Songbird (Kokia album)

Kokia released three singles before her album: {{nihongo|"Ai no Field"|愛の輪郭(フィールド)|Field of Love}}, "Tears in Love" and "Arigatō...".{{cite web | url=http://www.tsutaya.co.jp/artist/00064902.html | title=ＫＯＫＩＡ アーティストページ - TSUTAYA online | publisher=Tsutaya | language=Japanese | accessdate=2010-03-08}} "Ai no Field" was the anime Brain Powerd's ending theme song, and was produced by Yoko Kanno (however, it was released through Victor Entertainment and not Pony Canyon).{{cite web | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/detail.asp?itemcd=293446&samecd=1 | title=愛の輪郭 - ＫＯＫＩＡ ／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 | publisher=Oricon | language=Japanese | accessdate=2010-03-08}} "Tears in Love" was released in November. The B-side from this single, "Blue Night," was played as a theme song for a radio show Kokia had on FM Hokkaido, Kokia Innocent Time.{{cite web | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/detail.asp?itemcd=179379&samecd=1 | title=Tears in Love - ＫＯＫＩＡ ／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 | publisher=Oricon | language=Japanese | accessdate=2010-03-08}} This is the first release Kokia worked on personally, as she wrote the lyrics on both tracks. Seven months later in June 1999, the final single, "Arigatō...," was released.

The album did not chart on the Japanese Oricon albums charts.{{cite web | title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp | work=Oricon |language=Japanese | accessdate=2010-03-09}} (subscription only)

The album was released in Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc.) in October.{{cite web | title= Songbird (Overseas Ver.)| url=http://www.yesasia.com/global/songbird-overseas-ver/1000003161-0-0-0-en/info.html | publisher=YesAsia | date=2009-12-20 |accessdate=2010-03-09}} In Hong Kong, the album saw much more success. It was released simultaneously with Sammi Cheng's album "Arigatou," which featured a cover of the lead single.{{cite web | url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/arigatou/id278579523?ign-mpt=uo%3D4 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106150648/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/arigatou/id278579523?ign-mpt=uo=4 | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 6, 2012 | title=Arigatou by Sammi Cheng | publisher=iTunes | accessdate=2010-03-08}} Cheng's cover was a hit in Hong Kong. Kokia's version of the song was later awarded third in the 1999 Hong Kong International Popular Song Award (香港國際流行音樂大赏).

Reception by critics was positive. Music critic Shunta Tanizaki praised the album for Kokia's clear voice and described the songs as "kind" and "tearing down the everyday."{{cite web | title=商品の説明 - Amazon.co.jp | url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005FQGW | work=Shunta Tanizaki | accessdate=2010-03-09}} CDJournal praised the album for its beautiful melodies, and felt that producer Toshifumi Hinata's production fitted well with Kokia's music. Special note was taken of her falsetto vocals, which were described as elegant, impressive and "overflowing with clarity."{{cite web | title=試聴記コメント／ガイドコメント | url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/songbird/3199051558 | work=CDJournal | accessdate=2010-03-09}}

In 2008, after Kokia had focused working with her new label Victor Entertainment for eight years, Pony Canyon re-released the album for her 10th anniversary. It was retitled Kokia Complete Collection 1998–1999, and featured three tracks not present on the original disc, but on Pony Canyon singles: "Blue Night," "Tears in Love" and the original version of "Aishiteiru Kara." Also featured was a DVD that included the music videos for "Aishiteiru Kara" and "Tears in Love."

The re-release charted at #254 on Oricon's album charts.

All songs arranged by Toshifumi Hinata.

{{track listing

| title1 = {{nihongo|Watashi wa Utau Kotori Desu|私は歌う小鳥です|I'm a Little Songbird}}

| lyrics1 = Kokia

| music1 = Kokia

| length1 = 2:53

| title2 = {{nihongo|Soyokaze ga Sōgen o Naderu Yō ni|そよ風が草原をなでるように|Like a Gentle Breeze Stroking the Grasslands}}

