www.andreabocelli.org

by **Motoko** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 9:30 am

At last, the Japanese edition of "Amore" is going to be released on October 18. I wondered why it took such a long time, but probably the reason is this.

This is my translation of an article of today's Japanese newspaper.

Rimi Natsukawa sings together with a worldwide tenor - her first Spanish song

On August 31, it was reported that a singer Rimi Natsukawa (32) made her first attempt at a Spanish song, duetting with a worldwide Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli (48 ). It was realized by the song "Somos Novios", which will be included in Bocelli's new album "Amore" (released on October 18 ).

As the song sung with Christina Aguilera (25) on the US edition of "Amore" was well received, the idea of the duet with a Japanese singer on the Japanese edition came up. To begin with, dozens of demo tapes of Japanese famous female singers were brought together, then Bocelli himself carefully listened to each of them and Natsukawa's voice stuck in his ear.

The decisive factor was the clear timbre of her voice and her high singing ability. Natsukawa who got the offer happily accepted it, saying "It's my new challenge". As the original song was born in Mexico, Natsukawa got intensive training in Spanish pronunciation for several days and she recorded it secretly in a studio in Los Angeles in late June. She got it through with her professional spirit.

The producer David Foster who attended the recording spoke very highly of it, saying it was a world-class duet. She also made Bocelli say, "She has a beautiful voice. I'd love to sing live together with her if I have a chance to go to Japan." It may lead her to the worldwide embarkation. Incidentally, both Natsukawa's version and Aguilera's version will be included in the Japanese edition of "Amore".

The photo of Rimi Natsukawa and David Foster

by **Motoko** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 10:22 am

Here's a video "Nada Sousou" by Rimi Natsukawa. She is from one of the Okinawa islands, so her songs and her way of singing create an aura of her traditional background. Very beautiful voice indeed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxse0OkK ... ed&search=

by **kaycarley** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 10:35 am

os Yes, Motoko , a very beautiful voice, very emotional and expressive. It should blend very well with Andrea's voice although i think it is deserving of a better song than Somos Novios

by **Motoko** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 12:18 pm

by **westsiderny** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 4:05 pm

kaycarley wrote:...although i think it is deserving of a better song than Somos Novios

Just put it this way: If it wasn't because of "Somos Novios", maybe Rimi Natsukawa wouldn't ever had the chance to be heard by Andrea... What a great opportunity for her, thanks to "Somos Novios", a song so much appreciated by people of so many races and colors. We just have to get into it... I haven't read the translation of the lyrics to English... I bet they don't make any sense at all... :wink:

by **Janice** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 5:33 pm

What a great honor for Rimi Natsukawa to have been CHOSEN by Andrea!

Good for her! Perhaps "Somos Novios" is going to become the new "Vivo Per Lei"

and Andrea will be doing duets with female singers all over the world on this song now.

by **Motoko** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 5:39 pm

And I thank Andrea. He chose a well-trained, sensible singer, not a showy young pop idol. :lol:

Well, don't take it in the wrong way. I love Christina's voice. She is a well-trained, mature singer, I think. "Somos Novios" is my favorite duet. :wink:

by **westsiderny** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 5:53 pm

Motoko wrote:... not a showy young pop idol. Well, don't take it in the wrong way. I love Christina's voice. She is a well-trained, mature singer, I think. "Somos Novios" is my favorite duet.

Dear Motoko, I am afraid you are a little bit behind the news. Christina has transformed from a 'showy young pop idol' to a very elegant, sophisticated pop star, and I am not sure if starting from the day she accepted Andrea's invitation to sing with him. Have you seen the photos from the San Remo Festival? The comments about her transformation are all over the media, here and everywhere in the world and everybody is happy. I may find one of the articles, even if it is in Italian. She is very much loved and admired in Europe. She may be a sexy, apparently 'showy' pop idol, but she is not dumb... She is a brilliant, talented woman... And talking about 'sensibility', have you read the lyrics of her very own songs?... :wink:

by **westsiderny** on Fri 01 Sep, 2006 8:34 pm

Here are some articles that support what I've said above about Christina Aguilera:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13989886/site/newsweek/

http://www.kataweb.it/news/item/204756/ ... lassifiche

http://www.musicalnews.com/articolo.php ... =8403&sz=6

by **Motoko** on Sat 02 Sep, 2006 8:10 am

Thanks Nellie for the information about Christina.

Your guess is almost right. :lol:

When I first listened to "Somos Novios", I was very fascinated with the song and Christina's voice. I was not interested in the American pop music scene. I did know the name of Christina Aguilera but nothing more. I googled and found her sexy photos and gossips. :shock:

I almost fell down. :lol:

But they didn't make me change my mind. Yes, she is now a very elegant, sophisticated lady, also very talented in singing. Maybe "Somos Novios" is my most favorite pop duet. :drunken:

by **Motoko** on Sun 03 Sep, 2006 3:39 pm

Photo Andrea and Rimi Natsukawa

By the way, what's the matter with this CD cover of the Japanese edition of "Amore"? :scratch:

http://www.universal-music.co.jp/u-pop/ ... index.html

I think the original should be respected. [-(

by **westsiderny** on Sun 03 Sep, 2006 5:57 pm

Rimi is very young and a cuttie one. Regarding the photo on the CD cover, it looks like that the 'novios' are already checking-in to a hotel room. As the lyrics go:

