With a new summer-themed album due out this summer, J-pop's Koda Kumi looks as fresh and pretty as ever, and fans might forget the journey that brought her to success. Koda makes hard work look easy, and her perseverance has paid off.
Her new album, Summer of Love, is a collection album, but is expected to include three new tracks, two of which have teaser videos. A DVD edition also will be available with music videos of every one of the 15 tracks on the album. Promotional photos show a glowing, sophisticated Koda -- a grown-up girl who has toned down the erokawa a bit for a more refined look, but with no less impact than she is known for. One can imagine her career has reached a point where she could scale it back and lighten her schedule. Not so.
This already is Koda's second album released this year, and at last count, the singer/fashion trend-setter has put out well over a dozen albums, not including compilations and remixes. One is reminded that only after a first album that flopped and a half-dozen or so singles, which amounted to about two years of doing poorly, did Koda Kumi see success. One might also contemplate how many of us would keep trying after two years of failures. It is a tribute to her character, for sure, and coupled with her consistent output, she is to be admired for more than her looks.
With a toddler and demanding career, it is pretty impressive that Koda's hard work hasn't lessened. The singer once noted that, "Getting married and giving birth make a woman strong and beautiful," and has mentioned that becoming a wife and mother has added much to her life, including a greater awareness of love and support.
Look for Koda Kumi's latest album July 22
