| I Have Never Seen | |
| Cover: | Namie Amuro - I have never seen.jpg |
| Caption: | CD and streaming cover |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Namie Amuro |
| Album: | Genius 2000 |
| Released: | December 23, 1998 |
| Recorded: | 1998 |
| Studio: | True Kiss Disc The Hit Factory Audio Resource |
| Length: | 4:46 |
| Label: | Avex Trax |
| Producer: | Tetsuya Komuro |
| Prev Title: | Dreaming I Was Dreaming |
| Prev Year: | 1997 |
| Next Title: | Respect the Power of Love |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
"I Have Never Seen" is the twelfth single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax on December 23, 1998, as the lead single to her fourth studio album Genius 2000 (2000). The song was written and composed solely by Tetsuya Komuro. It was the first single released after Amuro's return from her yearlong maternity leave, and was released approximately one week before her well-publicized official comeback at the 49th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. Musically, the song is a melancholic power ballad.
Music critics gave the song favorable reviews, praising Amuro's mellow vocals with some praising it as one of Amuro's best works. "I Have Never Seen" was a commercial success, becoming her ninth number one single on the Oricon Singles Chart, and was her last until 2008's "60s 70s 80s". It earned a double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 800,000 copies nationwide.
Masashi Mutō directed the music video for the single, which appeared on her video albums Filmography (2001) and Best Clips (2002). The song also served as the theme song of the dorama Yonige-ya Honpo, which aired on the channel Nippon TV. The song has been reworked and re-recorded for Amuro's second greatest hits album, Love Enhanced Single Collection, released in 2002, as well as her final greatest hits album, Finally (2017).
On October 22, 1997, Amuro announced that she had married Masaharu "Sam" Maruyama, a member of the group TRF, and was three months pregnant. She also said she planned to take a one-year hiatus in order to focus on starting a family.[1] [2] In the meantime, two releases were made: a re-issue of her "Can You Celebrate?" single,[3] and her first greatest hits album, entitled 181920.[4] On May 19, 1998, her son was born at Maruyama Memorial General Hospital in Saitama.[5]
In September 1998, Komuro received an order to produce a song, and at first he had in mind a flashy and glamorous song, but he took into account both Amuro's positions as "a private wife and mother" and "Amuro as a singer." Because she was expected to express "huge love as a mother," she was the first to express sad themes such as "broken heart," and as Komuro said, the production was as difficult as "putting her through the eye of a needle." He spent the next three months struggling with the concept, and at one point thought about running away,[6] but he spent two weeks in Hawaii working on it so that the sound would not lean toward the Japanese market. The song's lyrics were written on the plane to Narita. Komuro said, "The title includes the meaning of 'experiencing things that ordinary people have never experienced'" and "it has the feeling of a journey."[7] Musically, it is a mellow power ballad track with a melancholic melody that speaks about experiencing things that ordinary people have never experienced.[8] [9] [10] [11] "I Have Never Seen" was released one week before her comeback at the 49th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.[12]
Avex Trax released "I Have Never Seen" on December 23, 1998, as the lead single from Genius 2000.[13] It was released as a mini CD single with a remix by Urban Soul.[13] The standard CD was released in Hong Kong and Taiwan.[14] [15]
Masashi Mutō directed a music video showcasing Amuro preparing herself in a dressing room with several people. "I Have Never Seen" was used as the ending theme to the Nippon TV dorama, Yonige-ya Honpo (KIKU translation given as Flight By Night when it aired in Hawaii.)[16] Maki Goto sang this song for an audition before becoming a part of Morning Musume.
Music critics gave "I Have Never Seen" positive reviews. AllMusic cited the song as a standout from Amuro's discography.[17] Animefringe writer Diana Kou ousted the song as one of the album's highlights, comparing it to Tomomi Kahala and praising amuro's soft vocals.[8] The song's inclusion in Love Enhanced Single Collection was praised for its subdued, whispering vocals, accompanied by a shimmering sound.[11]
"I Have Never Seen" debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, with 333,210 copies sold in its first week,[18] making it Amuro's ninth chart-topper. The single slid to number two the following week, selling 77,930 copies.[19] On its third week it dropped to number four on the chart, selling 85,570 copies.[20] "I Have Never Seen" ranked in the top ten for five weeks and ranked in the top 100 of the chart for thirteen weeks,[21] selling a reported total of 772,130 copies. "I Have Never Seen" ranked at number 29 on the year-end Oricon Singles Chart for 1999, with 657,250 copies sold throughout the fiscal year.[22] The single was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for 800,000 copies shipped to stores.[23]