My daily life with the original diva

Although there are rumors that Hiroshi Kimura has been providing English singles to well-known singers in the European and American markets in recent years, this has not received widespread media coverage, and Kimura himself has remained largely silent on the matter, so those who know about it simply consider it a rumor.

However, after Seiko Matsuda went to America and contacted the record companies there, they learned that she was from Japan and would ask her about a famous songwriter named Hiroshi Kimura, who belonged to Warner Music. Although there were some differences between the pronunciation of American and Japanese music, Seiko Matsuda immediately thought of Hiroshi Kimura because he was from Warner Music and was a creative genius.

Subsequent investigations confirmed the matter, and Matsuda Seiko was truly shocked. After going to America, she realized that it was incredibly difficult to develop the American market, and that people of Asian descent were not recognized at all. However, she never expected that Kimura Hiroshi would receive attention from the Western music scene as a songwriter, which was a source of pride for the Japanese music scene, but there was little news about it in Japan.

So after she came back, she actually wanted to find Hiroshi Kimura. Unexpectedly, she met him backstage at the show. When Seiko Matsuda saw Hiroshi Kimura, she had a strange feeling. Why could Akina Nakamori find such an excellent boyfriend? Not only was he influential in Japan, but he was also so famous in America, where she had a hard time making any progress. And why did this guy look down on her so much? Was she really that much worse than Akina Nakamori?

So her words carried a hint of resentment. She also thought about how Kimura Hiroshi and Nakamori Akina had been in love for so many years but hadn't gotten married yet. She wondered if there was something wrong with their relationship, and a certain thought began to stir within her—a thought tinged with a utilitarian and conquering desire.

It turns out she discovered that he writes songs for Western singers, and maybe she wants him to write a couple of English songs for her so she can break into the Western market.

Thinking this, Hiroshi Kimura breathed a sigh of relief and said in a slightly softer tone, "I have indeed written a few songs, but they are not great achievements, so I feel there is no need to mention them. If Seiko-chan wants an English single, I can write one or two."

Over the years, Hiroshi Kimura has written not just a few English singles, but nearly twenty. These singles have brought him considerable financial rewards. As for writing English singles for Seiko Matsuda, even if he wrote those classic singles and Seiko Matsuda sang them, they probably wouldn't be of much use in America. In that market, skin color determines everything.

But what he knew, Matsuda Seiko certainly knew. She was a smart woman. After trying her luck in America, she understood what was going on. The reason she wasn't coming back immediately was because she couldn't make a comeback even if she did. Besides, who would go there and come back in disgrace? Who knows what the media would write about that? So even if she couldn't succeed, she had to stay in America for a while longer.

"There's no need to trouble Kimura-san with that, but I'm curious about how Kimura-san and Akina-chan's relationship is now. Have you gone along with the wishes of those newcomers and married Akina-chan?" As she spoke, Matsuda Seiko sat down next to Kimura Hiroshi, and it seemed she was getting quite close.

Smelling the delicate fragrance emanating from Seiko Matsuda, Hiroshi Kimura frowned, shifted slightly to the side, and said, "Seiko-chan, this is a very private matter, so I can't tell you."

"Oh, really? You and Akina got together five years ago, right? Five years! How many five-year periods does a woman have? Kimura-san can wait, but Akina-chan might not. Dragging on marriage like this is hurting her a lot. Even if she can wait, what will others say, Kimura-san?" Matsuda Seiko said with a hint of amusement.

Kimura Hiroshi hadn't really thought about this question. Although he knew that Matsuda Seiko's words weren't simply out of kindness towards Nakamori Akina, her words made a lot of sense. A relationship that lasts too long is indeed not a good thing for a girl, especially for a woman like Nakamori Akina who is somewhat insecure.

"If you feel it's not right to get married, I think letting go as soon as possible might be a good choice. Letting go is good for both sides." As she spoke, Matsuda Seiko's hands began to wander, seemingly trying to put them on Kimura Hiroshi's legs.

