Listen to My Heart (BoA album) explained

Listen to My Heart
Type:studio
Artist:BoA
Cover:Listen to My Heart low.jpg
Released:March 13, 2002
Recorded:2001–2002
Studio:
  • avex studio
  • Folio Sound
  • On Air Azabu Studio
  • Warner Studio
  • One Voice Studio
  • Sound City
Genre:
Length:61:31
Label:Avex Trax
Producer:
Prev Title:Jumping into the World
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:No. 1
Next Year:2002

Listen to My Heart (stylized in all caps) is the debut Japanese studio album (second overall) by South Korean recording artist BoA, released via Avex Trax on March 13, 2002. BoA worked with a team of songwriters and composers to produce the album, including Natsumi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hara, Ken Harada and Akira; all of whom would collaborate with BoA again on her future albums. Musically, Listen to My Heart is primarily a pop record with influences from R&B.

Listen to My Heart saw breakthrough success for a South Korean artist in Japan, where it became the first record by a Korean artist to attain the number one position on the Oricon Albums Chart and to receive a million certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over one million copies. BoA's successful debut in the country is considered by many to have opened the door for Korean artists in the Japanese music market.

Seven singles were spawned and promoted from Listen to My Heart. The album's first single, the Japanese version of her 2000 debut single "ID; Peace B," was released in May 2001 and marked her first single in Japan. It was met with modest success upon its release, reaching number 20 on the Oricon Singles Chart. Six singles were released afterwards including the title track "Listen to My Heart," which peaked at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart. "Every Heart (Minna no Kimochi)" was released alongside the album on March 13, and peaked at number ten.

Background and composition

After debuting in South Korea, BoA announced her entry into the Japanese market by signing a recording contract with Avex Trax on March 7, 2001.[1] On the same day, journalists from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan gathered in Tokyo to cover her showcase (demonstration performance) at the Avex-owned nightclub, Velfarre, which Avex invested 700 million won in.[2] The chairman of Avex stated: "BoA has the charisma, dance moves, and vocals to surpass the queen of J-Pop, Namie Amuro."[2] BoA also released the special album Jumping into the World around the same time, which included songs sung in English, Japanese and Mandarin.[3] For the album Listen To My Heart, Avex Trax hired several Japanese musicians such as Natsumi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hara, Ken Harada, Akira, Bounceback, among many others to work on it.[4] Between 2001 and 2002, the album was recorded in various studios in Japan, and was mastered by Chris Athens at Sterling Sound in New York City.[4]

The album's title track is an R&B and dance pop song with the aim of sounding like Jennifer Lopez.[5] The tracks "Power," "Don't Start Now" and "Dreams Come True" were originally sung in Korean on Jumping into the World. "Every Heart-Minna no Kimochi-" is a R&B pop ballad.[6] "Kimochi wa Tsutawaru" is a mid-tempo track.[6] "Share Your Heart (With Me)" is a pop ballad that speaks about sharing feelings with a significant other.[6]

"Amazing Kiss" is an up-tempo bubblegum pop song.[6] "Happiness" is a hip-hop number with light-hearted rhymes scattered throughout.[6] "ID; Peace B" is a Japanese language adaptation of the title track for her debut Korean album.[6] "Nothing's Gonna Change" is a glittering ballad with soft vocals.[6] "The Meaning of Peace" was originally sung as a duet with labelmate Kumi Koda, but was changed into a solo in the album edition.[6]

Singles

On May 30, 2001, BoA officially debuted in Japan with the release of her debut single "ID; Peace B."[7] The song was a moderate success, just entering in the top 20 on the Oricon Singles Chart.[8] [9] The album's second single "Amazing Kiss" was released on July 25, 2001;[10] it peaked at number 23 on the Oricon Singles Chart.[11] "Kimochi wa Tsutawaru" and "The Meaning of Peace" were subsequently made available in December of that year;[12] [13] the latter single was released as a collaboration with fellow Japanese singer Kumi Koda for the Song Nation project, which was created to help raise funds for the victims of the September 11 attacks.[14] [15] It peaked at number 12 and remained on the charts for seven weeks.[16] "Kimochi wa Tsutawaru" peaked at number 15 on the chart, making it BoA's first single to appear in the top 15.[17]

The titular single "Listen to My Heart" was released on January 17, 2002.[18] It became BoA's first release to peak in the top five on the Oricon Singles Chart,[19] as well as her first release to receive a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 100,000 copies.[20] "Every Heart (Minna no Kimochi)" was released on the same day as the album.[21] [22] It saw modest levels of commercial success, peaking at number ten.[23] The single was the first Copy Control release in Japan.[24] "Every Heart (Minna no Kimochi)" also served as the ending theme to the popular anime Inuyasha.

