Koda Kumi

Kumi Koda is a Japanese female singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her Japanese Urban and often J-pop hits. Debuting in 2000 with the single, "Take Back", Koda did not achieve notice until the release of her seventh single, "Real Emotion / 1000 no Kotoba", which peaked at the number-three spot on the Oricon weekly charts. Her popularity grew even further with the release of her fourth studio album "Secret" (2005), her sixteenth single "Butterfly" (2005), and her first greatest hits album "Best: First Things" (2005), reaching at the number-three, number-two and number-one spot.

Koda began 2007 with three releases: BUT/Aishō, Best ~Bounce & Lovers~, and a DVD release of her second tour "Live Tour 2006 ~ 2007: Second Session" in Japan. BUT / Aishō, her thirty-fifth single, debuted second and sold 63,692 copies. Best ~Bounce & Lovers~ charted second as well, selling 161,458 copies. Her tour DVD fared better on the charts; it debuted first, selling 75,000 copies.

Her second single of 2007, titled "Freaky", was released on June 27, 2007 and features four songs, with only "Freaky", and "Run For Your Life" having a promotional video. The other two songs, "Sora" (Sky) and "girls" were used as Japanese television commercials for her Fever Live in Hall pachinko marketing campaign.

Koda also performed at the Japanese leg of Live Earth in Tokyo on July 7, 2007.[30] in addition to attending ap bank fes '07.[31] an environmental preservation themed concert, hosted by Kazutoshi Sakurai of Mr. Children on July 15, 2007. She performed hits "Cherry Girl", "BUT", "Freaky", "Kiseki", and "Girls".

Her third single of 2007, titled "Ai no Uta", was released on September 12, 2007 and was described as a "love ballad delivered straight to the person she loves," and also features the theme song to the World Judo Championships 2007, "Come Over". Despite low physical sales, the song reached number 1 on most of the download charts across Japan.

Koda's 38th single was a collaboration with Korean super group Tohoshinki, released November 7, 2007, titled "Last Angel feat. Tohoshinki" and was the image song for Resident Evil: Extinction. The single also included a B-Side titled "Dear Family".[32]

On December 1, to mark Koda's 7th year anniversary in the music industry, she held a special finale performance at Tokyo Dome for her 3rd nationwide (1st Arena tour) live tour. Koda became the seventh solo female singer to perform at Tokyo Dome with an estimated audience of 45,000 people.[33] She also got to perform "I feel Love" with the Blue Man Group on this day as well.