Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Grow into One

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Released
  
March 19, 2003

Length
  
65:33

Artist
  
Kumi Koda

Producer
  
Max Matsuura

Recorded
  
2002–2003

Grow into One (2003)
  
Feel My Mind (2004)

Release date
  
19 March 2003

Label
  
Rhythm Zone

Grow into One httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbe

Genres
  
J-pop, Pop music, Contemporary R&B, Hip hop music

Similar
  
Kumi Koda albums, J-pop albums

koda kumi grow into one album review


Grow into One (stylized as grow into one) is the second studio album released by Japanese R&B-turned-pop singer Koda Kumi, released on March 19, 2003. It barely peaked in the Top 10 on Oricon, coming it at #8, and charted for forty-three weeks. The album also contained, at the time, one of her best-selling singles, real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba." Combined with the singles, the album has sold over half a million copies in Japan.

Contents

The album featured rapping-duo Clench & Blistah (known as CLENCH&BLISTAH in Japan) and Urban contemporary singer and producer LISA. LISA had been featured on Kumi's single m•a•z•e on the b-side, after having just split from her founded hip-hop group m-flo.

Koda kumi grow into one album review


Information

grow into one is singer-songwriter Kumi Koda's second studio album and was released one year after her first album, affection. It was her first album to chart in the top ten on Oricon, coming in at #8. The album was predominately R&B with the only pop songs being those she performed for Final Fantasy X-2, which was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2003. Those songs were real Emotion and 1000 no Kotoba. The only other pop song was To be one, which was used in some of the online advertising for Final Fantasy X-2.

The album was released in two editions, a standard edition and a limited edition. Limited editions of the album contained a Final Fantasy X-2 trading card and an unpublished, alternate arrangement of 1000 no Kotoba. This alternate arrangement would later be placed on her third compilation album, Best ~Bounce & Lovers~, four years later in 2007.

There was one b-side to make it to the album: the song "one feat. LISA" which was originally released on her single m•a•z•e. This album also contained her first collaboration attempt with Japanese rappers Clench & Blistah. She would later feature Blistah (known as Mr. Blistah) for several works and collaborate with the duo for their own songs, most notably her song Candy feat. Mr. Blistah and Clench & Blistah's song Stands Up!.

Packaging

The album was released in two editions:

  • CD: contains fourteen musical tracks.
  • CD [Limited Edition]: contains fifteen musical tracks and a trading card for Final Fantasy X-2.
  • Limited editions of the album contained a Final Fantasy X-2 trading card and the "Alternate Orchestra Version" of 1000 no Kotoba.

    Music videos

    Though grow into one was only released as a CD, it was released alongside a DVD: 7 Spirits. The DVD contained all of the music videos for the a-sides during her grow into one and affection eras. The music videos from grow into one were:

  • love across the ocean: set in a futuristic setting with Kumi being sent to earth.
  • m•a•z•e: set in an airport with Kumi being evaluated by a psychologist. This is most notably because m•a•z•e was the theme song to the Japanese drama Psycho Doctor.
  • real Emotion: set in the Final Fantasy world of Spira.
  • Despite being a main track, 1000 no Kotoba never had an official music video. The only "music video" was in the game Final Fantasy X-2 during Yuna's song in the Thunder Plains.

    Background narration

    "Although my second album, which I released directly after real Emotion . . . the singles I released afterwards ranked outside of the top 10." - Koda Kumi

    Koda Kumi was hopeful for her grow into one album due to the success of real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba. Due to the album gaining attention by charted in the Top 10, she began to push herself in her later singles. However, none of the following singles followed the success of real Emotion.

    "Because my hopes had been so high, the fall was really too hard." - Koda Kumi

    Track listing

    Official track list.

    Alternate versions

    Teaser feat. Clench & Blistah

    1. Teaser feat. Clench & Blistah: found on the album (2003)
    2. Teaser feat. Clench & Blistah [Caramel Pod Dubstep Remix]: found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 4 (2012)

    Songs

    1Teaser (feat Clench & Blistah)1:53
    2real Emotion4:01
    3BOY FRIEND?4:42

    References

    Grow into One Wikipedia