Dear.../Maybe

"Dear…/Maybe"
A woman looking straight ahead. She is wearing a white hat and coat. Her right hand is tucked under her chin.
Single by Kana Nishino
from the album To Love
A-side
  • Dear…
  • Maybe
B-side"Yours Only," feat. Wise
ReleasedDecember 2, 2009 (2009-12-02)
Recorded2009
GenreJ-pop
LabelSME Records
Songwriter(s)Kana Nishino, Giorgio Cancemi
Kana Nishino singles chronology
"Motto…"
(2009) 		"Dear…/Maybe"
(2009) 		"Best Friend"
(2010)

"Dear…/Maybe" is a double A-side released by Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter Kana Nishino. It was released on December 2, 2009, by her record label SME Records. "Dear..." was written and composed by Nishino, Giorgio Cancemi and Shinquo Ogura, while "Maybe" was written and composed by Nishino and Cancemi. Musically, "Dear..." is a pop ballad influenced by R&B music, while "Maybe" is an upbeat synthpop song. Both tracks were used to promote NTT Docomo's "Ganbare Jikkou '09-'10" campaign and Maybelline New York, respectively.

Both songs were well received by music critics, with praise going towards the production. Commercially, "Dear.../Maybe" performed well on record charts. It reached number seven on the Oricon Singles Chart, while "Dear..." individually charted at number one and number three respectively on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart and the Japan Hot 100. "Dear..." was certified both triple platinum and million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for ringtone and digital sales. "Maybe" was certified gold for selling over 100,000 full-length downloads. "Dear..." has been performed on some of Nishino's tours, including Love Collection Tour ~pink & mint~, Just LOVE Tour and Kana Nishino Dome Tour 2017 "Many Thanks."

Background and composition

After the success of "Motto...," Sony Music Japan announced the release of a new single titled "Dear.../Maybe" on November 6, 2009.[1] "Dear..." was made available as a ringtone on November 11, 2009,[2] and as a full-length download on November 26, 2009.[3] "Maybe" was released as a full-length download on December 2, 2009.[4] Sony Music Japan also distributed the CD single for "Dear.../Maybe" on the same day.[5] "Dear..." was written by Nishino and composed by Giorgio Cancemi and Shinquo Ogura;[5] "Maybe" was written by Nishino and Cancemi, while composition was handled by Cancemi and Ogura.[5] The B-side "Yours Only" feat. Wise was featured on M-Flo's 10th anniversary tribute album, Tribute: Maison de M-Flo.[6]

Musically, "Dear..." is an R&B-influenced pop ballad that expresses the affectionate feelings towards a loved one.[7] "Maybe" is an urban club-style up-tempo song that makes full use of vocal effects; it depicts the delicate emotions of a "current girlfriend" who cannot shake off the presence of an ex-girlfriend.[7]

Chart performance

Commercially, "Dear.../Maybe" experienced success in Japan. On the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart with the issue date December 2, 2009, "Dear…" appeared on the chart at number 92.[8] The following week "Dear…" peaked at number three jumping 89 spots.[9] "Dear..." was certified triple platinum by the RIAJ for selling over 750,000 ringtones,[10] while also being certified million for selling over one million full-length downloads.[11] "Maybe" was certified gold for selling over 100,000 cellphone downloads.[12]

Music videos and promotion

"Dear..." was the official song for the DoCoMo's "Ganbare Jikkou '09 - '10" campaign, which was meant to support students taking exams.[13] Nishino commented on this song: "I also took the exam a few years ago, and learned a lot, such as the difficulty of facing a hurdle for the first time in my life, the importance of the people who supported me there, and the change in myself when I overcame that hurdle. I am truly honored to be able to write a song with a message for all the exam takers in this way."[14] Meanwhile, "Maybe" was used as the commercial song for Maybelline New York's "Express Magnum Volume" advertisement starring herself.[15]

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Dear…" (Dear…)Kana Nishino
Giorgio Cancemi5:31
2."Maybe"Kana Nishino, Giorgio CancemiShinquo Ogura, Giorgio CancemiGiorgio Cancemi4:07
3."Yours Only," (feat. Wise: Maison de M-Flo)Lisa, Verbal and Taku, Additional Words： WiseLisa, Verbal and Taku, WiseGiorgio Cancemi6:17

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Dear…/Maybe"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[20]
Dear... (ringtone) 		3× Platinum 750,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[21]
Dear... (digital) 		Million 1,000,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[22]
Full-length ringtone 		Gold 100,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[23] Gold 50,000,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "★ニューシングル発売決定★" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan.
  2. ^ "★西野カナ 12月発売ニューシングル収録曲「Dear…」着うた(R)先行配信スタート★" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan.
  3. ^ "★西野カナ「Dear…」着うたフル(R)配信スタート★" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan.
  4. ^ "★西野カナ 「MAYBE」着うたフル(R)配信スタート★" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan.
  5. ^ a b c Nishino, Kana (2009). Dear... / Maybe (Liner notes). Kana Nishino. Japan: SME Records. SECL-831.
  6. ^ "Yesasia: m-flo TRIBUTE -maison de m-flo- (Japan Version)" (in Japanese). Yesasia. August 18, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  7. ^ a b CD Journal Staff (December 2, 2009). "西野カナ / Dear… / MAYBE". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  8. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). December 2, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). December 9, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  10. ^ レコード協会調べ 1月度有料音楽配信認定 (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  11. ^ レコード協会調べ 4月度有料音楽配信認定 (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on May 21, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  12. ^ レコード協会調べ 3月度有料音楽配信認定 (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "★DOCOMO「ガンバレ受験生'09-'10」特設サイトオープン♪★" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan.
  14. ^ "西野カナ 受験生公式応援ソング含むニューシングルリリース決定！" (in Japanese). Hot Express. November 10, 2009. Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  15. ^ "西野カナ、新製品マスカラとコラボ" (in Japanese). Bark News. November 3, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  16. ^ "Dear・・・/MAYBE 西野カナ". Oricon. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  17. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue December 1, 2009" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  18. ^ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue December 8, 2009" (in Japanese). RIAJ. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  19. ^ "レコード協会調べ 2009年12月16日～2010年12月14日「着うたフル(R)」 2010年有料音楽配信「年間チャート」（通称：レコ協チャート）" [Record Association Analysis: December 16, 2009 – December 14, 2010 Full-length Cellphone Download 2010 paid digital sales "Yearly Chart" (Abbreviated: RIAJ Chart)] (PDF). RIAJ. December 20, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  20. ^ "Japanese ringtone certifications – Kana Nishino – Dear..." (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Select 2010年5月 on the drop-down menu
  21. ^ "Japanese digital certifications – Kana Nishino – Dear..." (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Select 2014年4月 on the drop-down menu
  22. ^ "Japanese ringtone certifications – Kana Nishino – MAYBE" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Select 2010年3月 on the drop-down menu
  23. ^ "Japanese single streaming certifications – Kana Nishino – Dear" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved October 25, 2023. Select 2023年9月 on the drop-down menu