Feel My Mind

Feel My Mind
Studio album by Koda Kumi
Released	February 18, 2004
Recorded	2003-2004
Genre	J-pop
Length	1:02:25
Label	Rhythm Zone RZCD-45115 (Japan, CD)
Producer	Max Matsuura
Koda Kumi chronology
Grow into One (2003) Feel My Mind (2004) Secret (2005) Singles from Feel My Mind "Come With Me" Released: August 27, 2003 "Gentle Words" Released: December 10, 2003 "Crazy 4 U" Released: January 15, 2004 "Love & Honey" Released: May 26, 2004

Feel My Mind (stylized as feel my mind) is the third studio album released by Japanese R&B-turned-pop singer Koda Kumi, released in February 2004. The album charted in the Top 10 on Oricon at #7 and stayed on the charts for thirty-five weeks, selling over 147,000 copies.^[1][2] Its corresponding DVD was feel... (not to be confused with her single feel, which came out in January 2006) and was her last album to be released as a CD only without a CD+DVD option.^[3][4]

Information

feel my mind is singer-songwriter Kumi Koda's third studio album and last album to carry predominately R&B tracks, whereas she transitioned to producing mainly pop music beginning from her next album, secret, and onward. The album managed to chart within the top ten on Oricon at #7 and remained on the charts for nearly two months.

feel my mind is credited with jump-starting Kumi's ero-kawaii/sexy-cute image, which she would later become synonymous with. This image would be cemented with her following album, secret. However, Kumi had later admitted in Koda Reki (stylized at KODA REKI) how she was nervous to don the "sexy-cute" image because she was nervous of disappointing her parents.^[5]

The limited editions of the album contained the tracks Yume with You [R. Yamaki's Groove Mix] - the original edition was previously released on her single Crazy 4 U - and Cutie Honey, which was later released on the single Love & Honey.^[6] Yume with You was a cover of Toshinobu Kubota song of the same title, initially released in 1993. Kumi, along with a large group of avex artists, would later record and release a song in honor of Kubota's passing in 2014, titled Ashite Waratte Irareru Youni (明日笑っていられるように / Laughing Towards Tomorrow).^[7][8]

The song magic (track #11) was composed by female R&B singer LISA, who Koda Kumi had collaborated with for the song one on her grow into one album and would go on to collaborate again for the song Switch, which would also feature the Heartsdales.^[9]

Due to the album only being released as a CD version, a corresponding DVD was released the same day: feel.... The DVD contained three music videos from the album, along with an interview, bonus pictures and the original television commercials for all of the singles released.

Packaging

feel my mind was released in two editions:

• CD: contains twelve musical tracks.
• CD [Limited Edition]: contains fourteen musical tracks.

The limited editions carried two bonus tracks: a remix to Yume with You and Cutie Honey, which would later be released as a single.

Music Videos

Despite being released only as a CD, the album did contained a corresponding DVD: feel.... The DVD contained the music videos released as a-sides from her singles during the era for the album. Those music videos included:

• Come With Me: set at night during a party on a beach in Thailand. The speaking parts in the music video are subtitled in Japanese.
• Gentle Words: set as the prelude for Kiseki, which shows Kumi longing for a loved one.
• Crazy 4 U: set in Tokyo with an espionage theme, having Kumi in several incarnations.

Background Narration

"The artist that Koda Kumi should represent finally became clear. When I look back at the years until 2003, I was filled with enthusiasm, but had no clear goal . . . The fog in front of my eyes cleared and the path I should walk became visible." - Koda Kumi

Upon the released of feel my mind, Koda Kumi speaks in KODA REKI how singing became more enjoyable due to her finding her own style - both in music and fashion. She explains that the reason her first few years were difficult was because she did not know who she wanted to be on stage, but because she began to find herself, more people started to support her and attend her events. Though she had attracted attention with her cover of Cutie Honey, she was overwhelmed with criticism from the clothes she donned at Music Station.^[10]

"There were a lot of things that upset me . . . I wanted to believe in my own style that had taken so long to find. No matter what other people said, I didn't want to give up . . . I usually got scared easily, but I pushed through my own ideas for the first time." - Koda Kumi

Track listing

(Source^[11])

Charts and sales

Alternate Versions

Rain

1. Rain: Found on the album (2004)
2. Rain [Unplugged Version]: Found on No Regret single (2006)
3. Rain [Album Version Instrumental]: Found on No Regret single (2006)
4. Rain [Plug in Language Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 2 (2010)

References