Although he thought Matsuda Seiko's words made a lot of sense, Kimura Hiroshi had been watching her actions closely. When he saw her hands getting restless, Kimura Hiroshi immediately stood up, turned to Matsuda Seiko, and said, "Thank you for your advice, Seiko-chan. Indeed, there are some things I haven't considered. You can't date for too long. There are some things I should think about."

After speaking, he bowed slightly, seemingly to express his gratitude, and then turned and left. He wanted to stay as far away from this terrifying woman as possible; staying away from temptation was the most reliable approach. After all, Matsuda Seiko was no ugly woman; she was beautiful and had a very feminine charm.

Watching Kimura Hiroshi run away, Matsuda Seiko was stunned. She thought about what Kimura Hiroshi had just said. What did he mean by that? Did he mean that there was actually no problem in his relationship with Nakamori Akina, and that after her reminder, this guy was really considering marrying Nakamori Akina?

"Hmph, I don't believe it. No relationship in the entertainment industry lasts that long. There must be something wrong between you two. If I can't find out from you, I can ask other people. I don't believe I can't get rid of you. Ugh, it's really annoying. After all these years, I still can't let go of this guy." Matsuda Seiko said with a hint of annoyance.

Her married life had only been sweet for a short time when she began to feel bored. Deep down, she wasn't a woman who liked stability; she preferred novelty and challenges, as well as handsome men. Kimura Hiroshi was a handsome and challenging prospect.

Kimura Hiroshi's emotions were somewhat affected after he got up and left, but he quickly recovered. After all, he and Nakamori Akina knew their relationship best, and he knew what to do next. However, Matsuda Seiko's words made him realize that some things were not as good as they seemed to be for both of them. In fact, he was the only one who enjoyed the vast majority of the benefits.

I didn't have to wait long backstage before the show started rehearsals. Nowadays, Night HIT is broadcast live in its entirety, so rehearsals before the performance are essential.

At the rehearsal, Kimura Hiroshi noticed that many of the familiar veterans were gradually leaving, and there were many newcomers he didn't know well. However, these newcomers all treated him with great respect and would take the initiative to come up to him and greet him, wanting to get to know him. Kimura Hiroshi welcomed them all and chatted with them briefly.

The production team attached great importance to Hiroshi Kimura, who was returning to the Night HIT program after almost three months. He appeared as the opening guest during the live broadcast and led the medley. This lead singer position is not easy; only those with seniority and achievements are qualified to lead the singing, and this was his first time doing so.

In the subsequent performance, Hiroshi Kimura performed quite perfectly, unaffected by Seiko Matsuda's words. He also used a new singing style, namely the slightly unique back-voice singing style of Noriyuki Shinhara. No one had ever tried this style before, and Hiroshi Kimura was the first, which made him stand out.

This was quite novel for both the guests and the viewers watching on TV. They all knew that Hiroshi Kimura was multi-talented and always managed to do something that was quite novel, but they never expected that after a couple of years of relative inactivity, he would come up with something new that no one had ever seen before, which was quite an eye-opener for everyone.

The first promotion of the first single of the new year was a great success, and Hiroshi Kimura himself was very satisfied. The success of the single now depends on its sales. Everything before was preparation for sales.

Chapter 533 That Man is Back

After a three-year decline in the record market that began in 1985, the market finally began to recover last year, with records selling millions of copies, including Hiroshi Kimura's second single, "Diamonds," released last year.

By March of this year, a single that was confirmed to sell over a million copies appeared: Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi's "Dragonfly." However, it has only sold over 900,000 copies so far, and it is still selling more than 10,000 copies per week. In other words, selling a million copies is a sure thing.

Just as the record market is recovering, the man that most Japanese singers don't want to see is back. Hiroshi Kimura will release his first album of the year, "Whenever," in March. This is Kimura's first single since last September, almost half a year ago.

