Secret (Koda Kumi album)

Secret
Studio album by Kumi Koda
Released	February 9, 2005 April 13, 2005 (Special Editions)
Recorded	2004–2005
Genre	J-pop, R&B
Length	1:03:23
Label	Rhythm Zone RZCD-45181/B (Japan, CD+DVD) RZCD-45182 (Japan, CD) RZCD-45208/B (Japan, CD+SpecialDVD+Tank Top) RZCD-45209/B (Japan, CD+SpecialDVD+T-Shirt) RZCD-45210/B (Japan, CD+SpecialDVD)
Producer	Max Matsuura
Kumi Koda chronology
Feel My Mind (2004)Feel My Mind2004 Secret (2005) Best: First Things (2005)Best: First Things2005
Singles from Secret
"Love & Honey" Released: May 26, 2004 "Chase" Released: July 28, 2004 "Kiseki" Released: September 8, 2004 "Hands" Released: January 19, 2005 "Hot Stuff" Released: April 13, 2005

Secret (stylized as secret) is the fourth studio album released by Japanese R&B-turned-pop singer Kumi Koda released in February 2005. It charted at #3 on Oricon, giving her highest charting album at the time, and stayed on the charts for fifty-six weeks.^[1]

This album also jump-started Kumi's ero-kawaii/sexy-cute image, which she would become synonymous with. This style would later spread throughout Japan's high school community upon her release of Butterfly.

Information

secret is the first predominately-pop album by Koda Kumi, with her first three albums, feel my mind, grow into one and affection, being R&B. Due to Kumi feeling most comfortable with the style she donned in "Crazy 4 U," she created the "sexy-cute" style (known as ero-kawaii) for her a-sides used in secret. This is the style that she would become famous for and would garner both positive and negative attention.

While her sexy and cute image aided in increasing her popularity, it was met with both positive and negative reactions from the public and media. During her performance for "Cutie Honey" at Music Station, she donned the outfit she wore during the jazz parlor scenes in the music video. The outfit became heavily criticized, whereas revealing clothing was not worn by mainstream artists in Japan at the time.^[2]

On April 13, 2005, three special editions of the album were released, which contained the music video for "Hot Stuff," which featured rapper KM-MARKIT, and depending on which Special Edition for Live was purchased, came with a t-shirt or a tank top.^[3][4]

The DVD contained the music videos originally released on her first DVD single, girls ~Selfish~: "Selfish," "Shake It" and "24." The song "24," which was written and composed by arranger Hitoshi Shimono, was the first time Kumi released a song with an entire chorus in English.^[5] She would later work with Hitoshi again for her 2006 song "Feel," which also contained a chorus done completely in English.

Packaging

secret was released in four editions: CD, CD+DVD and a special CD+DVD edition. While the standard editions of the CD and CD+DVD combos contained the fifteen musical tracks, the special editions contained two bonus songs and a bonus music video. This edition also come with the choice of either a tank top or a t-shirt.

The two bonus tracks contained on the special editions were "It's a Small World," which featured female duo the Heartsdales, and a remix of "Hot Stuff," which featured rappers KM-MARKIT and UZI. The bonus music video on the DVD of this version was the music video for the latter track.

Each editions contained different cover art: the CD only contained a blue heart, the CD+DVD contained a pink heart and the "special edition" contained a holographic heart.

Music videos

Two new music videos were released on the DVD: the album version of "hands," which was the first time a different version of a music video was released, and "Trust You." There was a different version of "Trust You" released on her Hot Stuff single, titled "Thanks to MAM & GRAMMA Version."

While there were only two new music videos, the music videos from girls ~Selfish~ were also placed on the album, most notably due to girls ~Selfish~ being unsuccessful as a DVD single. These videos were "Selfish," "Shake It" and "24."

• Trust You: set in the future where men use technology to set women to perform. The A.Is, Kumi along with two others, are able to become sentient and reclaim dominance.
• Selfish: carries a story of female vampires luring men to their hideout so they are able to live off their life force.
• Shake It: carries a story of a man breaking into a tent, owned by Kumi. Kumi and her followers seduce him and convince him to leave. It is shown at the end he makes a phone call to an unknown source.
• 24: a soft and sensual video, showing Kumi in her downtime as she fantasizes about a lover.

The music video to "Hot Stuff" was later placed on the DVD when the special edition was released two months later. The music video carried a dance battle theme, which had been inspired by the North American film You Got Served, which featured Omarion Grandberry and Marques Houston. Kumi would later feature Omarion in her 2012 "Slow" from her album Japonesque.

Promotional Advertisements

Selfish was used as the theme to the 20th East Women's Ekiden^[6]

Hearty... was used as the promotional theme for the KOJIMA Ltd. product Fresh Gray 2005.^[7]

Trust You was used as MTV Japan's buzz ASIA theme for March 2005.^[8]

24 was used as the theme song for SANCTUARY/Otona no Seiiki (サンクチュアリ/大人の聖域)^[9]

Let's Party was used for the television advertisement of Shueisha's MORE.^[10]

It's a Small World feat. Heartsdales was used as the theme song for Japan's release of the 2004 film 80 Days.^[11]

Track listing

Special Edition Bonus Tracks

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Alternate Versions

Let's Party

1. Let's Party: Found on the album (2005)
2. Let's Party [KOZM® Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 5 (2013)

Trust You

1. Trust You: Found on the album (2005)
2. Trust You [Dub's Trust me Remix]: Found on single Hot Stuff feat. KM-MARKIT (2005)

Selfish

1. Selfish: Found on the album (2005)
2. Selfish [D.I's C&B MIX]: Found on single Hot Stuff feat. KM-MARKIT (2005)
3. Selfish [ALKA-LINE Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 8 (2018)

References