Kumi Koda
Kumi Koda (Japanese幸 田 来 未Koda Kumi ( Hiraganaこうだくみ), actually神 田 来 未 子Kumiko Koda, born November 13, 1982 in Kyoto, Japan ) is a J- pop and R & B singer. Her debut as a professional artist in Japan she had with her single " Take Back " on December 6, 2000.
While she has seen no great success early in her career, she made her breakthrough with the single " Real Emotion / 1000 no Kotoba ", which was published on 3 May 2003 on the Japanese market, and has developed over the years to become one of the successful J-pop singers.
Her younger sister Misono is since 2002 also in the music industry works, but not with nearly as great success as Kumi.
Biography
2000-2002: Musical beginnings
Koda received her musical inspiration from her mother, who played the koto, and her grandfather, who played the shakuhachi. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who had often watched the audition in karaoke bars. Her first audition she had at age seven. During her second year of high school, she won in 2000 the " Avex Dream 2000 competition." They stood up to 120,000 subscribers and signed a recording contract with Rhythm Zone, a sub- label of Avex.
On December 6, 2000, she made her debut with the single " Take Back " which, however, could not celebrate successes. Their subsequent singles " Trust Your Love", "Color of Soul" and "So into You" in Japan could not achieve any success, what they partially offset in major depression. Also under the stage name Koda, she released the singles " Take Back " and " Trust Your Love" in the United States. " Trust Your Love" it even reached the top of the " Hot Dance Music / Maxi - Singles Sales Charts ".
Due to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, she took along with BoA, the charity single "The Meaning of Peace " on. The single was included as part of Avex 's Song Nation project to raise money for charitable purposes. In March 2002, she released her debut album " Affection ", which reached number 12 in the Japanese charts. With their fifth single "Love Across the Ocean" it reached number 19 of the Japanese charts.
2003-2005: Breakthrough with Real Emotion / 1000 no Kotoba
In 2003 she came with the single " Real Emotion / 1000 no Kotoba ", the breakthrough. The songs were used as theme songs for the video game Final Fantasy X -2. In the video game itself Koda " Ren " speaks ( in the German version " Lenne " ), contributed also the Japanese voice and the dance sequence at the beginning of the game. The single reached number three on the Oricon charts. She describes this release as a change in their lives, because they 've noticed how the people changed in the song because of their feelings. She changed her attitude towards music and began to discuss more about their music and to talk with producers and others. She wanted to be more R & B and hip-hop is incorporated in their songs from. She planned her first live tour and also sang the theme song for the animated film " Cutie Honey".
With their single " Kiseki " (Japanese奇迹) and their fourth album, " Secret," they enjoyed success with the album, reaching number three in the Japanese charts.
2006-2007: Highlight of career
With her CDs reached in Japan, as well as in other countries, top rankings. Their single " 4 Hot Wave" they could sell 2006, about 390,000 times. Also, subsequent singles like " Yume no Uta / Futari de ... " (Japanese夢 の うた/ふたり で... ) and " Will not Be Long" (which she produced along with Exile ) were about 300,000 or 200,000 be discontinued once. 2005 and 2006 they also released a compilation ever, which sold more than 1,800,000 times. Their album "Black Cherry" has been interpreted with over 1,000,000 sales, apart from compilations, as their most successful.
The single " But / Aisho " (in Japanese BUT /爱 证) was published on 14 March 2007, shortly afterwards followed the next single " Freaky ". By participating in the Live Earth concert in Tokyo, where she performed, among others, alongside Rihanna, Linkin Park, Ai Otsuka and Abingdon Boys School, she became involved in climate protection.
2008-2011: declining sales and popularity
In January 2008, she released the single " Anytime " and their album "Kingdom ". A great sensation in public it attracted during the show " All Night Nippon " from February 17, 2008 with the following statement: " After a woman has become 35 years old, spoils her amniotic fluid ." Yet you were terminated almost all advertising contracts due to many complaints, also suspended Avex it for a month. In an exclusive TV interview with "Fuji TV " she apologized for this statement. However, their recently released album "Kingdom " sold continues to be good.
On 31 March 2008 appeared Koda 's Live DVD " Live Tour 2007: Black Cherry Special Final in Tokyo Dome". With " Moon," followed in June of their 40th single. This is also the song " That Is not Cool" was included, which she produced along with Fergie. On September 24, their live DVD released "Live Tour 2008: Kingdom ", published for the first time in a year, two live DVDs. Your 41 single " Taboo " is available on the Japanese market since October 8. On Christmas Eve 2008, they released their 42nd single " Stay with Me ".
In January 2009 came their seventh studio album "trick " on the market. The album's success was limited, although it could reach one position on the charts, but sold a total of only about 380,000 times. On March 25, a new compilation " Out Works & Collaboration Best" as well as a remix album " Koda Kumi Driving Hit's " was released. Your 43 single "It 's All Love! " She sings along with her sister Misono, this appeared at the end of March. In July 2009, their 44th single, " 3 Splash" is displayed.
