To Love (Kana Nishino album)

To Love
Studio album by Kana Nishino
Released June 23, 2010 (2010-06-23)
Recorded 2009-2010
Genre R&B
Length 57:32
Label SME Records
Kana Nishino chronology
Love One.
(2009)		 To Love
(2010)		 Thank You, Love
(2011)
Singles from To Love
  1. "Motto..."
    Released: October 21, 2009 (2009-10-21)
  2. "Dear.../Maybe"
    Released: December 2, 2009 (2009-12-02)
  3. "Best Friend"
    Released: February 24, 2010 (2010-02-24)
  4. "Aitakute Aitakute"
    Released: May 19, 2010 (2010-05-19)
Alternative cover
CD + DVD Cover

To Love (stylized as to LOVE) is Japanese R&B singer-lyricist Kana Nishino's second studio album. It was released on June 23, 2010 by SME Records.[1] The album spawned four Oricon Top 10 singles, "Motto...", "Dear.../Maybe", "Best Friend" and "Aitakute Aitakute".[2]

Contents

Background

"To Love" is Nishino's first album released after she solidified her popularity in the digital market. Despite Nishino's initial singles for her first album, Love One., not seeing much success,[3] the songs promoted around the album's release ("Tōkutemo" feat. Wise, "Kimi ni Aitaku Naru Kara" and "Kimi no Koe o" feat. Verbal (M-Flo)) were gradual hits in the digital market.[4][4] Since then, all of her singles have hit No. 1 on RIAJ's Digital Track Chart, which tracks full-length song downloads to cellphones.[5][6][7][8] "Best Friend" stayed at No. 1 for three consecutive weeks,[8][9] while "Aitakute Aitakute" and "Motto..." reached No. 1 for two.[5][7][10]

Currently, "Aitakute Aitakute", "Best Friend," "Dear..." and "Motto..." are all certified for 750,000+ ringtone downloads and 500,000+ full-length cellphone downloads.[11][12][13][14] "Maybe" has been downloaded on cellphones more than 100,000 times, along with a B-side to "Best Friend" "One Way Love" that is not present on the album.[14][15]

Writing

Much like her first album, To Love is centred around a theme of love. As exactly one year had passed from her previous album, Nishino wanted to express the growth in her values and view on love.[16] In an interview with Yahoo! Japan, Nishino stated that for the lyrics on the album she "makes an image from the music, then creates a short film made of images in her head, and from there creates the basis for the scenario for the lyrics.[17]

Many of the songwriters from Nishino's first album worked with her again for To Love.[18][19] Sizk, who worked on the prologue/epilogues from her first album worked on the second albums, while the singles were created with Giorgio Cancemi (who worked with Nishino on 2/3 of the later promotional tracks from Love One., "Tōkutemo" and "Kimi no Koe o"). One song was written by Australian songwriters Nervo ("Hey Boy"), much like the songs "Girlfriend" and Nishino's debut single "I"). Jeff Miyahara also returned to work with Nishino once again (after producing the single "Kimi ni Aitaku Naru Kara"), with "Summer Girl" feat. Minmi.

Chart ranking

The album debuted at No. 1 on Oricon's daily albums chart, selling 71,000 copies on its first day.[17] It stayed at No. 1 for the first week, selling 290,000 copies.[20] The album's first week sales are currently the highest for a solo artist in 2010.[20]

Many album tracks were popular enough to chart digitally after the album's release. "Love & Smile", released a week before the album, was the most successful, peaking at No. 3.[21] Others included "Summer Girl" feat. Minmi (No. 8), "Kono Mama de" (No. 14) and "You Are the One" (No. 64).[22]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Kana Nishino except noted. 