Initially, the public reaction to this was rather lukewarm. After all, Hiroshi Kimura had been slacking off for two consecutive years, and everyone thought that this time would probably be the same. Although Hiroshi Kimura could still achieve sales figures that others could hardly match while slacking off, other singers wouldn't feel any pressure.

But they soon realized something was wrong, because Kimura Hiroshi's "Whenever" was the same type of single as his debut song "The Most Important Thing in the World" when he debuted, and he started to promote it seriously, appearing on every show that was required, and receiving a lot of coverage in magazines and the media.

All signs indicate that Hiroshi Kimura is getting serious. Does that mean he won't be slacking off this year and will start releasing singles and albums like before? This has put a lot of pressure on many singers. If Hiroshi Kimura gets serious, doesn't that mean he will take a big slice of this year's record market?

It's important to understand that while the record market is recovering, it hasn't fully recovered yet. The market is only so big. If Hiroshi Kimura slacks off, fans and followers who can't buy his records will choose others. But if he takes it seriously, these people will all buy his records, and he might even attract many casual listeners, which is definitely not good news for them.

"This guy hasn't released a serious album in two years, and this time it's been half a year since. He definitely can't possibly have the same popularity as before. I guess he felt his popularity was declining, which is why he's promoting it so seriously. It won't work; he can't continue to sell well, even if the songs are of excellent quality." One media outlet couldn't help but make such a comment.

This pattern might hold true for most idol singers, but whether it will apply to Hiroshi Kimura is anyone's guess. Everyone is waiting to see how the market reacts after Kimura's new single is released.

They didn't have to wait long. At the end of February, Hiroshi Kimura began promoting his new single, and within two days, "Whenever" soared to the top of the cable music charts, successfully dethroning his girlfriend, Akina Nakamori.

Following the official release of the new single on March 2nd, something astonishing happened: in the first week of its release, Hiroshi Kimura's new single sold over 300,000 copies, reaching 306,000 copies. This was the first single to achieve 300,000 copies sold in its first week since 1985.

The record market is recovering, and the sales of many popular singers' singles are also recovering, but no one has been as explosive as Hiroshi Kimura, who sold 300,000 copies in the first week. In other words, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this single will be another million-selling single.

Naturally, such sales figures successfully pushed Nakamori Akina, who had held the top spot for two consecutive weeks, down to second place, once again making her girlfriend number one.

"Damn it, this guy is so lazy, why does his single sales increase so much when he puts his mind to something? 300,000 copies, that's a total single sales figure that many top singers can't achieve. Why is this guy so popular? Are his fans and followers really that stupid? Why do they like him so much? Why don't they get bored with him?" One media outlet couldn't help but make a disgruntled comment.

There was nothing they could do. They had been fighting with Hiroshi Kimura for so long, hoping he would suffer a setback. But after so many years, that hadn't happened. Some media people who hated Hiroshi Kimura were almost going crazy. They felt that they might have to leave the media industry before they could see him suffer a setback.

There are media outlets that dislike him, but there are also quite a few that like Kimura Hiroshi. Naturally, they will speak up for Kimura Hiroshi, mostly congratulating him on the excellent success of his new single with an amazed tone, while also marveling at his popularity. In short, they are almost going to praise Kimura Hiroshi as the number one person in the Japanese music scene.

Of course, the happiest people were Kimura Hiroshi's agency Ken-On and record company Warner Music. To celebrate Kimura Hiroshi's achievement, Warner Music and Ken-On held a special meeting.

"I really didn't expect Kimura-san's first album of the year to give us such a big surprise. I already thought it was amazing that Akina-san's new single sold more than 200,000 copies, but I didn't expect Kimura-san to be even more amazing." At the venue, Hanami Kaku was practically praising Kimura Hiroshi to the skies.

Hiroshi Kimura breathed a slight sigh of relief. He knew that his popularity had actually declined compared to his peak. There was no way around it; no one could stay at the top forever. So he had worried that his record sales might decline. Fortunately, his fans and supporters were very supportive, generating 300,000 copies sold in the first week. They truly gave him their full support.

"While my hard work and the quality of the songs are partly to blame, the biggest reason is my gratitude to my fans and supporters. So please don't praise me too much, President," Kimura Hiroshi said modestly.

His sudden humble remarks left everyone present bewildered. In the past, Kimura Hiroshi was so arrogant that even if they didn't praise him, he would praise himself. Now that he was suddenly humble, the people present were quite unaccustomed to it.

"What Kimura-san said is not wrong. In fact, I have always been very curious about why Kimura-san is able to maintain such high popularity, so I did some research. I wonder if Kimura-san would be interested in hearing the results of my research?" Just when everyone was silent, Terabayashi Akira took over Kimura Hiroshi's words.

His words successfully piqued everyone's interest, including Kimura Hiroshi's. Everyone looked at him, and Kimura Hiroshi said curiously, "Oh, Terabayashi-san even did some research. So please tell everyone what the results of your research are?"

"Yes, I'm also very curious. Terabayashi-san, it's wrong of you to secretly investigate without reporting the results to me." Hanami Kaku also expressed his curiosity and criticized Terabayashi Akira's behavior of not reporting his investigation.

Quickly bowing his head in apology, Terahina Akira said, "Yes, I should have reported it. I will be more careful in the future. Now, let me tell you the results of the investigation."

"First of all, Kimura-san's fans are very loyal. I surveyed two hundred fans who have been buying Kimura-san's records since his first single, and I found that seventy-two of them still regularly buy Kimura-san's records, and forty-two of them have been buying them all the time. This loyalty is about forty percent higher than that of Akina-san." Terabayashi Akira stated his first survey result, which is that Kimura Hiroshi's fans are extremely loyal.

Both being top idols, Hiroshi Kimura's fan loyalty is 40% higher than Akina Nakamori's. This means that if Kimura releases an album, its sales are likely to be 40% higher, although this is just an estimate.

"The second point is the freshness of Kimura-san among the fan base. Although Kimura-san has not released many singles in the past two years, he has starred in many types of movies and always has something new to produce. For example, this new single has a very different singing style than usual, which surprised everyone. This also makes them very curious about what new things Kimura-san has yet to bring out."

Novelty is very important. Even if you like something a lot, you will get tired of it after a while. That's when novelty is needed. New things appearing from time to time will keep their attention focused on Hiroshi Kimura.

"The third point is Kimura-san's public image. I did some research and found that Kimura-san's public image among women is mostly very positive. They especially appreciate his handsomeness. Moreover, if they find Kimura-san's singles to their liking, they don't mind buying a record on the side."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of laughter rippled through the room. Even Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but chuckle. He suddenly asked, "Terahayashi-san, why didn't you investigate how male passersby feel about me? Do they like me more or dislike me more?"

"Um, Kimura-san, do you really want to hear this? My results aren't that good," Terabayashi Akira said meaningfully.

This time, everyone in the venue couldn't help but burst into laughter. It goes without saying that with Kimura Hiroshi's appeal to women, especially since he's known as a heartthrob, he probably doesn't get much favor from men. After all, he's practically the enemy of all men. Among the staff present, some of their wives or daughters have a strong liking for Kimura Hiroshi, and they even feel a little jealous.

"Finally, there's Kimura-san's appeal to the younger generation. According to my campus survey, once girls are over twelve years old, their liking for Kimura-san increases rapidly. Even though Kimura-san is already twenty-three years old this year, it's still the same. After fourteen, the probability of becoming a Kimura-san fan is about twenty percent, which is truly unique."

When young girls fall in love, they develop feelings for Hiroshi Kimura, and the proportion of them is so high. This will provide Hiroshi Kimura with a continuous stream of new fans, so there is no need to worry too much about losing old fans. After all, not everyone will like someone forever; people change.

