HINOTORI

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

Music video

 * HINOTORI - Takanashi Kiara (Official Music Video)

English translation
Fragmented words, in a cradle of twinkling stars Connect to form a memory Holy followers follow the ways of legend Listening carefully to prayer Tell me, I can hear it clearly Tell me, in your unspoken words A wild beat scorching your weakness Burning passion pours like rain from the sky Chaotic red blooms a scarlet rouge Through a multitude of ordeals, over and over, I will survive I will live to keep on fighting till the dawn For example, I won't look back, zero boundaries Even if I lose my way No matter how many times it takes, solitary demise What remains is the answer

Don't break, I will never give up, Don't break, even if my feathers decay My unerasable power is the guidance of time My body rises from the earth in a blossom of ash Awakening from a flaming red in its center Crossing sword points, exchanging of vows 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, in your unspoken words Brimming with determination, dispelling the darkness Burning passion pours like rain from the sky Chaotic red blooms a scarlet rouge Through a multitude of ordeals, over and over, I will survive 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 song's 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.