HINOTORI

HINOTORI is a music single released by Takanashi Kiara on 26 November 2020.

Music Video

 * HINOTORI - Takanashi Kiara (Official Music Video)

English translation (official)
In my flickering cradle of stars The fragments of words long lost Fall into place, forming a distinct memory As a choir of devotees Tell stories of mythology My ears perk up as they pray

Tell me, I can hear it clearly Tell me, the voice of the voiceless You wake my heart and make it rage Set aflame the scars of a bygone age

Blending into the blazing night sky Unseen by all My red rouge bursts into fire No matter how many trials I face on my own I will overcome, taking them head on I will live to keep on fighting till the dawn

Should I find myself trapped in a void Nothing in the horizon a clear dead end I can turn back the clock, I can make amends Within my dying embers I find the answer

Don't break, I will never give up Don't break, even if my wings are clipped My will won't be, it will show the way to a new day

In the ashes covering the earth A sign of new life, a new birth From within the vermillion embers I rise Our swords crossed, a promise sealed away Lies and truth, come to light at the break of day

I've been trying to find my destiny But they keep pushing and pulling me astray If I go wrong, what awaits me in the dark Could you tell me please, where I need to go?

Tell me, I can hear it clearly Tell me, the voice of the voiceless You wake my heart and make it ignite Bansh the dark of this endless night

Blending into the blazing night sky Unseen by all My red rouge bursts into fire No matter how many trials I face on my own I will overcome, taking them head on blazing flames, show me the path to luminance

And in the next life too I promise, I will find you

Credits

 * Vocals: Takanashi Kiara (小鳥遊キアラ）
 * Producer/Composer: Kai Gojo (五条下位)
 * Lyrics: Aya Shinno (真野綾)
 * Guitar: Daisuke Bito (尾登大祐)
 * Artist: Mamaloni
 * Movie Animation: Calliope Mori (森カリオペ)

Production and release
In her debut stream, Kiara announced her goal to release original music. "HINOTORI" was produced in collaboration with Kai Gojo, known for his work on Touhou Project music albums including the solo circle SYNC.ART'S. Kiara selected him based on the style of music she wanted to produce for her first song.

"HINOTORI" was composed to a short deadline and recorded mid-November, just over a week before its release. The Japanese lyrics were written by Aya Shinno, with Kiara contributing the sections of English lyrics. At the recording session, Kiara suggested the addition of the breakdown before the guitar solo, beginning with the line "I've been trying to find my destiny". Gojo composed this section on the spot, with Kiara writing the English lyrics at the same time. Kiara particularly liked the musicality of the line which goes "kawashita chigiri wa", describing it as "fun to sing". She drew special attention to her whisper backing vocal on the line "don't break", which she jokingly described as "secret ASMR".

The theme of the song is about surviving and finding one's path in life. Kiara dedicated the song's final line, "And in the next life too I promise, I will find you", to Mori Calliope. Its appearance was a response to Calli namedropping Kiara ("Kusotori") in her own debut song, "Excuse My Rudeness, But Could You Please RIP?". Kiara suggested that an official English-language translation of "HINOTORI" may be forthcoming, but noted the difficulty of translating some of the obscure, "chuunibyou" language.

The word "hinotori" is Japanese for "phoenix", literally meaning "bird of fire".

The song was released on 26 November 2020 on iTunes, Spotify, and all major music outlets. The release date was chosen to coincide with Thanksgiving in the United States, a joke on Kiara being mistaken for a turkey. A voice pack was released on the same day, containing the song's off-vocal karaoke track. The music video was produced by Mori Calliope and released on the same day.

On 19 December 2020, Kiara held a Superchat reading to celebrate the YouTube music video for "HINOTORI" receiving 1 million views. Several fans produced cover versions of the song, including an 8-bit chiptune version and a jazz cover, both of which Kiara featured in the Superchat reading.

On 5 March 2021, Kiara performed a German version of HINOTORI during a "Hololive German" re-debut stream.

On 22 October 2022, NIJISANJI EN member Pomu Rainpuff performed HINOTORI during the first collab between hololive and NIJISANJI. Pomu included an original Japanese "mix" intended to be sung by the audience during the instrumental solo after the line "Could you tell me please, where I need to go?":

HINOTORI subsequently appeared on Kiara's first album, Point of View, released on 29 August 2023.