| lyrics2 = Kokia

| music2 = Kokia, Toshifumi Hinata

| length2 = 5:06

| title3 = I Catch a Cold

| lyrics3 = Kokia

| music3 = Kokia

| length3 = 3:08

| title4 = {{nihongo|Shiroi Yuki|白い雪|White Snow}}

| lyrics4 = Kokia

| music4 = Kokia

| length4 = 4:21

| title5 = River

| lyrics5 = Kokia

| music5 = Kokia

| length5 = 4:21

| title6 = {{nihongo|Hirusagari no Toki|昼下がりの時|Early Afternoon}}

| lyrics6 = Kokia

| music6 = Kokia

| length6 = 4:05

| title7 = You

| lyrics7 = Hinata

| music7 = Hinata

| length7 = 5:05

| title8 = Live Alone

| lyrics8 = Kokia

| music8 = Kokia

| length8 = 5:52

| title9 = {{nihongo|Arigatō...|ありがとう・・・|Thank You...}}

| lyrics9 = Kokia

| music9 = Kokia

| length9 = 4:08

| title10 = {{nihongo|Erika|エリカ}}

| lyrics10 = Kokia

| music10 = Kokia

| length10 = 4:04

| title11 = {{nihongo|Aishiteiru Kara (Sincerely Version)|愛しているから|Because I Love You}}

| lyrics11 = Yukiyo Mizuno

| music11 = Hinata

| length11 = 4:54

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Kokia Complete Collection 1998–1999

| title1 = Arigatō...

| lyrics1 = Kokia

| music1 = Kokia

| length1 = 4:08

| title2 = River

| lyrics2 = Kokia

| music2 = Kokia

| length2 = 4:21

| title3 = Live Alone

| lyrics3 = Kokia

| music3 = Kokia

| length3 = 5:52

| title4 = Aishiteiru Kara

| lyrics4 = Yukiyo Mizuno

| music4 = Hinata

| length4 = 5:08

| title5 = Tears in Love

| lyrics5 = Kokia

| music5 = Hinata

| length5 = 5:02

| title6 = Watashi wa Utau Kotori Desu

| lyrics6 = Kokia

| music6 = Kokia

| length6 = 2:53

| title7 = Hirusagari no Toki

| lyrics7 = Kokia

| music7 = Kokia

| length7 = 4:05

| title8 = Soyokaze ga Sōgen o Naderu Yō ni

| lyrics8 = Kokia

| music8 = Kokia, Hinata

| length8 = 5:06

| title9 = Blue Night

| lyrics9 = Kokia

| music9 = Hinata

| length9 = 4:15

| title10 = Shiroi Yuki

| lyrics10 = Kokia

| music10 = Kokia

| length10 = 4:21

| title11 = Erika

| lyrics11 = Kokia

| music11 = Kokia

| length11 = 4:04

| title12 = I Catch a Cold

| lyrics12 = Kokia

| music12 = Kokia

| length12 = 3:08

| title13 = You

| lyrics13 = Hinata

| music13 = Hinata

| length13 = 5:05

| title14 = Aishiteiru Kara (Sincerely Version)

| lyrics14 = Yukiyo Mizuno

| music14 = Hinata

| length14 = 4:54

}}

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{{col-2}}

• Yoshihiro Arita - acoustic guitar ("Arigatō...," "River," "Soyokaze ga Sōgen o Naderu Yō ni")
• Kaoru Arō - artist management, Yui Ongaku Kōbō
• Masaaki Fukushi - art director, 294 inc.
• Toshifumi Hinata - programming, producer, arranger
• Yōichi Honda - Yui Ongaku Kōbō management executive producer
• Miki Horihito - artist management, Yui Ongaku Kōbō
• Yūichirō Iida - disc promoter, Pony Canyon
• Natsuko Kawai - designer, 294 inc.
• Shinichi Kikuchi - recording, mixing (at Studio AVR)
• Kokia - vocal, background vocals, piano ("Watashi wa Utau Kotori Desu")
• Ariaki Kumazawa - sales promoter, Pony Canyon
• Harumi Masuda - hair & make-up, M-Flags
• Yōsuke Miyake - Pony Canyon label executive producer

{{col-2}}

{{Listen |filename= Kokia - arigato.ogg |pos= right |title= Kokia – "Arigatō..." |description= A sample of the chorus of the lead single "Arigatō..." illustrating Toshifumi Hinata's production style.}}

• Seishū Murakami - acoustic guitar, electric guitar ("Arigatō...," "Live Alone," "River," "Shiroi Yuki," "Soyokaze ga Sōgen o Naderu Yō ni," "You")
• Kazuki Nagano - product management desk, Pony Canyon
• Katsuhito Nakanishi - director, Pony Canyon
• Toshihiro Nakanishi Orchestra with Kuwano Strings - strings arrangement ("You")
• Teruhiko Takenaka - mastering (at Heart best Recording Studio)
• Jin Tamura - photographer
• Ichiko Yasui - stylist, Aim

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{{reflist}}

{{Kokia}}

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Category:Kokia (singer) albums

Category:1999 debut albums

Category:1990s Japanese-language albums

Category:Pony Canyon albums