With much expectations, MINMI has made the artist contract with JVC, and MINMI’s first Maxi Single "The Perfect Vision" was released in August 2002. And this single was well accepted by the radio stations, as shown by the figure of 20 FM stations heavy rotated the song. As the song gradually became popular in the market, the song started to climb up the Sales Chart over 3 months period, and eventually reached the sales of 400,000 units, an extraordinary figure for a début single.
And with the 2nd Maxi Single "T.T.T.", released in December 2002, MINMI has revealed her diverse approach in her music, from the Reggae based 1st single to this time a Hip Hop based track for the 2nd single. And as a result of the newly tasted tracks and the popular melodies blended in her songs, MINMI became the popular figure among the many of female music fans of 10s~20s.
So a long-awaited 1st Album "Miracle" was released in March 2003. Though there was only a limited exposure, the album ranked in the Top 5 of the Album Sales Chart for 2 months period, and eventually the album sales exceeded 600,000 units. This only proved that MINMI's music itself is what the market has desired.
To coincide with the album release, MINMI's first nationwide tour [LIVE TOUR 2003 "Miracle"] took place from June 20, 2003. The tickets were all sold out instantly, and the tour took place in full pack audiences in every venue. She also participated in major concert events in many places in the summer of 2003, and appealed her performance, which was trained through her live activities in the underground music scene.
After that, MINMI has been constantly releasing singles, 3rd Single "Another World" In September 2003, and 4th Single "Ai No Mi" in March 2004. She has blended the latest music trend with the Japanese popular music trend, and now, she is known as the major artist in the Japanese music industry with plenty of Black music and Dance music essence, who does not belong to a specific musical genre.
Regarding her production, MINMI is rare artists in that she basically does all the songwriting (including the lyrics), arrangements, produce works, and making tracks. Her production is so highly accepted in the industry that she is now getting the offer of the production for the other artists. And also, many of the leading musicians and the engineers from Jamaica, home of Reggae music, and the United States, home of Hip Hop and R&B music, participate in her production which is the key factor of blending the latest music trend and making a high quality music.
On June 30, 2004, her long anticipated 2nd album “imagine” was released, which coincided with the nationwide live tour “MINMI LIVE TOUR 2004 “imagine” ”, started on September 10, 2004. In December, she released her 5th single “Are yu ready”. The song was originated from MINMI’s original riddim “SAKURA” which contains a sample of Japanese traditional guitar, Shamisen. This riddim “SAKURA” became popular in Jamaica as well. From this point, the produce team ZAREK for TSURU-KAME Recording, the team consist of MINMI and JUNIOR(Red Spider), who produced the riddim “SAKURA”, started their produce works in Jamaica. They have produced various Jamaican artists, and released their original 7 inch vinyls in Jamaica in the start of 2005.
She was very active in live performances in 2005, from organizing a monthly regular reggae club event in Tokyo, a nationwide club tour, to appearing in the major summer rock festival “Summer Sonic” in August. In September, MINMI released the album “FRIENDS”, the best selection compilation album of her featured works.
In 2006, MINMI’s single “Summertime!”, the song based on a Soca rhythm, had a big reaction in Trinidad & Tobago, the home of Soca. In February 2007, she was invited to Trinidad to perform at the Bmobile International Soca Monarch Competition, where she did a live performance in front of 30,000 audience, and fascinated everyone who saw her performance, including Wyclef Jean of the Fugees. In March, MINMI released a long-awaited 3rd album “Natural”. The album proved that MINMI is not just another a Reggae Diva, but is capable of diverging into many music genres.
MINMI’s nationwide tour entitled "Natural Mystic" & "Natural Showcase" coincided with the release of "Natural", and ended successfully, selling out all the dates. In the summer, MINMI appeared in the major rock festival "SUMMER SONIC’06" as the headliner, only Japanese artist to headline in the Festival ever. In Sept. 2006, MINMI was nominated as the Best New Artist of SOCA AWARDS, took place in New York,
as the only Japanese artist ever to be nominated in the Awards. She was the center of the attention of the worldwide media.
In 2007, MINMI participated in the Trinidad Tobago Festival for the second straight year.
MINMI recorded the new Soca tune "Sha na na ～Japanese Wine～" a collaboration with Machel Montano HD, known as the "King Of Soca", to coincide with this year's Festival.
Machel was the person responsible for bringing MINMI over to the Festival the previous year.
This year, they got together to record the new tune just in time for this year's Festival.
And "Sha na na ～Japanese Wine～" is included in Machel's new album "Book Of The Angels"
was just released in Trinidad Tobago.
Also, in this year's Festival, MINMI participated in "Soca Monarc", a competition for the local major artists.
She became the first Japanese artist ever to win in the preliminary round and advance s into the final round of the competition. She performed on the National Stage, in front of the audience of over 30,000 people, and MINMI became the first Japanese artist ever to make it into the Best 8 of the Competition. She was Best 3 artist among the female artists in the Competition.
During her month long stay in at the Festival, MINMI was the center of attention of the local media,
including TV programs, newspapers, and magazines. And MINMI performed in front of over 100,000 audiences in total in Trinidad Tobago this year.
MINMI's activity has no limit, in Japan nor abroad, and will keep on going beyond everyone's expectations in the future to come.
Natural
MINMI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ミラーひどいあの頃と違う
ちょっと休養もしとかなきゃダメ
見失っちゃいけないゴール
立派に生きる事に憧れてるけど
もう何年経っても
輝く人にはなれないのナゼ?