Late 2009 and early 2010 took Koda Kumi, alongside artists such as L' arc-en -Ciel and Kobukuro at a special Pepsi Nex advertising part series in which they are the classic " Got to Be Real " for the best.
On 3 and 4 June 2010 Koda Kumi released her first outdoor arena concert at Yokohama Stadium, also she was the first female artist to two evenings in a row at this stage. Even in July 2010 their summer single " Gossip Candy " was released with the tracks " Inside & Outside Fishbowl " "Lollipop ," " For You" and " Got to Be Real ". On September 22, her 48th single " Suki de, Suki de, Suki de appeared. / Anata Dake ga, "two ballads and a new version of " Walk ".
In 2011, she published with " Pop Diva" their 49th single. Furthermore, another DVD released her concert tour, where they renewed at the Tokyo Dome plays. In March, she released her ninth studio album, which is called " Dejavu ". To date, the album sold over 200,000 times, but reached platinum status. In the summer she released her fiftieth single " 4 Times ", here were four music videos on it yet. However, the single did not have the expected success and in September she released so even the next single. " Ai o Tomenaide " was the single, and was also the theme song for the Japanese drama series "Second Virgin ". On November 30 2011 she published already the next single, which "Love Me Back " is. In December 2011, she announced that she is the Japanese artist " Kenji 03", from the band Back-On getting married, and he is pregnant.
2012-2013: Japonesque and short maternity break
For 2012, it was announced their tenth studio album on January 25, Japonesque. It contains as Kingdom a number of music videos. In total, there are 17 music videos for all 17 songs, the concept seems to be the same from Kingdom, but there are too Japonesque additionally an intro and an outro. Rolling Stone Japan rated the song three out of five stars. On May 1, she announced that she is taking time off because of pregnancy, and that they will come back in November, after birth. As a stage comeback she starts a short tour in Japan, which Koda Kumi Premium Night from: called Love & Songs. The tour starts on November 7th and goes until November 17. It is the first time in the career that Kumi Koda takes a break from the music industry. On July 17, Kumi brought her son to the world, which they reported on their official website and their official Facebook account. The digital single Whatchu Waitin 'On, which should promote the published remix album Mix Beach, was released on July 25. August 1, 2012 Kumi released her new remix album Beach Mix, originally the title Koda Kumi Best Hit Summer should be called. The album features a new song, Watchu Waitin 'On? , Which comes with a new music video. For the first time in Kumis career, she also went through the maternity leave, not the annual A- Nation, this gave 711.SEJ known on Facebook. The A nation exists since 2002 and it would Kumis tenth participation in consequence been. Officially it was announced that on October 24, their 53 Single Go to the top is to be published. The song was also the same as biasing theme song for the anime Muv -Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse used. The single reached # 1 on the Oricon charts in Japan and was therefore her ninth number one single and also their first number one single, for three years. Following them published on 26 December their ballad Koishikute (恋しく て). This single was a little over 23,000 units sold, their worst -selling single since Hot Stuff, from the year 2005.
In February 2013 she released her second cover album Color the cover, which among other things, a cover version of Pink Spider, of Hide, includes. For the first time she has also published in the New Media Format Music Card to the album and some singles. On March 20, they finally released Driving Hit's 5, the same day she released six live albums, which you can rent at select retailers and as a fan club member, and besides, she has also published on the same day their Premium Night: Love & Songs - concert on Blu -ray and DVD. For the 31st July 2013, the single Summer Trip has been announced. The single is a double A -side single, and therefore has two music videos. Finally, it was for her 31st birthday, 13 November, 2013, the 56th single Dreaming Now! announced, which is the theme song for the Volleyball World Grand Champion Cup 2013.
Since 2014: Bon Voyage
For New Year 2014 their 11th studio album, entitled Bon Voyage was officially announced, the album was subsequently released in February of this year.
Others
- Kumi Koda sold in 2006 CDs worth of ¥ 12,702,200,000 ( approximately EUR 125 687 268 ) and in 2007 by 7.3 billion yen ( approximately EUR 72,232,925 ). Thus it was in 2007 the most successful artist in Japan.
- She won the award for the hottest Asian artist at the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
Discography
→ Main article: Kumi Koda / Discography
Studio albums
- 2002: Affection
- 2003: Grow into One
- 2004: Feel My Mind
- 2005: Secret
- 2006: Black Cherry
- 2008: Kingdom
- 2009: Trick
- 2010: Universe
- 2011: Dejavu
- 2012: Japonesque
- 2014: Bon Voyage
Compilations
- 2005: Best: First Things
- 2006: Best: Second Session
- 2007: Best: Bounce & Lovers
- 2009: Out Works & Collaboration Best
- 2010: Best: Third Universe
Remix albums
- 2006: Koda Kumi Remix Album
- 2009: Koda Kumi Driving Hit's
- 2010: Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 2
- 2011: Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 3
- 2012: Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 4
- 2012: Beach Mix
- 2013: Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 5
Cover albums
- 2010: Eternity: Love & Songs
- 2013: Color the Cover