"You really are a heartthrob, Kimura-san," Yukio Tomioka remarked with a hint of envy.

Kimura Hiroshi quickly waved his hand, signaling them to stop talking.

"Alright, I'm afraid someone here will stand up and beat me up if I say any more, so let's stop. But Terabayashi-san's fan survey was a great help to me, letting me know where my popularity comes from. I'm very grateful to Terabayashi-san." Kimura Hiro expressed his gratitude to Terabayashi Akira.

"It's nothing, it's just my job. I didn't just investigate Kimura-san, I also investigated Akina-san, Noriko-chan, and other artists to provide data on the future development of our agency's artists," Terabayashi Akira said frankly.

It has to be said that the Japanese entertainment industry is really well-developed, even having data surveys like this. Kimura Hiroshi expressed his gratitude and said, "Now that I know about my fan base and their support for me, I want to give back to them in a good way. I didn't hold any concerts last year, so I'll hold a few more this year. Two of them will be smaller concerts for my long-time fans."

Since he has received so much support and their enthusiasm remains so this year, Kimura Hiroshi will not be stingy and will naturally give back a lot. He plans to hold two large-scale concerts and some smaller concerts for his longtime fans.

"That would be wonderful, Kimura-san. Don't worry, I'll have the agency staff fully assist you with the concert. With so many concerts, when do you plan to start the first one?" Hanami was overjoyed to hear that Kimura Hiroshi was going to hold a concert. There was no way around it; the agency could earn a lot from a single concert, especially for a top-tier singer like Kimura Hiroshi who was incredibly popular.

Although there are no new movie shooting plans this year, there are still many things to do, such as shooting a movie in collaboration with Toho, a new TV series, promotion for the release of the new TV series this year, and an album. So if you want to hold a concert, it's better to compare prices earlier.

So Hiroshi Kimura replied, "I'll hold my first concert next month, at the beginning of next month, and then once a month thereafter. I want my fans to feel that I'll be working hard after my comeback. That way, they'll probably buy a couple more of my records, right?"

"Haha, they definitely will. With Kimura-san working so hard, they'll probably be ecstatic and buy even more records," Hanami-hyuk replied happily.

"Kimura-san, the concert can proceed, but don't forget the audition program you asked me to do before. The preliminary preparations for the audition are complete, and it will officially begin on the 19th. Warner Music hopes you can attend, since it's a required event." Tomioka Yukio reminded Kimura Hiroshi from the side, as he had other things to do.

Slapping his forehead, Kimura Hiroshi quickly said, "Thank you for reminding me, Mr. Tomioka. I would have forgotten if you hadn't pointed it out. Please rest assured, I will be there on time."

Chapter 534 Asking for a Reward from Another Girlfriend

Although Warner Music was quite unhappy when they learned that Hiroshi Kimura was going to hold a formal audition for a newcomer, as no artist had ever asked a record company to hold an event for a future newcomer before, Hiroshi Kimura was no ordinary artist. He and Akina Nakamori helped Warner Music establish a firm foothold in the Japanese market, and they also signed some other well-known singers thanks to their success.

So, despite feeling unhappy, Warner Music still decided to fulfill Hiroshi Kimura's request and hold a talent show, and a very formal one at that. Not only did they release various advertisements, but they also had a professional team, including two people invited from the Composers Association and some high-ranking executives from within Warner Music.

The advertisements aired in various magazines, media outlets, and even on television for more than two months, targeting ordinary people and aspiring singers from talent agencies who were not yet signed to a record label. The top three winners of the talent show would have the opportunity to release a single, and the champion would receive substantial support from Warner Music.

The talent show was called the "New Generation Singer Selection Competition," with the aim of selecting singers who would become popular in the following 1990s.

The event immediately attracted the attention of many talent agencies and aspiring singers once it was announced. There's no way around it; entering the glamorous entertainment industry is the dream of many aspiring singers, let alone becoming a singer who can release albums. Many newcomers may wait for many years without getting this opportunity, so once this opportunity comes, they will immediately rush to seize it.

