Music Gift

{{Infobox album

| name = Music Gift

| type = EP

| artist = Kokia

| cover = Kokia_MusicGift.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{start date|df=yes|2008|12|9}}

| recorded = 2008

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = J-pop, folk

| length = 16:30

| label = Anco&co

| producer = Kokia

| prev_title = Love Tears

| prev_year = 2008

| next_title = Kokia Infinity Akiko: Balance

| next_year = 2009

}}

Music Gift is a free release EP released by Kokia, handed out on the streets of New York in on 9 December 2008,{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | title=December 1st | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-12-01 | accessdate=2010-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410045217/http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | archive-date=10 April 2010 | url-status=dead }} limited to 10,000 copies. It was created as a memorial for the 7th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.{{cite web | url=http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000045598 | title=KOKIA、ブッシュ大統領夫妻から感謝の手紙 |work=Barks | language=Japanese |date=2008-12-11|accessdate=2010-06-12}} The original title of the project was the "Remember the Kiss Music Gift" when it was mentioned in Kokia's blog in September 2008. "Candle in the Heart" later featured on a bonus CD on Kokia's 2009 greatest hits album, Coquillage: The Best Collection II.{{cite web | url=http://www.cdjournal.com/main/news/kokia/26626 | title=KOKIA、『ガンダム００』とのコラボ・シングル＆ベスト・セレクションＣＤの第２弾がリリース！ |work=CDJournal | language=Japanese |date=2009-10-07|accessdate=2010-06-12}} The then First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush, wrote Kokia a letter thanking her for her efforts.

Recording

"Amazing Grace" and "Remember the Kiss (Dedicated to "New" NY)" were released on Kokia's album Christmas Gift in October and November 2008. {{nihongo|"Kokoro no Rōsoku"|心のロウソク|}}, the original Japanese version of "Candle in the Heart," also featured.{{cite web | title= KOKIA｜Christmas gift｜@Victor Entertainment| url=http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Discography/A012051/VICL-63039.html | publisher=Victor Entertainment | language=Japanese |accessdate=2010-04-03}} "Amazing Grace" and "Candle in the Heart" were recorded sometime between May and September 2008.{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | script-title=ja:秘密のレコーディング ♪ | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-05-01 | accessdate=2010-04-03 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501003659/http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | archivedate=2010-05-01 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | script-title=ja:産卵の時期 ♪ | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-09-01 | accessdate=2010-04-03 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501003659/http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | archivedate=2010-05-01 }}

Kokia travelled to New York City for a week in early September 2008 to record "Remember the Kiss (Dedicated to "New" NY)," an English language translation of the song.{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | script-title=ja:ニューヨーク6日目 ♪ | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-09-11 | accessdate=2010-04-03 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501003659/http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | archivedate=2010-05-01 }} The song was recorded with a church organ and church choir at the Institutional Church of God Church in Brooklyn.{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | script-title=ja:それぞれに | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-09-05 | accessdate=2010-04-03 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501003659/http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | archivedate=2010-05-01 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | script-title=ja:ニューヨーク3日目 ♪ | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-09-08 | accessdate=2010-04-03 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501003659/http://www.kokia.com/blog/1/ | archivedate=2010-05-01 }}

Distribution

On 9 December, Kokia flew into New York,{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | script-title=ja:ニューヨークでサンタ♪「クリスマスギフト」 | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-12-08 | accessdate=2010-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410045217/http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | archive-date=10 April 2010 | url-status=dead }} and on the 9th handed out all 10,000 CDs in a single day at Times Square, dressed in a santa costume.{{cite web | url=http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | script-title=ja:ニューヨークでサンタ♪ | work='Otonami' Music Translator Kokia's Blog | language=Japanese | date=2008-12-09 | accessdate=2010-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410045217/http://www.kokia.com/blog/19/ | archive-date=10 April 2010 | url-status=dead }}