Ashita e
{{distinguish|Asu e}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Ashita e
| cover = Ashita e.png
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = Misia
| album = Soul Quest
| released = {{Start date|2011|4|27}} (Live Version)
| recorded = {{Start date|2011|4|8}} (Live Version)
| studio = {{hlist|Crescente Studio|RMT Studio}}
| venue = NHK Hall (Live Version)
| genre = Pop
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=43}} (Album Version)
{{duration|m=5|s=11}} (Live Version)
| label = Ariola Japan
| writer = {{hlist|Misia|Toshiaki Matsumoto}}
| producer = Toshiaki Matsumoto
}}
{{nihongo|"Ashita e"|{{ruby-ja|明日|あした}}へ||lit. "Toward Tomorrow"}} is a song recorded by Japanese singer Misia, from her tenth studio album Soul Quest. A live version of the song was released as a charity single to benefit relief efforts following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami through Ariola Japan on April 27, 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/86510/full/|title=MISIA、復興応援ソング配信決定 「明日へ向かって歌っていきます」|work=Oricon|date=April 11, 2011|accessdate=March 3, 2018|language=ja}}
Composition and release
After the events of the March 11, 2011 earthquake, Misia recalls feeling powerless and not knowing how to resume her music-related activities.{{cite web|url=http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/ipn/Arch/misia/soulquest/tracklist/index.html|title=TRACK LIST MISIA SOUL QUEST|accessdate=March 3, 2018}} After about a week, she found the motivation to resume touring and decided to set up a relief campaign called Hope for Japan through the non-profit organization Mudef. With a few shows postponed for safety measures, Misia found herself with two to three unscheduled weeks. It is within that bracket of time that she wrote "Ashita e" with Toshiaki Matsumoto. On April 8, 2011, Misia held a concert, her third since resuming touring, at the NHK Hall as part of her The Tour of Misia Japan Soul Quest concert tour. Before performing "Ashita e", she addressed the audience:
{{quote|Before resuming the tour, I put all my wishes together and wrote a song. I first sang this song in Hiroshima, the city of peace. Everyday, I hear about more people concerned for the future as they follow the coverage of events. I want to sing this song to lift up your spirits. Let's walk towards tomorrow together ... I wrote this song to convey this feeling. There's no studio version yet, but, I would like to record this performance and release it as a charity song.{{cite news|url=http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000069017|title=MISIA、復興応援メッセージソング「明日へ」を配信|work=Barks|date=April 13, 2011|accessdate=June 13, 2011|language=ja}}}}
Her live performance of "Ashita e" was recorded and released as a digital single, with proceeds going toward the Hope for Japan campaign. The live version was featured as ending theme to the ANN coverage program Tsunagarō! Nippon: Terebi ga Tsutaeta Koto, Tsutaetai Koto.{{cite news|url=http://www.hmv.co.jp/news/article/1106060048/|title=MISIA 10th フルアルバム！|work=HMV|date=June 6, 2011|accessdate=June 13, 2011|language=ja}} "Ashita e" was eventually recorded in studio and released as the closing track to Soul Quest.
Performances
Misia first performed the "Ashita e" on her first concert following the March 11 earthquake, on April 1, 2011 at the Alsok Hall in Hiroshima.{{cite web|url=http://www.livefans.jp/events/43036|title=MISIA ＠ ALSOKホール (広島県) (2011.04.01)|date=March 3, 2018|accessdate=March 3, 2018}} This performance was uploaded to Misia's official YouTube channel four days later.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDrLC-71V9w|title=MISIA - 明日へ（復興応援メッセージソング）|publisher=YouTube|date=April 5, 2011|accessdate=March 3, 2018}} Her May 4, 2011 performance was also later upload to the channel.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOnC_ZwO_Bk|title=MISIA - 明日へ (HOPE FOR JAPAN@神奈川県民ホール MAY 4TH, 2011 WED)
|publisher=YouTube|date=June 12, 2011|accessdate=March 3, 2018}} On December 31, 2012, Misia performed "Ashita e" at Dune 40 of the Namib Desert in Namibia,{{cite news|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/81504|title=【紅白】MISIA、アフリカ"灼熱"砂漠から熱唱|work=Natalie|date=December 13, 2012|accessdate=March 3, 2018|language=ja}} with temperatures reaching 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius).{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2020277/full/|title=MISIA、世界最古の砂漠から「紅白歌合戦」特別出演|work=Oricon|date=December 31, 2012|accessdate=March 3, 2018|language=ja}} The performance was broadcast live as part of a two-song medley on the 63rd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, marking Misia's first appearance on the show.{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2019633/|title=MISIA、アフリカから紅白初出場 歌番組出演も15年で初|work=Oricon|date=December 13, 2012|accessdate=March 3, 2018|language=ja}} The performance style of "Ashita e" has evolved since Misia first performed the song, most notably with Misia ending the song with a sustained Tenor C, often for more than twenty seconds.
Credits and personnel
Personnel{{Cite AV media notes |title=Soul Quest |others=Misia |year=2011 |url=https://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/itemShw.php?site=S&ima=5912&cd=BVCL000000233 |type=Booklet |publisher=Ariola Japan |id=4988017677391 |location=Chiyoda, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan}}
- Vocals – Misia
- Piano, synthesizer – Toshiaki Matsumoto
- Songwriting – Misia, Toshiaki Matsumoto
- Production – Toshiaki Matsumoto
- Bass – Hitoshi Watanabe
- Engineering, mixing – Masahiro Kawaguchi
- Engineering – Ken Nishi
- Mastering – Herb Powers Jr.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|id=VOnC_ZwO_Bk|title=May 4, 2011 live performance}}
- {{YouTube|id=mDrLC-71V9w|title=April 1, 2011 live performance}}
{{Misia songs}}
{{authority control}}