"To Be" | ||||
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Single by Ayumi Hamasaki | ||||
from the album Loveppears | ||||
Released | May 12, 1999 | |||
Format | JPN CD Single USA Digital Single[1] |
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Genre | J-pop | |||
Length | 16:37 | |||
Label | Avex Trax | |||
Writer(s) | Ayumi Hamasaki (lyrics) DAI (music) |
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Producer | Max Matsuura | |||
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology | ||||
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"To Be" is the eighth single by Ayumi Hamasaki, released on May 12, 1999.
Contents |
"To Be" was released less than a month after her first number one single, "Love (Destiny)." Hamasaki's first song to be composed by Do as Infinity composer DAI, "To Be" was unable to reach the top position on the Oricon, unlike its predecessor. Hamasaki re-recorded "To Be" in celebrating her 10th anniversary in the music business in 2008 and it appeared as a B-Side on her Days/Green single.
The music video for "TO BE" was directed by longtime collaborator Takeishi Wataru. It shows Hamasaki singing as seen by a little boy through a kaleidoscope. It makes use of various backgrounds, outfits, makeup, and wigs to bring as much color as possible into the world the little boy sees. At the end, the kaleidoscope lens breaks, and Hamasaki is seen in black and white.
The song was used as background music in a commercial for the JT Peach Water drinks featuring Ayumi herself.
"To Be" debuted on the Oricon at number four, with 109,860 copies sold in its first week[2] and over 400,000 copies sold to date. "To Be" was the 67th best-selling of 1999.[3]
"To Be" | ||||
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Single by Ayumi Hamasaki | ||||
Released | February 28, 2001 | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Genre | J-pop | |||
Length | 37:52 | |||
Label | Avex Trax | |||
Writer(s) | Ayumi Hamasaki | |||
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology | ||||
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"To Be" was re-released on February 28, 2001. The single had four extra songs, besides the original ones.
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
Time in chart |
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Japan Oricon 1 | 4 | 15 weeks |
Chart (2001) | Peak position |
Time in chart |
Japan Oricon 2 | 26 | 3 weeks |
1Original version 2Re-release version
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