僕が僕を認めたいだけ
It's natural in my smile
It's natural in my dreaming
It's natural in my style
私のそのままあなたに愛されるかは
分からないけど
It's better keep natural
今も何億人の夢は万華鏡
全ての色が揃った街は理想郷
どんな色にでも染まれるけど
あなたの本当の色を
誰かが探してるの
It's natural in my life
It's natural in my smile
It's natural
色だって答えだって
Black & white いろいろある
どちらかだけじゃない
スケール捨てて
スケールでかくいこう
いつもあの日に戻りたいと
思えるような日を創りたいの
未来からの視点なら
今のつらさも愛しく
見えるから yeah it's my color
It's natural in my life
It's natural in my smile
It's natural in my dreaming
It's natural in my style
私のそのままあなたに愛されるかは
分からないけど
It's better keep natural
Do you know その才能
あなたにしかないの
How you think how you feel
コンプレックスさえも
あなたの魅力の一部なの
みんなは分からなくても
あたしはスキだもん
ただナチュラルに焦らずに
Monday 空気こわしちゃって
Tuesday 勝手って思われて
Wednesday みんなにほめられて
Thursday あいつを嫌いになって
Friday ビデオ見て泣いて
Saturday 恋をしたくなって
Sunday だらけて夢を見る
変えることはないつくる必要もない
好きなようにやれば
本領発揮できる I believe me
それがあなたの natural
It's natural in my life
It's natural in my smile
It's natural in my dreaming
It's natural in my style
私のそのままあなたに愛されるかは
分からないけど
It's better keep natural
It's natural in my life
It's natural in my smile
It's natural in my dreaming
It's natural in my style
あなたのそのまま
愛する人がいるだから
It's better to keep natural
The song "Natural" by MINMI is an uplifting reminder to be true to oneself and embrace one's individuality. The lyrics express the singer's desire to live a fulfilling life, but the pressure to conform to society's standards holds them back. The opening lines describe a moment of reflection upon seeing their own reflection in a mirror after a long time. They realize that they need to take a break and rediscover their goals before losing themselves. Throughout the song, there is a struggle to reconcile the desire to be exceptional with the acceptance that being ordinary is natural. The singer acknowledges that they have been yearning to live an accomplished life for years, but no matter how hard they try, they can't shine like the ones who succeed, and so they want to accept themselves as they are.
The chorus, "It's natural in my life, it's natural in my smile, it's natural in my dreaming, it's natural in my style," reinforces the idea that all the singer's quirks and behaviors are part of who they are, and they should embrace them. They conclude with the notion that though they don't know if they will be loved by others, they prefer to keep it real rather than fake it.
Line by Line Meaning
血生臭い手の平広げ久々に見た
I opened my bloody hands and looked at them after a long time
ミラーひどいあの頃と違う
The mirror has changed from those harsh days
ちょっと休養もしとかなきゃダメ
I need to take a break to not lose sight of my goal
見失っちゃいけないゴール
I must not lose sight of my goal
立派に生きる事に憧れてるけど
I aspire to live a respectable life
もう何年経っても
Even after many years,
輝く人にはなれないのナゼ?
Why can't I become a shining person?
僕が僕を認めたいだけ
I just want to accept myself
It's natural in my life
Being natural is a part of my life
It's natural in my smile
Being natural is a part of my smile
It's natural in my dreaming
Being natural is a part of my dreams
It's natural in my style
Being natural is a part of my style
私のそのままあなたに愛されるかは
I don't know if you will love me as I am
分からないけど
But
It's better keep natural
It's better to stay natural
今も何億人の夢は万華鏡
The dreams of billions of people are like a kaleidoscope even now
全ての色が揃った街は理想郷
A city where all colors are present is Utopia
どんな色にでも染まれるけど
I can be dyed in any color, but
あなたの本当の色を
Your true color
誰かが探してるの
Someone is looking for it
色だって答えだって
Even the answer, the color
Black & white いろいろある
There are various colors, including black and white
どちらかだけじゃない
It's not just one or the other
スケール捨てて
Throw away the scale
スケールでかくいこう
Let's scale up
いつもあの日に戻りたいと
I always want to go back to that day
思えるような日を創りたいの
I want to create a day that feels like that
未来からの視点なら
From a viewpoint of the future,
今のつらさも愛しく
Even the current pain is lovely
見えるから yeah it's my color
Because I can see it, yeah, it's my color
あなたのそのまま
You as you are
愛する人がいるだから
Because there is someone who loves you
私のそのままあなたに愛されるかは
I don't know if you will love me as I am
Do you know その才能
Do you know that talent of yours?
あなたにしかないの
It's only yours
How you think how you feel
How you think and how you feel
コンプレックスさえも
Even your complexes
あなたの魅力の一部なの
Are a part of your charm
みんなは分からなくても
Even if others don't understand it
あたしはスキだもん
I love it, though
ただナチュラルに焦らずに
Just naturally, without worrying
Monday 空気こわしちゃって
Monday, ruining the mood
Tuesday 勝手って思われて
Tuesday, considered selfish
Wednesday みんなにほめられて
Wednesday, praised by everyone
Thursday あいつを嫌いになって
Thursday, hating that person
Friday ビデオ見て泣いて
Friday, crying while watching a video
Saturday 恋をしたくなって
Saturday, wanting to fall in love
Sunday だらけて夢を見る
Sunday, being lazy and dreaming
変えることはないつくる必要もない
There's no need to change or create something
好きなようにやれば
If you do what you like
本領発揮できる I believe me
You can demonstrate your true abilities. I believe in myself
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Minmi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind