Sowelu, born Aki Harada (原田亜希, Harada Aki), is a J-pop singer. She was born… Read Full Bio ↴Sowelu, born Aki Harada (原田亜希, Harada Aki), is a J-pop singer. She was born on November 6, 1982 in Tokyo to a Japanese father and a half-Irish half-Japanese mother. Her career started in 2002 with the release of her first single Beautiful Dreamer, a soft love ballad which did very well in the charts, and was later featured on the Relaxin’ with Japanese Lovers compilation album. Her first single was modestly successful, and it wasn't until the release of her album Geofu in the summer of 2003 that she gained recognition. Geofu did exceptionally well in the charts, scoring a number 4 position with more than 300,000 copies sold. Her first single after Geofu, "Rainbow" was used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Netsuretsuteki Chukahanten, and the other A-side song on that single, "breath ~Omoi no Youryou~" was used for the national promotion campaign of JFN Radio. She performs under Sony Music Japan's DEFStar records label.

Her next big single "Glisten" was used in a make-up commercial for Menard products, and did fairly well in the Japanese market. With this success, she gained even more popularity, and was asked to sing the end theme for the popular TBS animated series Fullmetal Alchemist, entitled "I Will", giving her an easy in with American fans. Because of "'I Will"', the two other songs included with her "I Will" single, "Candy Rain" and "Pearl Color ni Yurete", became popular among American fans. In 2005, her song "Candy Rain" was featured on the Soul Tree: a Musical Tribute to Toshinobu Kubota album and "Pearlcolor ni Yurete" was on the Momoe Yamaguchi tribute album Thank You For.... Likewise, her third single "Fortune" was selected for the American J-Pop compilation album Neo Soul, and "Across my Heart" from the Geofu album was added to the "Smooth Listening Compilation" album.

In November 2004, Sowelu released her 8th single, "Last Forever", which became the TV insert song for the new drama There goes Nurse-man, and her cover of "The Rose" was featured on a Nescafe commercial. Then finally, after one and a half years of waiting, Sowelu released her second album Sweet Bridge on January 7, 2005.

In 2005, Sowelu contributed to m-flo's album BEAT SPACE NINE on the track "So Exclusive", and again on their album DOPE SPACE NINE in the same song, remixed by Korean fusion band, Clazziquai.

In the music video for the song "to YOU" several photographs of her family and her childhood are intercut with scenes of her singing in a wide room with large glass windows. According to her website, the video location is a church about one hour away from Tokyo by car. At the end of the PV, the family members in the photos make an appearance together with Sowelu, including her grandmother, her mother and even Sowelu's pet chihuahua.

Her latest album "２４－ｔｗｅｎｔｙ　ｆｏｕｒ－" was released on July 12, 2006. It debuted at #3, her highest ranking yet. The album remained at the #3 spot for two weeks on the Weekly Oricon Album Charts. One of the album's songs entitled "守るべきもの", is used as the ending of the 9th Pokemon movie Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy.

On December 12, 2007 Sowelu released her latest single "光". The single had moderate success and reached #28 on the Oricon Weekly Charts. More recently Sowelu will participate in the 2008 Nike ad campaign, "MY MUSIC,MY FORCE"; along with Perfume, Home Made Kazoku, Tohoshinki, Shota Moriyama and Shoko Nakagawa.

No Limit
Sowelu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I will change my life,
Tatta ima kara change my mind.
I'm dressed up just right now. I do. I will.
I will change your life,
Ima hajimaru no change your mind mou baby

Sakurairo shita SUKARUPUCHA- ga ima
Kokoro goto zenbu somete yuku no

Yubi wo suberaseta kubisuji
Kagami no naka wo jitto mitsumete

Kuchibiru ni fureta nara
Watashi ni wa watashi wo oshiete agenakucha
Taguriyoseru yo mirai wo
Te ni ireru yo jibun no te de

Motto jiyuu ni naru no
Sonna shimei ga aru no RIMITTO nanka shiranai
Kitto asa ga kuru tabi
Kinou yori itsumo yori kagayaku tame ni
Datte wakatte iru no
Hitsuzen da to ieru no umareru you ni mezameru
Zutto jibun-jishin wo nakusanai no nara (itsu datte)
I'll find my way with you

I will change my life,
Tatta ima kara change my mind.
I'm dressed up just right now. I do. I will.
I will change your life,
Ima hajimaru no change your mind mou baby

CHU-BUTOPPU de itsumo yori chotto
Daitan ni shite dekakete yukou
Soshite ookina SUTORAIDO
Kisetsu ga kawatta koto kidzuite...

Sono hitomi toraetara
Anata ni mo watashi wo oshiete agenakucha
Surechigau sono shunkan no
Dasu vibes CHANSU wo nogasazuite

Motto jiyuu ni nareru
Sonna jikkan shiteru RIMITTO nanka furikiru
Kitto anata ga ireba
Kyou yori mo ashita ga kagayaite yuku
Datte kimatte inai
Unmei nado iranai omoi no mama ni egakou
Zutto honto no egao motte iru no nara (kore kara)
You'll find your way with me

Tatoeba makiokotta tsuyoi haru no kaze ni kami wo midasaretemo
Kimochi ii ja nai sore mo tanoshinjaeba ii n ja nai?

Motto jiyuu ni naru no
Sonna shimei ga aru no RIMITTO nanka shiranai
Kitto asa ga kuru tabi
Kinou yori itsumo yori kagayaku tame ni
Datte wakatte iru no
Hitsuzen da to ieru no umareru you ni mezameru
Zutto jibun-jishin wo nakusanai no nara (itsu datte)
I'll find my way with you

I will change my life,
Tatta ima kara change my mind.
I'm dressed up just right now. I do. I will.

I will change your life,
Ima hajimaru no change your mind mou baby

Overall Meaning

Sowelu's song "No Limit" is about the desire to make a change in one's life and mindset. The lyrics speak about the need to break free from limitations and living life more freely. The opening lines of the song translates to "I will change my life, starting now, change my mind." The second verse is about feeling the desire to move forward, invoking the image of a clear, spring-like quality tea filling one's heart. The lines "If you touch my lips, you'd have to teach me about myself. I'll pull the future towards me, I'll grasp it in my own hands," express the singer's desire to learn and experience new things, not just wait for life to happen.

The chorus repeats the song's theme and suggests that the singer will not only change their own life but will also inspire change in someone else's life. The third verse is about not being afraid to take chances and risks to embrace changing seasons and opportunities. The lyrics suggest that there's no need to rely on fate, and regardless of the past, the singer will welcome the future with open arms.

Line by Line Meaning

I will change my life,
I'm deciding to completely transform my life

Tatta ima kara change my mind.
I'm starting right now by changing my mindset

I'm dressed up just right now. I do. I will.
I'm ready to take on this challenge and I have the right attitude and confidence to make it happen

I will change your life,
I'm going to inspire and encourage others to change their own lives too

Ima hajimaru no change your mind mou baby
It's time for you to start changing your own mindset too, my dear

Sakurairo shita SUKARUPUCHA- ga ima
The pink-colored scarf I'm wearing right now

Kokoro goto zenbu somete yuku no
makes my heart and soul light up

Yubi wo suberaseta kubisuji
I slip my fingers under my collar

Kagami no naka wo jitto mitsumete
I stare intently into the mirror

Kuchibiru ni fureta nara
If our lips touch

Watashi ni wa watashi wo oshiete agenakucha
You don't need to tell me who I am, because I already know

Taguriyoseru yo mirai wo
I'll pull the future towards me

Te ni ireru yo jibun no te de
I'll grasp it with my own hands

Motto jiyuu ni naru no
I'll become even more free

Sonna shimei ga aru no RIMITTO nanka shiranai
I don't know any limits to this kind of mission

Kitto asa ga kuru tabi
Whenever morning comes

Kinou yori itsumo yori kagayaku tame ni
I'll shine brighter each day than I did the day before

Datte wakatte iru no
Because I understand

Hitsuzen da to ieru no umareru you ni mezameru
That it's unavoidable, like being born and waking up

Zutto jibun-jishin wo nakusanai no nara (itsu datte)
As long as I don't lose sight of who I really am (at any time)

I'll find my way with you
I'll find my way (in life) with you (by my side)

CHU-BUTOPPU de itsumo yori chotto
With a bit more courage than usual

Daitan ni shite dekakete yukou
Let's go out with boldness and confidence

Soshite ookina SUTORAIDO
And then a great stride (forward)

Kisetsu ga kawatta koto kidzuite...
I realized that the season had changed

Sono hitomi toraetara
If I catch those eyes

Anata ni mo watashi wo oshiete agenakucha
I don't have to tell you who I am, because you already know

Surechigau sono shunkan no
At that moment when we pass by each other

Dasu vibes CHANSU wo nogasazuite
Don't let the chance for good vibes escape

Sonna jikkan shiteru RIMITTO nanka furikiru
I'm feeling a sense that I can overcome any limits

Kitto anata ga ireba
Surely, now that you're here

Kyou yori mo ashita ga kagayaite yuku
Tomorrow will shine even brighter than today

Datte kimatte inai
Because it's not decided yet

Unmei nado iranai omoi no mama ni egakou
We don't need fate, let's draw what's in our hearts

Zutto honto no egao motte iru no nara (kore kara)
If I keep a genuine smile from now on

You'll find your way with me
You'll find your way (in life) with me (by your side)

Tatoeba makiokotta tsuyoi haru no kaze ni kami wo midasaretemo
Even if I'm caught up in the strong spring wind and my hair gets messed up

Kimochi ii ja nai sore mo tanoshinjaeba ii n ja nai?
If it doesn't feel good, are you saying we can't still enjoy it?