"Don't Start Now" was re-recorded and released as the album's last single on May 29, 2002.[25] The original song was written by Jeff Vincent and Peter Rafelson and was included on the 2001 eponymous album by American pop singer Brooke Allison, titled "Toodle-oo." The only difference between "Toodle-oo" and BoA's English version is the line, "Time for you to find a ho in hosiery,"[26] is altered to BoA's more age-appropriate line, "Time for you to find another fantasy." "Don't Start Now" peaked at number 17 and charted for only three weeks.[27]

Accolades

Listen to My Heart won Rock & Pop Album of the Year at the 17th Japan Gold Disc Awards.[28] The title track of the same name received the Gold Award at the 44th Japan Record Awards.[29]

Commercial performance

Listen To My Heart was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart and selling 230,590 copies in its first week.[30] This made BoA the first Korean artist and the first non-Japanese Asian in history to top the weekly albums chart in Japan.[31] Listen To My Heart descended to number two on its second week, selling 140,150 copies.[32] The album fell to number six on its third week on the chart, selling 100,970 copies.[33] It climbed to number five the following week, selling 61,840 copies.[34] The album spent the next two weeks charting at number six and number five, selling 42,680 copies on it fifth week,[35] and 32,190 copies on its sixth week.[36] The album ranked in the top 300 chart for 91 weeks in total.[37] Listen To My Heart sold 816,690 copies by the end of 2002, making it the 12th best-selling album of the year.[38] It was certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over one million copies.[39]

Legacy

BoA's successful debut in Japan is regarded by journalists for having helped improved the image of South Korea in the country. BoA's ascent to fame took place during a particularly challenging period in modern Japan-South Korea relations.[40] Despite this, BoA continued to act as a cultural ambassador between Seoul and Tokyo, with The Diplomat noting how BoA's breakthrough in Japan in 2002 helped break down barriers that might have otherwise hindered the Japanese public from cultivating a significant interest in Korean pop culture and entertainment. In 2003, the Japanese Foreign Ministry formally invited BoA to a diplomatic dinner between prime minister Junichiro Koizumi and South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, signifying a mutual recognition of BoA as a cultural bridge between the Japanese and Korean music markets.

Editors have credited BoA for laying the groundwork for future K-pop idols to debut in the Japanese market, including TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, Exo and BTS, despite the strained relations between South Korea and Japan. The practice of teaching foreign languages such as Japanese, Chinese, or English to K-pop trainees subsequently became a widespread trend among South Korean entertainment companies.[41]

Charts

Monthly charts

Chart (2002–2004)Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)1
South Korean Int'l Albums (MIAK)[42] 5

Yearly charts

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
Japan[44] March 13, 2002CD
South Korea[45] March 3, 2004

