trip up the rainbow
It's sunny above the clouds
Get it back, Get freedom
Break it down, Break Kingdom
Isn't freedom to blame for that?
Isn't that what we need freedom for?
So, will we then buy freedom back again?
In the end, where exactly is freedom?
'you say 'freedom' this and 'freedom' that
But what's that sitting right next to you?
Through rainy days and stormy days, Mr Sun is smiling
Shining, glimmering, haha
The song "Freedom Fighters" by 雅-MIYAVI- is a critique of modern society's interpretation of freedom. The lyrics present a stark contrast between the freedoms we believe we possess and the reality of our situation. The titular "freedom fighters" are emblematic of the larger struggle to gain control over our own lives and our freedom. The Statue of Un-liberty sits as an ironic testament to the loss of true liberty in the world.
The chorus of the song proposes the question of what freedom really means. The list of "freedoms" presented in the verse, such as freedom of speech and freedom of thought, are criticized for being poor substitutes for actual freedom. The lyrics suggest that the freedom we possess is one of blame and abuse, where we spend our money recklessly and call it freedom. It is a powerful statement that highlights the inherent contradictions in how we define freedom.
The song's message is ultimately one of hope. It encourages us to look beyond our immediate surroundings and to strive for a better future. The beautiful imagery of "blue skies" and "rainbows" represents this future and the possibility of a better world. The lyrics speak to our resilience and ability to persevere through difficult times. "Mr. Sun" continues to shine even through the rain. It is a powerful message that encourages us to take control of our lives and fight for our freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
We're Freedom Fighters
We stand for freedom and its promotion
With the Statue of Un-liberty
Despite having symbols of liberty, we are still oppressed
Take the rudder, boy
Take control and direct us to the age of freedom
And ram us (not into a building) into this age
Forcefully enter this age with great determination and without destruction
Freedom of Speech? Freedom of Thought?
Do we truly have the freedom of speech and thought?
Without even sparing a thought on the freedoms we do have
We take our existing freedoms for granted
It's 'please please please'
We beg for more freedoms even though we have plenty
Freedom of Blame! Freedom of Abuse!
We abuse our freedom by blaming others unfairly
Spending money we don't have, every last penny
We waste our freedom by spending lavishly
That's what you call freedom right?
We misunderstand the true meaning of freedom
Isn't that also freedom?
We confuse entitlement with freedom
So, will you also sell that freedom?
Are we willing to give up our freedom for material gain?
Then, what in the world is freedom anyway?
We question the essence of freedom
When you close your eyes, blue sky
We can find freedom within ourselves
When you reach out, there is freedom
We just need to reach out to find freedom
On days it gets cloudy and starts to rain
We experience tough times and challenges that test our freedom
Let's take a trip up the rainbow
We should see past hardship and appreciate the beauty of freedom
It's sunny above the clouds
Clear skies await us beyond dark times
Get it back, Get freedom
We must reclaim our lost freedom
Break it down, Break Kingdom
We need to dismantle oppressive systems that hinder our freedom
Isn't freedom to blame for that?
We blame freedom for the injustices and oppression present
Isn't that what we need freedom for?
We need freedom to address these issues
So, will we then buy freedom back again?
Do we need to pay for freedom that was taken away from us?
In the end, where exactly is freedom?
We question where true freedom lies
'you say 'freedom' this and 'freedom' that
We talk about freedom casually without fully understanding it
But what's that sitting right next to you?
True freedom is closer than we realize
Through rainy days and stormy days, Mr Sun is smiling
Even in difficult times, there is a glimmer of hope
Shining, glimmering, haha
Freedom is a bright and promising future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIYAVI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind