Wikipedia

Kyōgen (album)

Kyōgen (狂言, lit. "mad words" or "wild speech") is the debut studio album by Japanese singer Ado, released January 26, 2022, by Virgin Music. A J-pop and rock record, the album was produced by various Vocaloid musicians.

Kyōgen
Studio album by
Ado
ReleasedJanuary 26, 2022
Recorded2020–2021
Genre
Length52:19
LanguageJapanese
LabelVirgin
Producer
Ado chronology
Kyōgen
(2022) 		Uta's Songs: One Piece Film Red
(2022)
Singles from Kyōgen
  1. "Usseewa"
    Released: October 23, 2020
  2. "Readymade"
    Released: December 24, 2020
  3. "Gira Gira"
    Released: February 14, 2021
  4. "Odo"
    Released: April 27, 2021
  5. "Yoru no Pierrot"
    Released: June 14, 2021
  6. "Aitakute"
    Released: August 12, 2021
  7. "Ashura-chan"
    Released: October 28, 2021

Upon its release, Kyōgen was commercially successful within Japan. The album debuted and peaked at number one on the Oricon Combined Albums Chart, Oricon Albums Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart.

Background

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Ado, the pseudonym of a Japanese singer, signed with Virgin Music in 2020, at the age of 17. She released her debut single "Usseewa", which became popular among the Japanese youth. Despite being released digitally, "Usseewa" peaked at number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, and number 41 on the Billboard Global 200.[2] Reaching 100 million streams after its 17th week on the chart, Ado became the sixth person in history to achieve this. She also became the youngest solo artist to reach 100 million streams.[3][4] Later that year, she released her second single, "Readymade".

In January 2022, Universal Music Japan announced Ado's debut studio album would be released later that month.[5] Universal Japan announced six new songs would be on the album, along with Ado's previous digital singles.[5] "Kokoro to iu Na no Fukakai" was released as a promotional single prior to the release of the album on January 17, 2022.[6]

Promotion

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Seven songs from Kyōgen were used in commercial tie-ins. "Readymade" was used as the ending theme for Abema's AbemaPrime. "Odo" was used by NHK in a program in promotion of Vocaloid.[7] "Aitakute" was used as an insert song for the Japanese film Kaguya-sama Final: Love Is War.[8] "Ashura-chan" served as the theme song for TV Asahi's drama, Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon.[9] "Kokoro to iu Na no Fukakai" was used as theme song for Kantele and Fuji TV's drama, Doctor White. TBS Television used "Motherland" as the theme song for the 2022 Winter Olympics.[10] "Yoru no Pierrot" additionally was used as an opening theme song for a Japanese drama series.[11]

Commercial performance

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Kyōgen scored 163,052 points in its first week, debuting at number one on the Oricon Combined Albums Chart.[12] It sold 142,041 physical copies in its first week, debuting at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart.[13] The album also debuted at the top spot both on Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart and Oricon Digital Albums chart. Kyōgen became the first debut studio album to debut and peak at number one by a female solo artist in 10 years, the previous being Japanese singer Miwa's 2011 studio album, Guitarissimo.[14] The album was also the first to sell over 100,000 copies in its first week by a female artist since Superfly's 2008 self titled debut album.[14]

Track listing

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Kyōgen track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Readymade" (レディメイド)ThreeThree4:03
2."Odo" (踊)
  • Giga
  • TeddyLoid
3:30
3."Domestic De Violence" (ドメスティックでバイオレンス)KanariaKanaria2:38
4."Freedom"Jon-YakitoryJon-Yakitory3:06
5."Fireworks" (花火 "Hanabi")Whale Don't SleepWhale Don't Sleep3:32
6."Aitakute" (会いたくて)Mewhan
  • Mewhan
  • Mikito P
4:55
7."Lucky Bruto" (ラッキー・ブルート)Hiiragi KiraiHiiragi Kirai3:30
8."Gira Gira" (ギラギラ)TeniwohaTeniwoha4:36
9."Ashura-chan" (阿修羅ちゃん)NeruNeru3:15
10."Kokoro to iu Na no Fukakai" (心という名の不可解)MafumafuMafumafu4:30
11."Usseewa" (うっせぇわ)SyudouSyudou3:27
12."Motherland" (マザーランド)NilfruitsNilfruits4:20
13."Kagakushu" (過学習)IneIne3:36
14."Yoru no Pierrot" (夜のピエロ)BizBiz3:21
Total length:52:19
Kyōgen – limited edition DVD bonus
No.TitleLength
1."Usseewa" (music video) 
2."Readymade" (music video) 
3."Gira Gira" (music video) 
4."Odo" (music video) 
5."Yoru no Pierrot" (music video) 
6."Aitakute" (music video) 
7."Ashura-chan" (music video) 

Notes

  • English and Hepburn romanization track titles adapted from Tidal.[15]
  • "Freedom" is stylized in all upper case lettering.
  • "Kokoro to iu Na no Fukakai" is stylized as "KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai" on digital stores.

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal and album liner notes.[16][17]

Musicians

  • Malo – bass
  • Koji Shinnai – guitar
  • Tsubasa Takada – string arrangement
  • Tatsuya Kitani – bass
  • Yumao – drums
  • Zenko Mitsuya – guitar
  • Ado – vocals
  • Three – production, songwriting
  • Giga – production, songwriting
  • TeddyLoid – production, songwriting
  • Deco*27 – songwriting
  • Kanaria – production, songwriting
  • Jon-Yakitory – production, songwriting
  • Whale Don't Sleep – production, songwriting
  • Mewhan – production, songwriting
  • Mikito P – production
  • Hiiragikirai – production, songwriting
  • Teniwoha – production, songwriting
  • Neru – production, songwriting
  • Mafumafu – production, songwriting
  • Syudou – production, songwriting
  • Nilefruits – production, songwriting
  • Ine – production, songwriting
  • Biz – production, songwriting

Technical

  • Kenichi Koga – immersive mix engineering
  • Three – recording arrangement
  • Giga – recording arrangement, mastering
  • TeddyLoid – recording arrangement
  • Naoki Itai – mixing
  • Vis – mixing
  • Mikito P – recording arrangement
  • Hiiragikirai – recording arrangement, mixing
  • Teniwoha – recording arrangement
  • Neru – vocal arrangement
  • Syudou – recording arrangement
  • Ine – recording arrangement
  • Biz – recording arrangement
  • Tsubasa Yamazaki – mastering
  • Kenji Yoshino – mastering

Visuals and imagery

  • Orihara – art direction, illustrator
  • Jun Hirota – graphic design
  • Shiho Katsuno – graphic design

    • Charts

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    Certifications

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    Certifications and sales for Kyōgen
    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    Japan (RIAJ)[26] Platinum 250,000^

    ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

    Release history

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    Release history and formats for Kyōgen
    Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
    Various January 26, 2022
    		Standard
    		[5]
    Japan
    		[27]
    First Press [28]
    		Limited [29]
    • CD
    		 Acryl Charm Limited [30]
    Figure + Book Limited [31]
    January 26, 2023
    		Standard [32]
    Various February 10, 2023 Geffen [33]

    References

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    1. ^ a b "Ado、類まれなる歌声がJ-POPシーンで成し遂げた偉業 柴那典が考える『狂言』の意義深さ". Real Sound (in Japanese). January 29, 2022.
    2. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved April 2, 2021.
    3. ^ "Ado「うっせえわ」ストリーミング累計1億回再生突破 | Daily News" [Ado "Usseewa" Streamed Over 100 Million Times | Daily News]. Billboard JAPAN NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved April 2, 2021.
    4. ^ "Ado「うっせぇわ」すっげえわ！サブスク再生1億回突破 世代超えた社会現象に" [Ado "Usseewa"! exceeded 100 million plays and becomes social phenomenon beyond generations]. The Microsoft Network. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
    5. ^ a b c "Ado、1st Album「狂言」1月26日発売！". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES. January 26, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    6. ^ "Ado、月10ドラマ『ドクターホワイト』主題歌「心という名の不可解」MV公開 0楼＆Akito Nakayamaが映像制作". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). January 17, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    7. ^ 日本放送協会. "NHK MUSIC presents 夜光音楽 ボカロP 5min". NHK MUSIC (in Japanese). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    8. ^ "自分の声を映画館で聴ける日が来るとは、Adoが映画「かぐや様は告らせたい」挿入歌を担当（動画あり / コメントあり）". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    9. ^ "Adoの新曲「阿修羅ちゃん」米倉涼子主演ドラマ『ドクターX〜外科医・大門未知子〜』主題歌に". 財経新聞 (in Japanese). October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    10. ^ "Ado新曲が北京オリンピックを盛り上げる「まさかオリンピックにまで進出するとは」（コメントあり）". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    11. ^ "Ado新曲「夜のピエロ」がドラマ「初情事まであと1時間」OP主題歌に（コメントあり / 動画あり）". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    12. ^ "週間 合算アルバムランキング - 2022年02月07日付". ORICON NEWS. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
    13. ^ "週間 アルバムランキング - 2022年02月07日付". ORICON NEWS. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
    14. ^ a b "Ado『狂言』が「アルバム」1位「VOCALOIDのおかげで今のAdoがいる」【オリコンランキング/本人コメントあり】". オリコンニュース. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    15. ^ "Kyougen / Ado". Tidal. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    16. ^ "Credits / Kyougen / Ado". Tidal. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    17. ^ Kyōgen (CD). Ado. Virgin/Universal. 2022. TYCT-69205.
    18. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-02-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    19. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2022-02-07" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
    20. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of February 2, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 18, 2022.
    21. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-06". Oricon. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
    22. ^ "Oricon Top 100 Albums: 2022". Oricon. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
    23. ^ "【オリコン年間ランキング2022】King & Prince、今年度唯一のミリオン達成で自身初の「シングル」首位 Snow Man初の「アルバム」1位 / 合算アルバムランキング 1位~10位" (in Japanese). Oricon. December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
    24. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End 2022". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
    25. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End 2023". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
    26. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Ado – 狂言" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 31, 2021. Select 2022年2月 on the drop-down menu
    27. ^ "Kyogen [Regular Edition] Ado CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    28. ^ "Kyogen [Regular Edition (First Press)] Ado CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    29. ^ "Kyogen [CD + DVD + BOOK / Limited Edition] Ado CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    30. ^ "Kyogen [CD + Acryl Charm / Limited Edition] Ado CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    31. ^ "Kyogen [CD + Figure + Book / Limited Release] Ado CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
    32. ^ "Kyogen [Limited Release] Ado Vinyl (LP)". CDJapan. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
    33. ^ "'Kyougen' LP". Interscope Records. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
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