Not to mention, Warner Music is the record company of two of the top singers in the entertainment industry, Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori. With the fame of these two top singers, people flock to them even more.

After more than two months of registration, the number of people who finally confirmed their participation reached more than 4,000, which far exceeded Warner's expectations. There was no other way but to ask the applicants to send in a demo of their singing. If it was not up to standard, they would be eliminated and would not have to participate in the competition. In the end, more than 100 people were selected, and most of them were eliminated because they could not sing well.

This time, Warner Music is looking for established singers, not just idol singers. So, most of them can be eliminated based on their singing voices. For the remaining singers, while voice is important, appearance is equally important, and a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted later.

One person who was 100% sure of passing the preliminary round was Sachiko Kamachi, because this audition was originally prepared for her, and most of the others were just there to make up the numbers. Of course, Warner Music wouldn't mind signing any qualified singers.

Two days before the official start of the audition, Hiroshi Kimura specially invited Akina Nakamori, Sachiko Kamachi, and Rie Miyazawa to dinner. Since they didn't have time during the day, they finally chose to have dinner after 10 p.m., which was more like a late-night snack than dinner.

We chose a well-known Chinese restaurant and booked a private room. The four of us finally had a rare opportunity to have a meal together. Unfortunately, everyone is very busy, and it is very difficult for everyone to have time. So even friends need a long time to plan a meal together.

"So, Sachiko-chan, the audition is starting in a couple of days, are you ready?" At the dinner table, Kimura Hiroshi didn't really care about these modified so-called Chinese dishes; he just wanted everyone to meet and get to know each other.

The other three, however, seemed quite satisfied with the meal, eating non-stop. Perhaps they were thinking about a party later that night, so they skipped dinner.

"Yes, Sachiko-chan, are you ready? If you can sign with Warner, then we'll be in the same record company, and we'll have many more opportunities to meet." Nakamori Akina was also very interested in this matter and asked with great concern.

Nodding slightly, Sachiko Kamachi said without much confidence, "I'm prepared, but we'll have to see if the judging panel chooses me."

Seeing her like this, it seemed she really treated it like a talent show. Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sachiko-chan, I'm just asking. This talent show is prepared for you, so you don't need to worry about whether you'll be selected or not. You'll definitely be selected. Just be prepared and perform well on stage, since it will be recorded."

Upon hearing Kimura Hiroshi's words, the other two immediately cast curious glances at him. Nakamori Akina asked incredulously, "Eh, does Hiroshi mean that this audition organized by Warner Music was just a formality, and that Sachiko-chan was actually chosen beforehand?"

Such pre-selected audition programs are quite common in the entertainment industry. After all, some newcomers may have connections or their agencies may have made prior arrangements with the audition organizers. However, Nakamori Akina was somewhat surprised that even a formal audition like this was pre-selected.

Unconcerned, Kimura Hiroshi took a sip of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup and said, "Yeah, it was pre-selected for Sachiko-chan. How about it, Akina, aren't you envious? You had to choose three times before you got it."

As someone who was selected through a truly formal audition, Akina Nakamori's path to debut was quite bumpy. She participated in auditions several times and even encountered some bizarre judges. However, she ultimately won over the judges with her own strength and finally got the opportunity to debut. Therefore, she must have had a strange feeling about this kind of pre-selected audition.

Turning her head away, Akina Nakamori said nonchalantly, "Hmph, I'm not envious at all, not even a little bit."

He said that, but his feet under the table were restless, stomping hard on Kimura Hiroshi's instep to vent his dissatisfaction.

"Oh, it's a pre-arranged audition? Then, Hong-gege, can I go too? I want to sing, and I want to release an album. You're all singers, and I'm not, that won't do." At this moment, Miyazawa Rie also spoke up, asking to be included as well. There were three singers among the four people present, and she didn't want to be left out.