No. Title Lyrics Music Arranger(s) Length
1. "＊Prologue＊〜What a nice〜"     ViVi Sizk 1:34
2. "Best Friend"     Giorgio Cancemi Cancemi 5:19
3. "Summer Girl" (featuring Minmi) co-written with Minmi Jeff Miyahara, Minmi, Kenji "Jino" Hino, Masa Kohama Miyahara, Hino, Kohama 3:49
4. "Hey Boy"     Andreas Levander, Miriam Nervo, Olivia Nervo, Jonas Nordelius Vivid Neon* 3:18
5. "Motto..."     Cancemi Cancemi 5:30
6. "love & smile"     Toiza71 Toiza71 5:06
7. "Kono Mama de" (このままで "Stay Like This")   Saeki YouthK Kotaro Egami 4:17
8. "MAYBE"   co-written with Giorgio Cancemi Cancemi Cancemi 4:04
9. "WRONG"     Bachlogic, Winston Sela, Daniel Sherman Bachlogic 3:29
10. "Come On Yes Yes Oh Yeah!!"   co-written with DJ Mass and Yuki Keity DJ Mass, Exxit Vivid Neon*, Exxit 5:06
11. "Dear..."     Shinquo Ogura, Cancemi Cancemi 5:30
12. "Aitakute Aitakute"   co-written with Giorgio Cancemi Cancemi Cancemi 4:42
13. "You are the one"     Mats Lie Skare, Zetton Zetton 4:36
14. "＊Epilogue＊〜to LOVE〜"     ViVi Sizk 1:14

Charts, peaks and certifications

Charts

Chart Peak
position
Oricon daily album chart[17] 1
Oricon weekly album chart[20] 1
Oricon monthly album chart 1
Oricon yearly album chart[23] 3

Sales and certifications

Country Provider Physical sales Certification
Japan RIAJ 646,000[24] Triple Platinum[25]

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
No More Pain by KAT-TUN		 Oricon weekly number-one album
July 5, 2010 – July 12, 2010		 Succeeded by
Jump No. 1 by Hey! Say! JUMP

Personnel

  • Bachlogic - arrangement/music/production/programming (#9)
  • Giorgio Cancemi - arrangement/music/production/recording (#2, #5, #8, #11-12), lyrics (#8, #12)
  • DJ Mass (Vivid Neon*) - cuts/lyrics/music (#10), instruments (#4)
  • Kotaro Egami (Supa Love) - arrangement/production (#7)
  • Exxxit - music (#10)
  • Grumpy (Digz, inc) - mixing (#6)
  • Takuya Harada - vocal direction (#9, #13)
  • Yuki Hasegawa - child chorus member (#6)
  • Kenji "Jino" Hino - arrangement/music (#3)
  • Hiro (Digz, inc) - vocal direction (#6)
  • Satoshi Hosoi - mixing (#3-4, #9-10, #13)
  • Marin Iitsuka - child chorus member (#6)
  • Yuma Iitsuka - child chorus member (#6)
  • Gonta Kawamoto - mixing (#7)
  • Yuki Keity (Exxxit) - lyrics (#10)
  • Kgro (Digz, inc) - recording (#6)
  • Masa Kohama - arrangement/music (#3)
  • Andreas Levander - music (#4)
  • Mats Lie Skare - music (#13)
  • Yasuo Matsumoto - mastering/mixing (#5)
  • Minmi - lyrics/music/vocals (#3)
  • Jeff Miyahara - arrangement/music (#3)
  • Toshihiko Miyoshi - mastering (#2, #8, #11), mixing (#2, #8, #11-12)
  • Miriam Nervo - music (#4)
  • Olivia Nervo - music (#4)
  • Kana Nishino - lyrics (all tracks), vocals (all tracks)
  • Jonas Nordelius - music (#4)
  • Mitsuki Ogasawara - child chorus member (#6)
  • Kazuma Ogawa - child chorus member (#6)
  • Shinquo Ogura - music (#11)
  • Saeki Youthk - music (#7)
  • Kazuhito Saito - mixing (#7), recording (#1, #4, #6, #9-10, #13-14)
  • Hidekazu Sakai - mastering (all tracks)
  • Winston Sela - music (#9)
  • Daniel Sherman - music (#9)
  • Sizk (Star Guitar) - arrangement/mixing/production (#1, #14)
  • Rock Sakurai (Exxxit) - instruments (#4)
  • So-Hey! (Nerdhead) - violin (#11-12)
  • Himari Suzuki - child chorus member (#6)
  • Toiza71 (Digz, inc) - arrangement/music (#6)
  • ViVi - music (#1, #14)
  • Vivid Neon* - arrangement/production (#4, #10)
  • Yamachi - guitar (#2)
  • Yuichi Yamada (Nerdhead) - keyboard (#2, #5, #8, #11-12)
  • Takashi Yamaguchi - guitar (#4, #6)
  • Zetton - arrangement/music/programming (#13)

