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.
Shiki no Uta
MINMI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All our happiness will only be a dream
Oh darling won't you stay with me
Cause all these seasons aren't the same without you
In the darkest times you'd always light the way
So darling won't you stay
Flowers start to dance
The fields, endless
The summer's bringing on the sunshine
Dazzling moonlight
Just wishing you were here this autumn night
Should winter arrive
I'll still be waiting for a sign
I find myself going back in time when I close my eyes
I see us watching the skies
Reminiscing about what we had, us holding hands
While I sang you sweet lullabies
(Oh so sweet)
But now the summer is gone
And it's hard to move on
Cause now I'm on my own
All these old memories
Coming back to me
I'm thinking there's got to be a way
So I'm heading on out
(Off to find my way to you)
No, I won't mess around
(Swear that I will see this through)
The sun will rise and we'll bid farewell to forever
All our happiness will only be a dream
Oh darling won't you stay with me
Cause all these seasons aren't the same without you
In the darkest times you'd always light the way
So darling won't you stay
Flowers start to dance
Welcoming the spring time
The fields, endless
The summer's bringing on the sunshine
Dazzling moonlight
Just wishing you were here this autumn night
Should winter arrive
I'll still be waiting for a sign
It's seven on the dot
Here we are, living free
I wish tonight would go on for eternity
Will we ever meet again?
Tell me that it ain't the end
My tears start to flow
Oh baby, please don't go
But now it's all becoming clear to me
That if we're truly even meant to be
Our love won't fade
And I will break free from all this pain
Tearing down all the walls like a mighty hurricane
It's clear to me
That if we're truly even meant to be
Our love won't fade
And I will break free from all this pain
Tearing down all the walls like a mighty hurricane
Flowers start to dance
Welcoming the spring time
The fields, endless
The summer's bringing on the sunshine
Dazzling moonlight
Just wishing you were here this autumn night
Should winter arrive
I'll still be waiting for a sign
Baby, let's dance
All throughout the spring time
Fields are endless
The summer's bringing on the sunshine
Dazzling moonlight
Just wishing you were here this autumn night
Should winter arrive
I'll still be waiting for a sign
The lyrics to MINMI's song Shiki no uta are an emotional and heartfelt expression of gratitude and empathy towards a loved one who is going through a tough time, as the singer acknowledges the beauty of their tears and the struggles they face, while also reassuring them that they are not alone and that their tears will eventually become a source of strength and hope. The chorus of the song, which is punctuated by the repeated LaLaLa refrain, emphasizes the transformative power of tears and love, which can heal wounds and connect people across time and space.
The opening lines of the song express gratitude towards a loved one: "Thank you, oh / precious person." The second stanza then introduces the image of tears as a sign of both sadness and tenderness: "Sadness, tenderness / Your beautiful tears flowing down your cheeks / Shine without blemish." The third and fourth stanzas further elaborate on the idea of tears as a source of hope and resilience, as the singer describes their journey towards a new city and urges the loved one not to forget the beauty of the landscape or the melody that will erase their regrets: "Spread the map / to the end of the city we aimed for / Never forget this scenery / Our singing voices / LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa." The fifth and sixth stanzas shift the focus to the loved one's letters and emotions, as the singer reads and cherishes them, while also acknowledging their own struggles and the fact that both of them have cried themselves to sleep at some point: "The more I open the letter / The more I feel the urge to meet the letters and emojis / Tracing back the thoughts you confided in me / Falling drop by drop / The fragments of my heart are treasures / If I think of you behind my closed eyelids / A flowing melody." The seventh and eighth stanzas emphasize the shared nature of pain and the transformative power of tears, as the singer reassures the loved one that they are not alone and that their tears give him strength: "Why is it that only I can't make it work / You and I cried on the same night / Sadness, tenderness / Your beautiful tears flowing down your cheeks / Shine without blemish / I think your tears make me stronger / Don't forget the day you cried / Your tears have become a song now / Saving someone / Love starts to flow around / LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa."
Line by Line Meaning
ありがとう ああ
Oh, thank you so much
大切な人
My dear and precious person
悲しみ やさしさ
Sadness and tenderness
キミの頬 つたう美しい涙ほど
Your cheek is adorned with a beautiful tear
汚れなく輝く
It shines spotlessly
強い希望はないと思う
I don't think there is strong hope
地図を広げ 目指した街の果て
Looking at the ends of the city I aimed for in the open map
この景色を 決して忘れないで
Never forget this scenery
恋の後悔も
Even regret from love
全部かき消すメロディー
All erased by the melody
僕らの歌声
Our singing voice
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa
キミからもらったLetter
The letter I got from you
開く度こみあげんだ
Every time I open it, I feel something swell up
文字と絵文字の会いたい気持ち感じ
I feel the desire to meet the letters and the emojis
打ち明けてくれた想い辿り
Tracing the feelings that you confided in me
ポタポタ こぼれ落ちた
Dripping and falling down
心のカケラは宝物だから
The fragments of my heart are treasures
まぶたの裏に キミを想えば
If I think of you behind my eyelids
流れるメロディー
Flowing melody
どうして
Why?
自分だけうまくいかないの
Why can't I do it well alone?
君も僕も 同じ夜に泣いてたんだ
You and I also cried on the same night
つらいのは僕だけじゃない
It's not just me who is having a hard time
僕を強くさせる キミの涙
Your tears make me stronger
忘れないで あの日キミが泣いた
Don't forget the day when you cried
涙は今歌になり 誰かを救う
The tears now turn into a song and save someone
愛が回り出す
Love begins to circulate
夢や恋に敗れた
I was defeated by dreams and love
愛する心も失ってた
I also lost my beloved heart
重い思い 綴られてたLetter
The letter filled with heavy thoughts
過去も全部 抱きしめてあげたい
I want to embrace all of my past
カタカタ すり減ったハイヒール
Clacking worn out heels
脱ぎ捨てて 一緒に歌おう
Let's take them off and sing together
ボロボロの悲劇のヒロインには
To the heroine of the tragic mess
させないよ
I won't let you
一人じゃないね
You're not alone
大人になっても
Even when we grow up
自分のちっぽけさに
The smallness of oneself
泣いて泣いているんだ
Crying and crying
大きくなれ 僕のこころ
Grow bigger, my heart
なぜ戸惑うの
Why are you confused?
おいで 愛で ほら
Come, love, look
自分を 見つめてごらん
Try to look at yourself
泣けるなら 晴れるよ
If you can cry, it will clear up
架ける 涙のレインボー
Building a rainbow of tears
明日が来れば それはプレゼント
If tomorrow comes, it's a gift
そっと開けてごらん
Open it gently and see
両手の中の
In both hands
溢れるチャンスが踊る姿
The overflowing chance dances
笑って "時にはもう無理っ"て
Laugh and say "Sometimes it's impossible"
泣いて 響き合ったら
If we cry and resonate with each other
また夢抱いて 立ち上がって
Again, hold onto your dreams and stand up
自分から自分 愛そうよ
Let's love ourselves from within
キミと出会って 生まれた力
The strength that was born when I met you
繋がって 連なって 伝わって
Connecting, linking, and conveying
愛が回る 回る 回る
Love goes around, around, around
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa...
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLaLaLa...
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLa LaLa...
LaLaLa LaLaLa LaLa LaLa...
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Minmi, Nujabes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind