RINA's "Kiss from the darkness" Lyrics Essays

First Essay: "Masterpiece"


It's very important to have the gasoline called "excitement" in your heart.

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On February 12, SCANDAL will release Kiss from the darkness, their first album from their private imprint label "her." The album contains 11 songs. Vocalist HARUNA talked about how this work is a very ambitious one for them: "I can confidently say that this is seriously the best of our best. It's a huge burst of creative energy from all four of us."

Today's song column is the first of three lyrics essays that will be posted weekly from drummer RINA, who has written the lyrics for many of their songs! In this first installment, she talks about her thoughts on their private imprint label "her" established by the band; and their song "Masterpiece" that reflects those feelings. If you are excited about the new challenges ahead of you, this is the one for you! Please enjoy both the essay and the lyrics!

～First Lyrics Essay: "Masterpiece"～

2019, spring.

A few months after our milestone 10th anniversary of our major debut, we started our private imprint label called "her." I'm sure there are a lot of people who don't have a clear idea of what a private imprint is when they hear those words. To put it simply, it's a new place for us to make and dispatch our music.

We chose the label name "her" because we thought it'd be good if people could tell at first glance that it's related to women. We had no idea this day would come, and it was unclear what kind of changes would occur, but we're simply excited to have an atelier that's all our own.

When you create music—something invisible and can't grasp with your hands—it's very important to have the gasoline called "excitement" in your heart. I feel that the more of it you have, the further you can go, and the good/bad things that happen along the way, and the swings in your heart that are moved by them, become melodies and lyrics.

We've filled up on gas and are standing in front of a brand new road. Without a destination set, we ask ourselves, "Now, where should we go?" The song we wrote at that time was "Masterpiece."

It took quite a long time to complete it because we were overflowing with emotion, and I think it's a very clean, refreshing, punkish "begin again song" that leaves no time for hesitation.

――― Chapter 2 is starting. That's how we felt.

A year has passed since then in the blink of an eye, and now we are making music feeling even freer than ever before. We were freed from the "What SCANDAL should be" mentality, the rules for production, and the spell that we had unknowingly placed on ourselves.

Also, more musicians were interested in us starting a label than we expected. I was happy that it was brought up a few times in places such as backstage areas at festivals. One musician expressed it this way: "It feels like the blood's been flowing through your veins after starting 'her.'"

When I listen to this song when I'm unsure about something, I feel like I can remember the day I became strong and said, "I want to be an adult who can forever choose to take on challenges without being afraid.''

We will accept all events that have happened and will happen in the future, and we will stand on stage with our frank selves. I want to think that every day I spent was a masterpiece. "Masterpiece" is a Stand that replenishes our excitement.

RINA's "Kiss from the darkness" Lyrics Essays

Second Essay: "A.M.D.K.J."


I don't want humor to be banned due to a mistake

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On February 12, SCANDAL released Kiss from the darkness, their first album from their private imprint label "her." The album contains 11 songs. Vocalist HARUNA talked about how this work is a very ambitious one for them: "I can confidently say that this is seriously the best of our best. It's a huge burst of creative energy from all four of us."

Today's song column is the second of three lyrics essays posted weekly from drummer RINA, who has written the lyrics for many of their songs! She will be talking about "A.M.D.K.J." this time. She wrote about how she felt when she watched a certain news report, and how she reaffirmed her purpose.

～Second Lyrics Essay: "A.M.D.K.J."～

Every day we get a variety of information from TV and online news. Some of them are shocking, and I feel helpless every time I see them.

One program featured an ad that had been criticized for its misogyny, and celebrities and commentators discussed the ad and the artist. Although I didn't feel any particular dislike toward the ad, I was reminded that some people are hurt by the environment they live in, their experiences, their position, etc., and I completely understand that.

Toward the end of the heated discussion, one female commentator said, "I don't know anything about the art world, and I have no idea why this artist made this ad.'' Her bold statement made me pause and go "Oof." I kind of felt like I was shut down [like a computer].

Maybe that woman was one of those hurt by the ads in question. But I thought it would be a shame if I had denied what I didn't know without even trying to find out about it.

When we make new songs, CD covers, promo photos, etc., we sometimes feel like pushing the envelope, knowing that people may not like it. We don't want to throw a curveball, but there are times when we want to express ourselves in a way that we haven't tried yet. After the news program was over, that thought somehow came to mind.

