Hotel (Koda Kumi song) explained

Hotel
Cover:Koda Kumi HOTEL CD.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Kumi Koda
Album:Walk of My Life
Released:August 6, 2014
Recorded:2014
Genre:
Label:Rhythm Zone
Lyricist:Kumi Koda
Composer:
  • H.U.B
  • Didrik Thott
  • Sebastian Thott
  • Ylva Dimburg
Prev Title:Dreaming Now!
Prev Year:2013
Next Year:2014

Hotel (stylized as HOTEL) is the fifty-seventh single by Japanese artist Kumi Koda. It was her first single release since 2013's "Dreaming Now!." It debuted at #5, but took the weekly position of #7 on Oricon and remained on the charts for four weeks. The a-side's music video was heavily inspired by Koda Kumi's time in Dubai.

The single contained two a-sides and one b-side. The a-sides were the title track and the song "Money In My Bag." The latter's music video was only released on the "fan club" edition of the single. The b-side was the pop/R&B track "Turn Around."

Background information

Hotel is Japanese singer/songwriter Kumi Koda's fifty-seventh single under the Avex sub-label Rhythm Zone.[1] The single debuted at #5 on the daily Oricon Singles Chart, but dropped in rank to take the number seven slot for the week. Despite not being a limited release, the single only charted for four weeks.[2] [3] The single became her first release in nearly a year, with the prior being "Dreaming Now!" in 2013.

"Hotel" carried three tracks, with two of the songs carrying corresponding music videos. The title track is mid-tempo dance track containing elements of synth-pop, R&B, reggae and hip hop music.[4] The music video for the song was heavily inspired by Koda Kumi's time spent in Dubai, with the hotel in the video resembling the architecture and structures of the city. The coupling track "Money In My Bag" is a mostly hip-hop track, which Kumi had described as "not usually a category for "Koda Kumi," but how she "wanted to try a new style."[5] The single's only b-side, "Turn Around," was a slower R&B/pop number with Kumi singing about the scent and experiences of summer.[6]

Music videos

"Hotel" was directed by videographer Kanji Sudo, who would later direct the music video for "Like It" from her Walk of My Life studio album. The setting for the video was to introduce the viewer to Koda Kumi's hotel and the resort's small staff.[7] The video contained a dual theme of day versus night, showing the personas most people carry during the day - very prim and proper - while, during the night, their inner selves come out.

"Money In My Bag" was also directed by Kanji Sudo. The video was centered around night and was a hip-hop-infused dance number, choreographed by FUKO, a dancer who has been with Kumi since her 2006 album Black Cherry. The music video was only available on the fan club editions of the single, which omitted the video for "Hotel."

Charts

Weekly charts! Chart (2014)! Peak
position
Japan Singles (Oricon)[8] 7
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[9] 23
Taiwan East Asia Albums (G-Music)[10] 10

Alternate versions

Hotel

  1. "Hotel": Found on the single and corresponding album Walk of My Life (2015)
  2. "Hotel" [Plastik Funk Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 7 (2017)

Money in My Bag

  1. "Money in My Bag": Found on the single and corresponding album Walk of My Life (2015)
  2. "Money in My Bag" [Starfvckers Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 7 (2017)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Koda Kumi Discography. Rhythm Zone. December 8, 2014.
  2. Web site: HOTEL (with DVD) / KODA KUMI / ORICON STYLE. Oricon. February 14, 2016.
  3. Web site: Oricon Weekly Review. Oricon. December 8, 2014.
  4. Web site: Koda Kumi invites you to her "HOTEL" with a cool summer vocal. natalie music (Natasha Co., Ltd.). March 17, 2017.
  5. Web site: Koda Kumi confesses her current feelings, "I want to try it.". ModelPress. March 17, 2016.
  6. Web site: Koda Kumi talks about the new songs from her upcoming summer single "HOTEL". Music Man (excite). March 17, 2017.
  7. Web site: Koda Kumi, the music video for the new song "HOTEL" arrives. E-TALENTBANK. March 17, 2017.
  8. Web site: ja:倖田來未のリリース一覧 . A Look at Kumi Koda's Releases . http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/259698/products/release/ . ja . Oricon . April 16, 2014.
  9. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2014/08/23 . Billboard . December 10, 2022 . August 23, 2014.
  10. G-Music J-pop Album chart Week 33 of 2014 (archive not available)