Notes and References

  1. Web site: March 2001 . 이즘 - 보아 . 2024-06-12 . ko.
  2. Web site: 11 March 2001 . [음악]보아 "내 무대는 아시아" ]. 2024-06-12 . . ko.
  3. Web site: [Mnet] Dont Start Now-Jumping Into The World - 보아(BoA)]. E&M. CJ. Mnet. ko. 2024-06-12.
  4. Listen To My Heart. BoA. 2002. CD Album; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-17061. Japan.
  5. Web site: BoA - LISTEN TO MY HEART. CDJournal. Japanese. December 13, 2023.
  6. Web site: BoA - LISTEN TO MY HEART. CDJournal. Japanese. December 13, 2023.
  7. ID; Peace B. BoA. 2001. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30243. Japan.
  8. Web site: 2001-06-14 . 10대 가수 보아, 일본 인기차트 상위권 진입 . Teenage singer BoA enters the top of Japan's popular charts . 2024-03-17 . Yonhap News Agency . Naver . ko.
  9. Web site: ID;Peace B - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  10. Amazing Kiss. BoA. 2001. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30248. Japan.
  11. Web site: Amazing Kiss - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  12. 気持ちはつたわる. BoA. 2001. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30271. Japan.
  13. The Meaning of Peace. Koda Kumi & BoA. 2001. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30330. Japan.
  14. Web site: 2005-01-21 . 보아, 아무로 나미에 등 톱가수 듀엣 싱글 발매 . Top singers such as BoA and Namie Amuro release duet singles . 2024-03-17 . Yonhap News Agency . Naver . ko.
  15. Web site: 2005-01-21 . 보아 참여한 9.11테러 추모곡 국내 발매 . 9.11 terrorist attack memorial song featuring BoA released in Korea . 2024-03-17 . Star News . Naver . ko.
  16. Web site: the meaning of peace / KODA KUMI & BoA / ORICON STYLE. Oricon. June 13, 2024.
  17. Web site: 気持ちはつたわる - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  18. Listen To My Heart. BoA. 2002. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30337. Japan.
  19. Web site: LISTEN TO MY HEART - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  20. Godl Album 他認定作品 2002年2月度 . Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 2002 Edition . The Record . Bulletin . ja . . . April 10, 2002 . 509 . 13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140117061816/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2002/200204.pdf . January 17, 2014 . January 22, 2014.
  21. Every Heart -ミンナノキモチ-. BoA. 2002. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30339. Japan.
  22. Web site: 2002-03-20 . 보아, 일본 음반판매 주간순위도 석권 . BoA dominates the weekly album sales charts in Japan . 2024-03-17 . Yonhap News Agency . Naver . ko.
  23. Web site: Every Heart-ミンナノキモチ- - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  24. Web site: エイベックスがコピーコントロールCDを発売,国内初 . Avex releases copy control CD, first in Japan . ITmedia . 13 June 2024 . ja . 2002-02-28.
  25. Don't Start Now. BoA. 2002. CD Single; Liner notes. Avex Trax. AVCD-30372. Japan.
  26. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707081243/http://www.actionext.com/names_b/brooke_allison_lyrics/toodle_-_oo.html Brooke Allison: Toodle - Oo Lyrics
  27. Web site: Don’t start now - BoA. Oricon. Japanese. June 13, 2024.
  28. Web site: 第17回日本ゴールドディスク大賞. June 13, 2024.
  29. Web site: 第44回日本レコード大賞. June 13, 2024.
  30. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week March 25, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . March 25, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015116/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020325a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  31. Web site: 韓国出身のBoA、アジア系で初のオリコン1位を獲得 . Japanese. June 13, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20031004211952/http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200203/g_top2002031909.html. October 4, 2003.
  32. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week April 1, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . April 1, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015116/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020401a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  33. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week April 8, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . April 8, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015116/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020408a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  34. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week April 15, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . April 15, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015115/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020415a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  35. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week April 22, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . April 22, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015115/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020422a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  36. Web site: Oricon Style Staff. Oricon Albums Chart – Chart Week April 29, 2002. Oricon
    published through Yahoo! GeoCities
    . April 29, 2002. June 13, 2024. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106015114/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/020429a.html. November 6, 2018. dead.
  37. Web site: LISTEN TO MY HEART BoA. Oricon. June 13, 2024.
  38. Web site: 2002年 アルバム年間TOP100. June 13, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212050148/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/2002a.html. February 12, 2019. dead.
  39. Gold Album 他認定作品 2002年11月度 . Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 2002 Edition . The Record . Bulletin . ja . . . January 10, 2003 . 518 . 7 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103052223/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2003/200301.pdf . November 3, 2013 . January 17, 2014.
  40. Web site: Yim . Hyun-su . April 13, 2020 . Revisiting BoA's 'No.1' two decades on . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200428045916/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200413000853 . April 28, 2020 . The Korea Herald . en.
  41. Web site: Bartlett . Jason . 2022-06-28 . Domestic and Global Political Impacts of K-Pop: BoA, BTS, and Beyond . 2024-03-18 . The Diplomat . en-US.
  42. Web site: 2004 . 2004년 – 상반기 가요 음반 판매량 . 2004 First Half Domestic Album Sales . https://web.archive.org/web/20070718172557/http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/pop_2004-1h.htm . July 18, 2007 . November 1, 2014 . Recording Industry Association of Korea.
  43. Web site: 2004년총결산 POP음반 판매량집계 . 2004 Year End International Music Sales . Recording Industry Association of Korea . https://web.archive.org/web/20090213090437/http://miak.or.kr/stat/pop_2004.htm . 2005 . February 13, 2009 . October 22, 2014.
  44. Web site: Listen to My Heart BoA . Oricon News . 16 March 2024 . ja . 2002-03-13.
  45. Web site: 2004 . 2004년 – 상반기 가요 음반 판매량 . 2004 First Half Domestic Album Sales . https://web.archive.org/web/20070718172557/http://www.miak.or.kr/stat/pop_2004-1h.htm . July 18, 2007 . November 1, 2014 . Recording Industry Association of Korea.