Light Ahead

Light Ahead is the first Japanese-language extended play by Japanese born-South Korean singer Iconiq, released on September 15, 2010, through Rhythm Zone.^[1] The EP contains seven tracks, including three songs from Change Myself, the promotional single "Tokyo Lady" and the lead single of the same name.^[2] The DVD features three music videos directed by Diane Martel, as well as footage from Iconiq's debut Japanese concert in May, 2010. On the cover she is shown turning round with some kind of headdress made of animal fur.^[2][3][4]

Background

The extended play is Iconiq's third physical release in Japan, after her debut album Change Myself in March 2010, and her first physical single "Tokyo Lady" a month prior. Change Myself saw moderate commercial success, debuting at #3 and eventually selling over 60,000 copies.^[5][6] "Tokyo Lady" also saw some success, debuting in the top 20.^[6]

Promotion

Much of the promotion of the EP centred on "Tokyo Lady," which was her fourth song used as the Shiseido Maquillage range commercial song, and the third commercial to feature Iconiq personally. The song was also used in a range of commercials for Recochoku, Weider and Jelly products and A-Nation 2010.^[7] Iconiq performed at A-Nation concerts in early August, including being one of the featured musicians on the Tetsuya Komuro-written theme song for the event, "Thx a Lot".^[8]

Three music videos were produced for the songs on the EP, including the video for "Tokyo Lady." The videos were all directed by veteran American music video director Diane Martel.^[2][3][4] One of these songs, the title track "Light Ahead," was used in commercials for Maquillage in September.^[9]

Charts and sales

Reported sales

Personnel

Personnel details were sourced from Light Ahead's liner notes booklet.^[12]

Managerial

• Akira Akutsu – advisory producer
• Hidemi Arasaki – advisory producer
• Ryuhei Chiba – general producer
• Shinya Egawa – A&R assistant
• Hideki Endo – advisory producer
• Tomomi Fujisawa – A&R
• Shinji Hayashi – general producer
• Yasuto Hoyamatsu – artist management supervisor
• Hiroshi Inagaki – executive supervisor
• Hitoshi Itagaki – artist management chief
• Nae Kodama – A&R desk
• Takuji Koga – sound director

• Takuya Konishi – artist management
• Harumasa Maeda – advisory producer
• Masato "Max" Matsuura – executive supervisor
• Hiroaki Nishiyama – A&R supervisor
• Nobutoshi Ono – Chief A&R
• Yoshihiro Seki – executive supervisor
• Hiroshi Shibuya – production co-ordinator (#4)
• Shigekazu Takeuchi – general producer
• Masatoshi Uchida – A&R supervisor
• Akihiko Yamamoto – Chief A&R
• Kyoko Yoshioka – artist management desk

Performance credits

• Hiro – instruments (#3)
• Iconiq – vocals, background vocals
• T. Kura – instruments (#1, #7)
• Tomokazu "T.O.M" Matsuzawa – instruments (#5)

• U-key Zone – instruments (#4)
• UTA – instruments (#2)
• Verbal – rap (#4)

Visuals and imagery

• Masaki Hanahara – designer
• Tadashi Harada – hair
• Satoshi Hirota – stylist
• Shiho Kikuchi – graphic designer
• Yasuyuki Nagashima – producer
• Ai Nieda – make-up

• Yuki Otani – designer
• Sonomi Sato – art director
• Satoshi Saikusa – photographer
• Nobuko Yamada – make-up
• Koji Yamamoto – creative director
• Yoshihiro Yoshida – graphic designer

Technical and production

• Tom Coyne – mastering
• D.O.I. – mixing (at Daimonion Recordings)
• Taiki Fudanotsuji – assistant engineer
• Hiro – production (#3), programming (#3)
• Kami Kaoru – vocal production (#6)
• Kgro – vocal recording (#3)
• T. Kura – production (#1, #7), vocal recording (#1)
• Tomokazu "T.O.M" Matsuzawa – production (#6)
• Michico – vocal production (#1, #7)
• Momo "Mocha" N. – vocal production (#4)
• NaNa Music – vocal production (#2)

• Kohei Nakatake – assistant engineer
• Hisashi Nawata – additional arrangement (#5)
• Tomoe Nishikawa – vocal recording (#2)
• Osamu Shirota – vocal recording (#5)
• Yohei Takita – vocal recording (#4)
• U-key Zone – production (#4), vocal production (#4)
• UTA – production (#2), programming (#2), vocal production (#2)
• Lucas Valentine – recording (#5)
• Verbal – production (#5)
• Yutaro Wada – assistant engineer
• Tatsuhiro Yoshida – vocal recording (#6—7)

Release history

References

1. ^ "[CD] Light Ahead [CD+DVD/ジャケットA] / ICONIQ" (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
2. ^ "Light Ahead" (in Japanese). Rhythm Zone. 2010-08-18. Archived from the original on August 29, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
3. ^ Daily Sports (September 10, 2010). "ＩＣＯＮＩＱ最新ミニアルバムＰＶで魅せた". Livedoor. Archived from the original on September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
4. ^ "ＩＣＯＮＩＱのＰＶに世界的スタッフ". Daily Sports. August 23, 2010. Archived from the original on August 21, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
5. ^ "新人・ICONIQが初登場3位、デビューアルバムTOP3入りは新垣結衣以来2年3ヶ月ぶり" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
6. ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-08-18. (subscription only)
7. ^ "髪が伸びたICONIQ、資生堂「マキアージュ」新CMに登場" (in Japanese). Barks. 2010-07-23. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
8. ^ "小室哲哉 あゆ、倖田らavex主要アーティスト11組が歌う大作完成" (in Japanese). Hot Express. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
9. ^ "ICONIQ：Light Ahead[ミニアルバム+DVD]｜mu-moショップ" (in Japanese). Mu-Mo. 2010-08-18. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
10. ^ "アルバム デイリーランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング". Oricon. September 18, 2010. Archived from the original on July 29, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
11. ^ Oricon. "ja:Ｌｉｇｈｔ Ａｈｅａｄ（ＤＶＤ付） - ＩＣＯＮＩＱ" (in Japanese). Retrieved September 28, 2010.
12. ^ Iconiq (2010). Light Ahead (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Avex Marketing
13. ^ "ICONIQ「Light Ahead」" (in Japanese). iTunes. September 15, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
14. ^ "燦爛前程(CD+DVD)". Avex Taiwan. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
15. ^ "Light Ahead (ALBUM+DVD)(Hong Kong Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
16. ^ "Ｌｉｇｈｔ Ａｈｅａｄ／ＩＣＯＮＩＱ". Tsutaya. Retrieved August 20, 2010.

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)