It's supposed to be a positive energy to add an exciting color to an otherwise ordinary day, or to destroy a beautified image by confronting reality. It seems like a mass of better, funnier, newer feelings.

With "A.M.D.K.J.", I think I was able to formulate the "anger" part of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure for the first time. How can I put it? It feels like a calm explosion.

I felt like I had finally gathered together all the emotions that should come naturally to everyone in their daily lives, no matter how big or small. It takes a lot of energy to get angry, and I think it's an emotion that's hard to feel unless you have something you really care about. I was relieved to be able to write this song at a time when joy and sadness were no longer enough to convey reality.

I hope that the scope of compliance will expand more and more, so that more people will accept differences and the world will become a better place for everyone to live in. I don't want humor to be banned due to a mistake.

thoseguiltyeyes wrote:IMO, I think what RINA's getting at is that she probably felt that even though the female commentator shared her opinion knowing that there will be people that agree and as well as some who disagree, she was completely shut down by the others who didn't say anything in response to her statement.

RINA empathized with that, saying that she knows that when SCANDAL puts out something new that they've never tried before or is different, there will be fans who like it as well as those who dislike it. Those who dislike it sometimes just completely dismiss the new thing without really trying to understand it. I think that's why she felt anger.

There, ever deeper
See it yourself and touch it
I'm sick of this world
Where everyone acts so selfish
The truth is colorless and transparent
And just a little cold

RINA's "Kiss from the darkness" Lyrics Essays

Third Essay: "Tsuki"


That person was special to you because you spent both good and bad days together.

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On February 12, SCANDAL released Kiss from the darkness, their first album from their private imprint label "her." The album contains 11 songs. Vocalist HARUNA talked about how this work is a very ambitious one for them: "I can confidently say that this is seriously the best of our best. It's a huge burst of creative energy from all four of us."

Today's song column is the last of three lyrics essays posted weekly from drummer RINA, who has written the lyrics for many of their songs! It is about the song "Tsuki" (月; Moon) on the album. Please read it while thinking of someone special you no longer see after you've grown up.

～Third Lyrics Essay: "Tsuki"～

On days when I can come home early from work, I'm happy to have dinner at home. I continue watching dramas on Netflix and take a nice, long bath. Time passes by in a blink of an eye, and before I know it, it's already past midnight. I crawl into bed with a small sense of accomplishment and exhaustion after having done the day's work.

I like that it feels like late at night is my own time. Speaking of which, I think I've always been a night person. Although the view from my window has changed, both the quiet sky of my hometown with nothing to block the view, and the narrow sky of Tokyo that fills the gaps between the buildings, are good.

I think about tomorrow as I set my alarm. There are also times when, for no particular reason, I vaguely think of someone. Ever since we've been able to release many true-to-life love songs, there's been an increase in the number of fans who write us about love or their everyday lives via fan letters or social media. When that happens, it makes me happy that it really feels like our music can now be a part of someone's life.

The song "Tsuki" is the last song on our album Kiss from the darkness. The title directly translates to "暗闇からのキス" (kurayami kara no kisu) in Japanese, and the image we had in mind when we came up with the title was, "Everything will definitely work out one day, because tomorrow will come." We had the idea of "Happiness from the darkness" before that. In other words, that's the feel of it.

When you can no longer make next plans to meet with someone you thought you could see at any time, you suddenly feel uneasy, like you're being left alone. Even if you've caught a hint of a "farewell" and are prepared for it, it can come suddenly for either of you. Regret such as "I should have done that then..." floods your eyes with tears. You're surrounded by memories that fall all over the room, and you can't get anything done.

However, I feel that if you try to recover as quickly as possible and pretend that those regrets never happened, you'll end up diluting even the happy memories. That person was special to you because you spent both good and bad days together. So there's no need to forget anything, and it's okay to stop and cry. If you can both feel that you're glad you met, with gaping holes like the moon remaining in your hearts, then I think that's proof that you truly cared for each other.

As we grow older, the number of people we want to see but can't may increase, but no matter what happens, tomorrow will always come, and everything will work out. For example, even if you can't see a way out of your negative feelings right now, nothing is forever. Even on sentimental nights, there's a small glint of moonlight, as usual - That's the song we created.