Mint (song)

"Mint" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on May 18, 2016 in Japan and May 27, 2016 in Taiwan as a CD single, DVD single, and worldwide on May 18 as a digital download by Avex Trax, Avex Taiwan and Amuro's own label Dimension Point. It also served as Amuro's fifth non-album maxi single, after the release of her December 2015 single "Red Carpet", and features the B-side song "Chit Chat". The track was written by Andreas Oberg, Emyli, Maria Marcus, and Tiger, while production was handled by Oberg and Marcus.

"Mint"
CD and digital cover artwork.
Single by Namie Amuro
from the album Finally
B-side"Chit Chat"
ReleasedMay 18, 2016 (2016-05-18)
Recorded2016
GenreDance
Length3:50
Label
  • Avex Trax
  • Dimension Point
  • Avex Music Creative Inc.
Songwriter(s)
  • Andreas Oberg
  • Emyli
  • Maria Marcus
  • Tiger
Producer(s)
  • Andreas Oberg
  • Maria Marcus
Namie Amuro singles chronology
"Red Carpet"
(2015)		 "Mint"
(2016)		 "Hero"
(2016)

Musically, "Mint" is a dance song that incorporates musical elements of contemporary R&B, EDM, and rock music. The lyrical content for both "Mint" and "Chit Chat" includes English and Japanese language, with the former discussing themes of lust and love. "Mint" received positive reviews from music critics. Some critics commended the production of the track, complimenting the composition and Amuro's vocal performance.

Commercially, the song performed moderately on the Oricon Singles Chart in Japan, reaching number four. However, it performed better on the Japan Hot 100, reaching number two and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for digital sales of 250,000 units. An accompanying music video was directed by Naokazu Mitsuishi, which displays Amuro and 36 female backup dancers in a dark-blue room. To promote the single, it was used as the theme song for the Japanese television drama series Bokuno Yabai Tsuma (translated to My Sick Wife). Alongside this, "Mint" will be included in the setlist for her 2016 Live Style concert tour in Japan.

Background and composition

After the release of Amuro's twelfth studio album Genic (2015), she started to release non-album maxi singles. The first entry was "Red Carpet", which was performed through her Asian-wide concert tour name Livegenic 2015–2016.[1][2] Despite its performance, it did not appear on the live release Livegenic 2015-2016.[3][4] Then on March 31, music publication Jame World confirmed the release of a new single on May 18, which was revealed to be "Mint".[5] It was confirmed on Amuro's website that "Mint" would be used as the official theme song to the Fuji TV Japanese television drama series Bokuno Yabai Tsuma.[6] The production team for the television series approached Amuro's record label, Dimension Point, to participate in recording a song for the show, which she approved. Regarding the song, Amuro commented; "I'm thankful to have received the offer to provide the theme song. It's a fast-paced, thrilling track told from a women's perspective. I'll be happy if this song captured the essence of the drama."[7]

"Mint" was written by Andreas Oberg, Emyli, Maria Marcus, and Tiger, while production was handled by Oberg and Marcus; it was also composed by Oberg, Emyli, and Marcus.[8] According to Amuro, she described the composition and production of the song as "thrilling".[6] Musically, it is a dance song that incorporates musical elements of contemporary R&B, EDM, and rock music.[9] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Joey Nolfi described "Mint" as a "a wonderfully whacky mix of electric, surf-rocking guitars, R&B chants, and a pulsating EDM breakdown,".[9] A staff member at Tokyo Girls Update analysised the composition, and noted the use of "hard-hitting beats and some slithery guitar lines".[10] A staff member from Japanese magazine CD Journal noted the musical element of grime in its composition.[11] The lyrical content for both "Mint" and "Chit Chat" includes English and Japanese language.[8]

