Kumi Koda to release a physical single 'Summer of '21' for her fanclub in September

When I first posted on "We'll Be Okay" I mentioned how I low key missed when Kumi Koda released Summer singles with multiple A-sides. And lo and behold, a few weeks later we got an announcement that she'll be releasing a physical single in September called Summer '21 which will feature "We'll Be Okay", "Doo Be Doo Bop" and a third song "To Be Free ", which will probabaly feature a music video shot in the same location as both "We'll Be Okay" and "Doo Be Doo Bop" - because COVID and budgets. Not that the former stopped her from touring. This release however will be for her fanclub only, because only they would buy this. Ain't nobody else spending coin on this mess.

1. We'll Be OK
2. Doo-Bee-Doo-Bop
3. To Be Free 
4. We'll Be OK (Instrumental)
5. Doo-Bee-Doo-Bop (Instrumental)
6. To Be Free (Instrumental)

One thing this horrendous cover has made me realise that Kumi Koda is not good at defining each of her albums with a visual or an aesthetic. Which is no surprise, because she's unable to do it sonically either.

In pop culture nowadays, new album phases are referred to widely as 'eras'. Whilst the term in this context is relatively new, the concept itself is not. Michael Jackson and Madonna, who are notable for pushing the visual medium as much as the music, were defining each album with a notable look from the start of their careers back in the 80s. Janet Jackson has always done it. Donna Summer did it. ABBA did it. Aretha Franklin sometimes did it. Kylie Minogue did it. And it's not an American exclusive thing. Even in Japan, Hikaru Utada has always done it. Perfume have always done it. Namie Amuro has done it. Ayumi Hamasaki has done it to a degree. But Kumi Koda? Never. Aside from her releasing music so frequently, I find remembering which song and music video of hers is from which album difficult, because the sound and visuals all bleed into one overlapping mess.

Defining era's by looks is by no means a requirement. But there are benefits to it if done right, and is just one of many examples of how Kumi Koda and her team are just so unaware. And now here she is in 2021, with a physical single about to drop, with a cover art which looks like it could be from angeL + monsteR or even re(CORD).

Kumi Koda needs a whole new team, because her shit is an utter mess.

HENNYWAY.

The physical release of Summer of '21 will hit the Kumi Koda official fanclub on September 9, 2021.

ℹ️ Updated on August 27, 2021. Thanks to commenter Buffie for the additional info on this being a fanclub only release.

💿 Album reviews: angeL + monsteR [My Name Is...] | re(CORD) | DNA | AND | W Face | Walk Of My Life | Bon Voyage | Japonesque | Color the Cover | Dejavu | Eternity ~Love & Songs~ | Universe | Trick | Kingdom | Black Cherry | Secret | Grow Into One | Feel My Mind | Affection