Saturday, December 22, 2012

Try Again!

The Try Again video SAWA posted is just a short version .. Maybe we'll get a full version in the future?

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Try Again! Video

The PV SAWA was apparently filming was for Try Again! which is being used as a theme with a weather channel in Tokyo.

However it's been posted on Youtube, and cannot be accessed by foreigners outside of Japan. (As have all her videos posted on SMA's channel since Good day Sunshine.) I've not been able to find a proper proxy for it yet, but as soon as I do, I'll let you guys know!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

INMUSIC Interview

SAWA did a fairly in depth video with music site INMUSIC. She talks about the new album, her songwriting process, and briefly mentions wanting to produce/arrange music for idols in the future, as she did recently with Sasaki Nozomi. Read here.

Soprano Rain is Out in Japan!

It's also now on iTunes Japan with an alternate cover and a partial tracklist. Good day Sunshine and Mysterious Zone were excluded, which were previously released on iTunes as digital singles.

Also on her blog, SAWA said she was filming a PV for the title track?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Recochoku Early Release

Soprano Rain has been released early today on keitai site Recochoku. You can hear very brief previews of all tracks by clicking the headphones button. All the tracks sound upbeat and very much in the same vein as Good day Sunshine with the exception of the title track which uses a lot of brass sounds.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

SAWA iTunes Discography


The majority of SAWA's discography is on iTunes Japan now.

After signing with Sony, many of her songs weren't digitally available. However, Sony recently took their back bar on digital downloads through iTunes so all past albums and a few compilations are up for download after the release of Good day Sunshine; as well as Mysterious Zone from last year.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

ソプラノレイン Album Cover

(Updated with a larger version. Upon closer inspection... the rain is made up of mirrorballs?!)

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Updated Tracklist

According to Bellwood Records, the track-list is now as follows:

1.Good day Sunshine
2.Mysterious Zone
3.Try Again!
4.ハッピーバースデイ
5.NoLimit
6.ソプラノレイン
7.心の瞳

Soprano Rain was bumped down to track 6, and the previously untitled track is now NoLimit. That is all!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Artists Behind Soprano Rain

Minna no Uta credits illustrator/painter/writer Emi Mariduki as an artist working with SAWA for her Soprano Rain short. She actually has written a small book with the same name. You can read it  here .


Emi Mariduki's work is beaaaautiful. Mainly using watercolor, she creates vividly colorful and surreal universes in her paintings.


As well as Emi Mariduki, animator Oomomo Yousuke is behind this project. Check out a lovely example of Oomomo's work below.



Also a little more info... Good day Sunshine as well as tracks 4, 5 and 6 are self-produced. On the title track, SAWA actually worked with a producer I'm not familiar with named Toshihiko Nishibe. It seems he's done work with a few anime soundtracks. Mysterious Zone was created with Jazzin' Park (who remixed Stars and produced I'm a President.) The Kyu Sakamoto cover I'm not sure on yet, but I believe it's acapella?

Friday, October 19, 2012

NEW SAWA MINI-ALBUM: SOPRANO RAIN

New SAWA mini-album out December 19th titled ソプラノレイン (Soprano Rain)!

1.ソプラノレイン (Soprano Rain)
2.Mysterious Zone
3. Good day Sunshine 
4. Try Again!
5. ハッピーバースデイ (Happy Birthday)
6.タイトル未定 (Yet To Be Titlted)
7.心の瞳 (Originally by Kyu Sakamoto)

The title song is the track being used for Minna no Uta.

The last track (which is a cover) and Happy Birthday she's performed live and of course, Mysterious Zone and Good day Sunshine were released as digital singles.

This mini-album is being released on indie label Bellwood Records. Whether she's still with Sony or not, I'm not sure.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

SAWA Participating in Minna no Uta!

SAWA has completed a new song for NHK TV and Radio Program みんなのうた (Minna No Uta/Everyone's Song)!!!

This follws in the footsteps of one of her own idols, Taeko Onuki, whom SAWA has covered twice. The first being メトロポリタン美術館 (Metropolitan Museum) which was actually used for Minna no Uta, the second being Samba de Mar.


So many well-known artists have participated in this program, including Shiina Ringo (Ringo no Uta AND Futari Bocchi Jikan) and Utada Hikaru (Boku wa Kuma).

The title of song she's composed is 「ソプラノレイン」 (Soprano Rain).

Many of the songs are aimed at children and are coupled with various animators to promote their art and collaborations all over Japan.

Check out Taeko Onuki's メトロポリタン美術館 below:


メトロポリタン美術館 OP by Milfy

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Good day Sunshine MV

The music video for Good day Sunshine is out! Unfortunately it's Japan only.

However! You can paste the url on this site and you should be able to watch it!

She's not abandoned the disco ball!


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Good day Sunshine

New 1-track digital single Good day Sunshine! Out on May 16th on SMA, Rekochoku, music.JP + iTunes!! She's back! (It's also self-produced, apparently?)