Release

Four weeks before its initial release on May 18, "Mint" had leaked fully online.[12] The single was released in Japan and Taiwan as a CD single, DVD single, and as a digital EP by Avex Trax and Amuro's own label Dimension Point. All three editions included the normal versions and instrumentals of "Mint" and the B-side track "Chit Chat".[8][13][14] "Chit Chat" was written by Andreas Oberg, Emyli, Maria Marcus, and Tiger, and was described by a CD Journal staff member as a "happy house" song.[11] The bonus DVD included the music video of "Mint".[13] On May 18, first press issues at CDJapan.com offered a B2-size poster of the CD artwork.[15][16] The CD and digital artwork features a close-up of Amuro in a gold dress, whilst the CD and DVD bundle has a body shot with her holding a gold shoe.[13]

Critical response

Upon its release, "Mint" received positive reviews from music critics. A staff member at Tokyo Girls Update enjoyed the song, and felt that the instrumentation complemented Amuro's vocals well.[10] Similarly, a member from CD Journal enjoyed the song's music, and praised how other musical genres such as electronic dance and grime music in the song complemented the overall J-pop influence. The reviewer also highlighted the B-side track "Chit Chat" as a good contribution to the maxi release.[11] A Japanese reviewer from Amazon also commended the production and composition, labelling it as "memorable" and "impressive".[17] Entertainment Weekly writer Joey Nolfi selected it amongst six other songs as one of his best tracks of Summer 2016. With this selection, he commented that the amount of musical genres such as EDM and R&B "showcas[es] the sonic bravura that makes J-Pop some of the most interesting music on the planet."[9]

Commercial performance

Commercially, "Mint" was a moderate success in Japan. The song debuted at number four on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 28,136 units in its first week.[18] Despite it being one of Amuro's lowest first week sales for a single in her career, the single marked 22 years of top ten singles released by Amuro, one of the only distinctions by any solo artist in Japan.[19] It slipped to number 21 the following week, selling 5,245 units, one of Amuro's largest drops on the Oricon chart.[20] By the end of May 2016, it was ranked at number 10 on their Monthly chart and sold 33,381 units.[21] It spent nine weeks in the Top 200 chart, and sold 46,231 by October 2017.[22][23]

Digitally, "Mint" and "Chit Chat" was a success in Japan. On the Japan Hot 100 chart, hosted by Billboard, the former track entered at number 56 on the fourth week, whilst the latter entered at 48 on the final week of May 2016.[24] During that same final week in May, "Mint" reached number four and the top spot on the Billboard Japan Singles Sales Chart, and the Billboard Japan Radio Songs chart.[25][26] The following week, the single slipped to number five on the chart, and fell outside the top 10 during its seventh week.[27][28] In June 2016, "Mint" was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for digital sales of 100,000 units; this is her first certification since her 2014 single "Brighter Day".[29][30]

Music video and promotion

An accompanying music video was directed by Naokazu Mitsuishi.[31] It opens with a long shot of Amuro and 36 female backup dancers in a dark-lit blue room. During the first verse and pre-chorus, Amuro is seen walking around the dancers and sings the song. Once the chorus starts, Amuro takes of her cape and dances in a small suit, along with the dancers. Inter cut scenes feature Amuro on a large platform with a long pink dress and flower crown, singing the track in a further distance between her and the dancers.[31] The video received positive reviews from publications, including a critique by Arama Japan, who labelled it "simple" yet "stylish" and "impressive".[31] To promote the single, "Mint" was used as the theme song for the Japanese television drama series Bokuno Yabai Tsuma (translated to My Sick Wife).[6] Alongside this, "Mint" will be included in the setlist for her 2016 Live Style concert tour, to be held in Japan.[19]

Track listings and formats

Personnel

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of "Mint"';[8]

Recording
  • Recorded by Wataru Namifusa in Tokyo, Japan, 2016.
Credits

Charts

Certification
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[29]
Digital sales of "Mint" 		Platinum 250,000[23]

Release history
Region Date Format Label
Japan[8][13][14] May 18, 2016 CD
CD and DVD
Digital download Avex Music Creative Inc.
Australia[34]
New Zealand[35]
United Kingdom[36]
Ireland[37]
Germany[38]
Spain[39]
France[40]
Italy[41]
Taiwan[42][43][44]
May 27, 2016 CD
  • Avex Taiwan
  • Dimension Point
CD and DVD

