Kumi Koda Complete Discography (The 12 Singles Project)

Kumi Koda is a Japanese pop singer and fashion trend-setter. She rocketed to fame with her 2005 best album, "BEST ~first things~" and continued her reign with the subsequent solid releases of "secret" and "BEST ~second sessions~". In the midst of all of these was the clever marketing strategy "12 Singles Project", sometimes also known as the "12 Days of Christmas" that began in December, 2005. With this project Kumi released a total of 12 singles over the course of 12 consecutive weeks. Nine of the 12 singles were limited to 50,000 copies and only cost 500 yen per release. Each release had an "international" theme by having Kumi dress up in the local traditional clothing of the territory featured. Likewise, each release also came with a promotional music video, about half of which were interconnected into one overarching love story. All of the singles were then compiled into one best album, "BEST ~second session~", which reached #1 on the Oricon charts and sold over two-million copies.

Each single came with a square puzzle piece that, when all put together from all 12 singles, created one large image of Kumi. The Obis (the paper wrapped around the spines of the CDs) also create one long image of nude Kumi with a microphone.

Released: December 7th, 2005

Oricon: #1

Sales: 190,000+

Tracklist:

1. you

2. Sweet Kiss

3. you (Instrumental)

4. Sweet Kiss (Instrumental)

"you" is the official first single of the 12 singles project. It is one of three singles in the project to not be limited to 50,000 copies, thus allowing it to sell nearly 200,000 copies by the end of its initial run; likewise, it is the only single to have an original song as a B-side. "you" managed to shoot to the top of the Oricon charts its first week and became the first #1 single in Kumi's career. It's represented culture is the Alaskan Eskimo.

The song "you" is a sad winter ballad and one of Kumi's most famous to this day. Its tie-up was in a commercial for the GemCEREY jewelry line. The B-side "Sweet Kiss" is a more generic happy pop song and was used in a commercial for Lotte's "Pure White" Gum.

Released: December 14th, 2005

Oricon: #6

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. Birthday Eve

2. Birthday Eve (Instrumental)

"Birthday Eve" is the second single of the project, released only one week after "you". However, it did not live up to the same position or sales as its predecessor, partly because it was only limited to 50,000 copies. It's meant to have a Californian American visual theme.

"Birthday Eve" is a bubbly pop song and was used in the commercial for NTT's DoCoMo Toukai.

Released: December 21st, 2005

Oricon: #5

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. D.D.D. feat. SOULHEAD

2. D.D.D. feat. SOULHEAD (Instrumental)

"D.D.D." is the third overall and first collaboration single of the project. It featured sister-rap group SOULHEAD in both the song and the promotional video. An "answer" song, titled "XXX" was produced on SOULHEAD's discography and featured Kumi. Both songs won a reward for "Best Collaboration". It was also limited to 50,000 copies. Its represented culture is that of the underground British punk sub-culture.

"D.D.D." stands for "Diamond Diamond Diamond", or the "Girls of Three Diamonds". It's an uptempo hip-hop song with pop and rock elements and meant to have a "girl power" theme. It was used in the commercial for Suzuki and Chevy's MW.

Released: December 28th, 2005

Oricon: #6

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. Shake It Up

2. Shake It Up (Instrumental)

"Shake It Up" is the fourth single of the project. Like its two predecessors, it was limited to 50,000 copies. Its represented culture is Brazilian.

"Shake It Up" is an upbeat dance tune with a Latin influence and was used as the ending theme for the Nippon TV show "The Sunday".

Released: January 4th, 2006

Oricon: #7

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. Lies

2. Lies (Instrumental)

"Lies" is the fifth overall single of the project. Kumi expressed specific pride in this song as it's one of the few in the project to have lyrics entirely written by herself; however, it had the lowest rank of the project even when compared to the other singles limited to 50,000 copies. Its represented culture is Chinese.

"Lies" is a minimalistic pop song and was used in two promotions: the first as the ending theme for TV Asahi's "Adrena! Garage" program, and the second was in a commercial for "music.jp".

Released: January 11th, 2006

Oricon: #1

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. feel

2. feel (Instrumental)

"feel" is the sixth overall single of the project, and, amazingly, her second #1 single even though it "only" sold 39,000 copies its first week, had no tie-ups, and was limited to 50,000 copies overall. Its represented culture is the traditional Spanish Matador costume.