Nos amamos, nos besamos
Como novios, nos deseamos
Y hasta veces sin motivos,
sin razón
Nos enojamos

Somos novios
Mantenemos un cariño limpio y puro
Como todos
Procuramos el momento más oscuro

With so many neon lights in Japan, the 'novios' want some privacy... I don't blame them... Very avant-garde in Japan, huh? :wink:

by **Janice** on Sun 03 Sep, 2006 9:49 pm

How bizarre for the Japanese edition of "Amore" to feature that painting. It is called "Nighthawks". I recognized it right away. There are prints for sale of it around a lot, as well as a variation print with the people at the counter being Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe. I don't see the connection at all--at least they could have made one of the people at the counter Andrea!

by **westsiderny** on Sun 03 Sep, 2006 10:25 pm

I thought it was a hotel, not a restaurant... Where is the 'symbolism' :?:

Please, educate me...

Nighthawks by Edward Hopper

by **Francesca** on Sun 03 Sep, 2006 10:32 pm

"I'd love to sing live together with her if I have a chance to go to Japan."

Peut-être une tournée au Japon au printemps ?? :wink:

by **Motoko** on Mon 04 Sep, 2006 1:30 pm

Grazie Francesca! Speriamo cosí.

Thank you Nellie and Janice for the tips which I didn't know. :wink:

by **Francesca** on Wed 06 Sep, 2006 11:02 am

On en parle aussi chez nous :

NATSUKAWA Rimi & Andrea Bocelli

"Pour l'édition japonaise de son nouvel album Amore, prévu pour la mi-octobre, le chanteur italien Andrea Bocelli avait annoncé une chanteuse japonaise pour remplacer Christina Aguilera sur le duo Somos Novios (It's Impossible) (qui devient Somos Novios ~Ai no Yume~ en japonais) : le choix s'est donc finalement porté sur l'Okinawaïenne NATSUKAWA Rimi, très populaire depuis sa reprise de la chanson Nada Sôsô, reprise qui avait été un des grands succès de l'année 2001 et qui se trouve toujours actuellement classé dans le top 10 Karaoke d'après Oricon. En attendant d'éventuellement retrouver ce duo dans un prochain album ou peut-être même en single"........./.......

http://www.jmusiceuropa.com/fr/informat ... ve=09/2006

by **Motoko** on Wed 06 Sep, 2006 6:22 pm

Grazie Francesca!

I'm very surprised to see lots of information about Japanese artists on the Internet in so many languages. :shock:

Natsukawa Rimi & Andrea Bocelli's Duet

For the Japanese edition of his new album, which will be released in mid-October, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli announced that a Japanese singer would be taking Christina Aguilera's place on the duet Somos Novios (It's Impossible). Natsukawa Rimi, who has become increasingly popular since her cover of Nada Sousou in 2001, was chosen for this duet and the song title will be changed to Somos Novios (~Ai no Yume~). ..........

http://www.jmusiceuropa.com/uk/informat ... 2006#15406

by **Motoko** on Sat 07 Oct, 2006 1:51 am

Universal Japan has released the sample track of "Somos Novios" with Rimi Natsukawa. :wink:

http://www.universal-music.co.jp/stream ... 45s_NB.asx

by **Brittany Bowman** on Sat 07 Oct, 2006 2:20 am

ありがとう. Thanks a lot Motoko. I really like the sound of Natsukawa's voice. Her Spahish pronuciation is good also. Thanks again. I think that among the three recordings, Natsukawa, Mcphee and Agulera's, Natsukawa's is very unique. I like it.

by **DueBaci** on Sat 07 Oct, 2006 4:57 am

Thanks Motoko. It's very interesting to hear the different duets of the same song.

by **Motoko** on Thu 19 Oct, 2006 2:19 pm

"Amore" Japanese edition was released yesterday and now it topped the pop charts on Amazon.co.jp. Bravo Andrea! :thumleft:

by **Michelle** on Fri 20 Oct, 2006 12:28 pm

Worldwide success, eh? That's brilliant!

by **Lin** on Fri 24 Nov, 2006 5:39 pm

Finally I have listened to Somos Novios with Rimi Natsukawa last week and this version is my favorite. Rimi's voice is very sweet an melodious. I liked it so well that I have ordered her new album Sayounara Arigatou. My daughter in law's grandmother is full Japanese so I thought she would enjoy it and I'm sure I will too. It has just shipped along with Andrea's Pagliacci so I will have lots to listen to next week!! It's amazing how many artists I have gotten to know that I probably never would have, if not for my fascination with Andrea and his magical voice! Thanks, Andrea, you really are the best!

by **Motoko** on Sat 25 Nov, 2006 3:43 am

Hi, Lin! Your daughter in law's grandmother will certainly like Rimi's album.

Lin wrote:It's amazing how many artists I have gotten to know that I probably never would have, if not for my fascination with Andrea and his magical voice!

Without the encounter with Andrea's music, I would never have been involved in operas in my life. :wink:

www.andreabocelli.org

Another "Somos Novios" with a Japanese singer!

Another "Somos Novios" with a Japanese singer!

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