Dear.../Maybe Explained

Dear…/Maybe
Cover:DearMAYBE.jpg
Alt:A woman looking straight ahead. She is wearing a white hat and coat. Her right hand is tucked under her chin.
Type:single
Artist:Kana Nishino
Album:To Love
B-Side:"Yours Only," feat. Wise
Recorded:2009
Genre:J-pop
Label:SME Records
Prev Title:Motto…
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:Best Friend
Next Year:2010

"Dear…/Maybe" is a double A-side released by Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter Kana Nishino. It was released on December 2, 2009, by her record label SME Records. "Dear..." was written and composed by Nishino, Giorgio Cancemi and Shinquo Ogura, while "Maybe" was written and composed by Nishino and Cancemi. Musically, "Dear..." is a pop ballad influenced by R&B music, while "Maybe" is an upbeat synthpop song. Both tracks were used to promote NTT Docomo's "Ganbare Jikkou '09-'10" campaign and Maybelline New York, respectively.

Both songs were well received by music critics, with praise going towards the production. Commercially, "Dear.../Maybe" performed well on record charts. It reached number seven on the Oricon Singles Chart, while "Dear..." individually charted at number one and number three respectively on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart and the Japan Hot 100. "Dear..." was certified both triple platinum and million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for ringtone and digital sales. "Maybe" was certified gold for selling over 100,000 full-length downloads. "Dear..." has been performed on some of Nishino's tours, including Love Collection Tour ~pink & mint~, Just LOVE Tour and Kana Nishino Dome Tour 2017 "Many Thanks."

Background and composition

After the success of "Motto...," Sony Music Japan announced the release of a new single titled "Dear.../Maybe" on November 6, 2009.[1] "Dear..." was made available as a ringtone on November 11, 2009,[2] and as a full-length download on November 26, 2009.[3] "Maybe" was released as a full-length download on December 2, 2009.[4] Sony Music Japan also distributed the CD single for "Dear.../Maybe" on the same day.[5] "Dear..." was written by Nishino and composed by Giorgio Cancemi and Shinquo Ogura;[5] "Maybe" was written by Nishino and Cancemi, while composition was handled by Cancemi and Ogura.[5] The B-side "Yours Only" feat. Wise was featured on M-Flo's 10th anniversary tribute album, .[6]

Musically, "Dear..." is an R&B-influenced pop ballad that expresses the affectionate feelings towards a loved one.[7] "Maybe" is an urban club-style up-tempo song that makes full use of vocal effects; it depicts the delicate emotions of a "current girlfriend" who cannot shake off the presence of an ex-girlfriend.[7]

Chart performance

Commercially, "Dear.../Maybe" experienced success in Japan. On the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart with the issue date December 2, 2009, "Dear…" appeared on the chart at number 92.[8] The following week "Dear…" peaked at number three jumping 89 spots.[9] "Dear..." was certified triple platinum by the RIAJ for selling over 750,000 ringtones,[10] while also being certified million for selling over one million full-length downloads.[11] "Maybe" was certified gold for selling over 100,000 cellphone downloads.[12]

Music videos and promotion

"Dear..." was the official song for the DoCoMo's "Ganbare Jikkou '09 - '10" campaign, which was meant to support students taking exams.[13] Nishino commented on this song: "I also took the exam a few years ago, and learned a lot, such as the difficulty of facing a hurdle for the first time in my life, the importance of the people who supported me there, and the change in myself when I overcame that hurdle. I am truly honored to be able to write a song with a message for all the exam takers in this way."[14] Meanwhile, "Maybe" was used as the commercial song for Maybelline New York's "Express Magnum Volume" advertisement starring herself.[15]

Charts

Weekly charts

Charts (2009)Peak
position
Billboard Japan Hot 1003
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart[16] 7
RIAJ Digital Track Chart weekly top 100[17] 1
RIAJ Digital Track Chart weekly top 100[18]
  • "Maybe"
5

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ★ニューシングル発売決定★. Sony Music Japan. Japanese.
  2. Web site: ★西野カナ 12月発売ニューシングル収録曲「Dear…」着うた(R)先行配信スタート★. Sony Music Japan. Japanese.
  3. Web site: ★西野カナ「Dear…」着うたフル(R)配信スタート★. Sony Music Japan. Japanese.
  4. Web site: ★西野カナ 「MAYBE」着うたフル(R)配信スタート★. Sony Music Japan. Japanese.
  5. Dear... / Maybe. Kana Nishino. 2009. Kana. Nishino. Liner notes. SME Records. SECL-831. Japan.
  6. Web site: Yesasia: m-flo TRIBUTE -maison de m-flo- (Japan Version). Yesasia. 2009-08-18. 2024-07-01. ja.
  7. News: CD Journal Staff. 西野カナ / Dear… / MAYBE. CD Journal. December 2, 2009. July 1, 2024. Japanese.
  8. Japan Billboard Hot 100 . . Japanese . December 2, 2009 . June 30, 2024.
  9. Japan Billboard Hot 100 . . Japanese . December 9, 2009 . June 30, 2024.
  10. Web site: ja:レコード協会調べ 1月度有料音楽配信認定 . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100620.html . . Japanese . 4 June 2024 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150325091457/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100620.html . 25 March 2015 .
  11. Web site: ja:レコード協会調べ 4月度有料音楽配信認定 . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w140520.html . . Japanese . 4 June 2024 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140521032505/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w140520.html . 21 May 2014 .
  12. Web site: ja:レコード協会調べ 3月度有料音楽配信認定 . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100420.html . . Japanese . 4 June 2024 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100426213142/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w100420.html . 26 April 2010 .
  13. Web site: ★DOCOMO「ガンバレ受験生'09-'10」特設サイトオープン♪★. Sony Music Japan. Japanese.
  14. Web site: 西野カナ 受験生公式応援ソング含むニューシングルリリース決定! . Hot Express . ja . November 10, 2009 . July 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100128100945/http://www.hotexpress.co.jp/news/091110_nishinokana . January 28, 2010 . dead .
  15. Web site: 西野カナ、新製品マスカラとコラボ. Bark News. November 3, 2009. July 1, 2024. ja.
  16. Web site: Dear・・・/MAYBE 西野カナ. Oricon. 4 June 2024.
  17. Web site: RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue December 1, 2009. Recording Industry Association of Japan. December 27, 2009. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111008101742/http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2009s&weeklyCd=20091201&rankKbn=50. October 8, 2011.
  18. Web site: RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue December 8, 2009. RIAJ. December 27, 2009. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111008101749/http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2009s&weeklyCd=20091208&rankKbn=50. October 8, 2011.
  19. Web site: レコード協会調べ 2009年12月16日~2010年12月14日「着うたフル(R)」 2010年有料音楽配信「年間チャート」(通称:レコ協チャート) . Record Association Analysis: December 16, 2009 – December 14, 2010 Full-length Cellphone Download 2010 paid digital sales "Yearly Chart" (Abbreviated: RIAJ Chart) . RIAJ . December 20, 2010 . December 22, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101223033852/http://www.riaj.or.jp/release/2010/pdf/pr101220.pdf. December 23, 2010.