Bon Voyage (Koda Kumi album)

Bon Voyage is the eleventh studio album by Japanese recording artist Kumi Koda.

The album's production was handled by several music producers, such as Joseph Lawrence, Toby Gad, T-Sk, Mats Lie Skare, Figge Bosstrom, Tommy Henriksen, Badur Haberg, and Clarabell.

Because of this, it became her first studio album to fail to achieve a certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).

[1][2] For the album, Koda's record label Rhythm Zone and its parent company Avex Trax hired several producers, such as Joseph Lawrence, Toby Gad, T-Sk, Mats Lie Skare, Figge Bosstrom, Tommy Henriksen, Badur Haberg, and Clarabell.

Producers such as Henriksen and Bosstrom have collaborated with Koda in the past with her albums Kingdom and Universe (2010).

[5] Western producers and composers carried on working with Koda on her next studio album Walk of My Life (2015).

[6] Bon Voyage is a J-pop album with numerous elements of country rock, pop, R&B, electronic dance music, and reggae.

[2][A][B] Each song from the album is co-written by Koda, including the English, Japanese and interlude tracks.

[7] EDM elements are used in tracks "Show Me Your Holla", "Crank tha Bass" (featuring OVDS),[2] "LOL", "Go to the Top", "Dreaming On", and "U Know".

[7] "Loaded", which features Jamaican rapper and musician Sean Paul, incorporates elements of reggae and dancehall music, as does the following tracks "Winner Girls" and "On Your Side".

[14] Bon Voyage was released on February 26, 2014, by Rhythm Zone and Avex Taiwan in five different formats.

The stand-alone CD featured the sixteen tracks in a cardboard slipcase, with first press editions including a glossy sticker of Koda.

[18] Visually based on cruise ship members, the five Bon Voyage cover sleeves feature different images all photographed by Kazuyoshi Shimomura.

Japako Music's Kirsty H. gave the album a positive review, saying that it "shows Koda Kumi's experiences perfectly".

[21] As of January 2016, Bon Voyage has sold an estimated 59,499 units, making it her first album to not sell over the 100,000 limit.

[21][29][30] The accompanying music video for the single was shot in Tokyo by Tomoe Nakano; it features an animated Koda flying a large robot in a racing circuit with another racer.

[33] The accompanying music video for the single was shot in Tokyo by Ryuji Seki; it features Koda singing the song in a subway and in a small room.

[35] This is Koda's lowest selling EP to date, surpassing Gossip Candy (2010) which sold over 84,000 units.

[38][39] All of the album tracks, apart from "On Your Side" and "Introduction: Bon Voyage", were included on the set list for the tour; "Is This Trap?"

[38][39] The bonus disc on the DVD bundle featured a new track "Money in my Bag" from Walk of My Life, alongside the backdrop visual of "Crank tha Bass" and the documentary of the tour.

[21] To promote the material from Bon Voyage, remixes of "Crank tha Bass", "Loaded", "Is This Trap?

A picture of a Venice Boardwalk beach, which features a skateboard bowl and several planted palm trees.
The music video for "Lalalalala" was shot at the Venice Beach Boardwalk (pictured above) in Venice, California . This is Koda's first music video shot in the United States.