References
  1. Jpopasia.com Staff (November 3, 2015). "Namie Amuro Announces New Single "Red Carpet"". Jpopasia.com. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  2. Amuro, Namie (2015). Red Carpet (CD single; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Dimension Point. AVCN-99028.
  3. Amuro, Namie (2015). Namie Amuro Livegenic 2015–2016 (DVD; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Dimension Point. AVBN-99029.
  4. Amuro, Namie (2015). Namie Amuro Livegenic 2015–2016 (Blu-Ray; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Dimension Point. AVXN-99030.
  5. Mizuki (March 31, 2016). "New Single from Namie Amuro". Jame World. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  6. Amuro, Namie (May 18, 2016). "Mint". Namie Amuro's official website (in Japanese). Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  7. Tokyohive Staff (March 29, 2016). "Namie Amuro's new single is the theme song for Ito Hideaki's starring drama". Tokyohive.com. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  8. Amuro, Namie (2016). Mint (CD single; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Dimension Point. AVCN-99034.
  9. Nolfi, Joey (June 24, 2016). "7 under-the-radar songs to hear now". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  10. Tokyo Girls Update Staff (May 10, 2016). "Immortal Pop Diva Namie Amuro Leads a Dance Army in the MV for "Mint"!". Tokyo Girls Update. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  11. CD Journal Staff (May 18, 2016). "Namie Amuro / Mint [CD + DVD]". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  12. Arama Japan Staff (April 2016). "A Rip of Namie Amuro's new single "Mint" surfaces online". Arama Japan. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  13. Amuro, Namie (2016). Mint (CD and DVD single; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Dimension Point. AVCN-99035.
  14. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Japan). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  15. "Namie Amuro – Mint (CD)". CDJapan.com. May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  16. "Namie Amuro – Mint (CD and DVD)". CDJapan.com. May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  17. Amazon Japan Staff (May 18, 2016). "Namie Amuro – Mint (single review)". Amazon Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  18. "Oricon Singles Chart – Chart Week May 30, 2016". Oricon Style (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  19. "Namie Amuro's Super Live Video Collection". MTV Japan (in Japanese). June 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  20. "Oricon Singles Chart – Chart Week June 6, 2016". Oricon Style (in Japanese). June 6, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  21. "Oricon Monthly Chart – Chart Month May 2016". Oricon Style (in Japanese). May 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  22. "Namie Amuro – Mint". Oricon Style (in Japanese). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  23. オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  24. "Japan Hot 100 – Billboard Japan". Billboard (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  25. "Japan Hot Singles Sales Chart – Billboard Japan". Billboard (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  26. "Japan Hot Radio Songs Chart – Billboard Japan". Billboard (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  27. "Japan Hot 100 – Billboard Japan". Billboard (in Japanese). June 6, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  28. "Japan Hot 100 – Billboard Japan". Billboard (in Japanese). July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  29. レコード協会調べ　6月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: June Digital Music Download Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. July 20, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  30. レコード協会調べ　1月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: January Digital Music Download Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  31. Arama Japan Staff (May 2016). "Namie Amuro releases Mint video! (short version)". Arama Japan. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  32. "Namie Amuro Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  33. "Namie Amuro Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  34. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Australia). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  35. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (New Zealand). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  36. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  37. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Ireland). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  38. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Germany). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  39. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Spain). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  40. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (France). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  41. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Italy). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  42. "Mint – Single – by Namie Amuro". iTunes Store (Taiwan). May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  43. Amuro, Namie (2016). Mint (CD single; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Taiwan: Avex Taiwan, Dimension Point. AVJSG–40768.
  44. Amuro, Namie (2016). Mint (CD and DVD single; Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Taiwan: Avex Taiwan, Dimension Point. AVJSG–40768/A.
  • "Mint" at Namie Amuro's official website. (in Japanese)

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