References

  1. ^ "Sony Music Shop" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/itemShw.php?site=S&cd=SECL000000876. Retrieved 2010-06-01. 
  2. ^ "西野カナ、2ndアルバム6/23発売決定 ニュース-ORICON STYLE-". Oricon Style. Oricon. 2010-06-02. http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/music/76837/full/. Retrieved 2010-06-02. 
  3. ^ "アーティスト： 西野カナ". Oricon. http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/search.asp?artcd=445018&artist=%90%BC%96%EC%83J%83i&ordt=sle&bs=all&bs2=1. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  4. ^ a b "レコード協会調べ　4月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：4月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2010-05-20. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w090520.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  5. ^ a b "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue October 20, 2009" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2009s&weeklyCd=20091020&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2009-12-10. 
  6. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue December 1, 2009" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2009s&weeklyCd=20091201&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2009-12-10. 
  7. ^ a b "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue May 25, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010f&weeklyCd=20100525&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2010-06-01. 
  8. ^ a b "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue March 2, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010f&weeklyCd=20100302&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2010-03-05. 
  9. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue March 9, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010f&weeklyCd=20100309&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2010-03-12. 
  10. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue November 3, 2009" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2009s&weeklyCd=20091103&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2009-12-10. 
  11. ^ "レコード協会調べ　2月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：2月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2010-03-22. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100322.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  12. ^ "レコード協会調べ　11月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：11月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2009-12-20. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w091220.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  13. ^ "レコード協会調べ　4月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：4月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2010-05-20. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100520.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  14. ^ a b "レコード協会調べ　5月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：5月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2010-06-20. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100620.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  15. ^ "レコード協会調べ　3月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：3月度認定＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2010-04-20. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100420.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  16. ^ "西野カナ 『to LOVE』 インタビュー". Hot Express. http://www.hotexpress.co.jp/interview/nishinokana_100622/. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  17. ^ a b c "西野カナ、デイリー1位のアルバム制作秘話語る「作詞はストイックに」". Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/music/77492/full/. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  18. ^ "ｔｏ　ＬＯＶＥ/西野カナ 音楽/CD - TSUTAYA online" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. http://www.tsutaya.co.jp/works/20248519.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  19. ^ "ＬＯＶＥ　ｏｎｅ．／西野カナ/CD - TSUTAYA online" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. http://www.tsutaya.co.jp/works/20231077.html. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  20. ^ a b c "西野カナ、2010年ソロNo.1初動＆平成生まれ女性歌手初のアルバム首位". Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/77643/. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 
  21. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue June 22, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010f&weeklyCd=20100622&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2010-07-03. 
  22. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue June 29, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010f&weeklyCd=20100629&rankKbn=50. Retrieved 2010-07-03. 
  23. ^ "アルバム 年間ランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. December 20, 2010. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5v6zwRQHp. Retrieved December 20, 2010. 
  24. ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. http://ranking.oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-07-04.  (subscription only)
  25. ^ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2010年08月" (in Japanese). RIAJ. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/201008.html. Retrieved 2010-09-10.