"feel" is a heavy RnB lounge song with sensual overtones. It is her first song to have a chorus entirely in English.

Released: January 18th, 2006

Oricon: #3

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. Candy feat. Mr. Blistah

2. Candy feat. Mr. Blistah (Instrumental)

"Candy" is the seventh single overall of the project and the second collaboration single. Rapper Mr. Blistah appears throughout the song and video in support of Kumi's singing. The song managed to crack the top three of the singles chart and sell about the same as the other singles even with a limited release and no tie-ups. Its represented culture is "African".

"Candy" is a sultry hip-hop song with Middle Eastern influences.

Released: January 25th, 2006

Oricon: #4

Sales: 130,000+

Tracklist:

1. No Regret

2. Rain (Unplugged Version)

3. No Regret (Instrumental)

4. Rain (Unplugged Version) (Instrumental)

"No Regret" is the eighth overall single of the project and the second of three to not be limited to 50,000 copies. Thus, "No Regret" enjoyed some sales success and rose to a steady #4 on the charts. It is the only single in the series to have a remixed song as a B-side. Its represented culture is "Middle Eastern".

"No Regret" is a hard-hitting pop song with dramatic strings in the background and was used as the opening theme of the anime "Law of Ueki". 'Rain (Unplugged Version)" is a new version of the classic Kumi song "Rain" originally found on her second album "feel my mind".

Released: February 1st, 2006

Oricon: #5

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. Ima Sugu Hoshii (今すぐ欲しい) (Trans. "I Want It Now")

2. Ima Sugu Hoshii (Instrumental)

"Ima Sugu Hoshii" is the ninth overall single of the project. It sees a return to the limited 50,000 copies release. Its represented culture is French ballerinas.

"Ima Sugu Hoshii" is a seductive RnB / Hip-Hop song originally by hip-hop trio SUGAR SOUL with additional lyrics by ZEEBRA and Heartsdales's Jewels. It is lyrically one of Kumi's most sexually explicit songs to date. The song was banned in South Korea for its lyrics.

Released: February 8th, 2006

Oricon: #3

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. KAMEN feat. Tatsuya Ishii

2. KAMEN feat. Tatsuya Ishii (with your darling version)

3. KAMEN feat. Tatsuya Ishii (With your honey version)

4. KAMEN feat. Tatsuya Ishii(Instrumental)

"KAMEN" is the tenth overall single of the project, and the third collaboration single. "Kome Kome Club"'s frontman Tatsuya Ishii has a duet with Kumi in this song and also appears in the video. Like most of the other singles, this one too was limited to 50,000 copies. The represented culture is Hawaiian Americans.

"KAMEN" is a heavy, dramatic love duet completely written by Tatsuya Ishii. It is one of the only songs in Kumi's discography to be considered a proper duet.

Released: January 18th, 2006

Oricon: #3

Sales: 45,000+

Tracklist:

1. WIND

2. WIND (Instrumental)

"WIND" is the 11th overall single of the project. Due to its limited release at 50,000 copies it had a limited chart run. The represented culture is Italian.

"WIND" is an upbeat, optimistic pop song that was used as the theme for Fuji TV's "Torino 2006 Relay" at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Released: February 22nd, 2006

Oricon: #3

Sales: 85,000+

Tracklist:

1. Someday

2. Boys♡Girls

3. Someday (Instrumental)

4. Boys♡Girls (Instrumental)

"Someday / Boys♡Girls" is the last single of the project and one of the three to not be limited to 50,000 copies; however, out of those three it sold the lowest and was the only one to not hit #1 on the charts. It is the only single of the project to be presented as a double-A-side single. Its represented culture is Japanese geisha.

"Someday" is a mid-tempo pop song that was used as the theme to the drama "Shin Kyoto Meikyuu Annai". "Boys♡Girls" is a dramatic upbeat pop song that was used as the theme to the movie "Waters".

Released: March 1st, 2006

Tracklist:

1. Get It On

"Get It On" was a special digital only release to commemorate the 12 Singles Project. It's an extended, full version of the song "Introduction to the second session" that appeared as track #1 on "BEST ~second sessions~". The cover shows Kumi dressed in "Indian" clothing.

"Get It On" is a mid-tempo RnB dance song with slight Middle Eastern themes. No video was filmed for this song and it is not considered an official part of the 12 Singles Project.

All images in this hub are copyright avex trax/their respective photographers. They are used here for promotional purposes only.