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"Next Level" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist and songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki taken from her tenth studio album ''Next Level'' (2009). The song was written by Hamasaki herself while the composition was by Dai Nagao and arrangement by HΛL. The song was conceived while Hamasaki was working on the studio album during her anniversary year, which was in April 2008. This year was to commemorate her ten-year anniversary since her debut single "Poker Face". "Next Level" was released as the album's lead and only promotional single on the same date as the album release digitally. Musically, "Next Level" is a dance-oriented song that utilizes several electronic dance music genres, which was very similar to the rest of the ''Next Level'' album. The musical composition, noted for its ethereal influences and softer synthesizers, guitar and keyboard instrumentation, was compared to the "light techno" influences throughout her fifth studio album ''Rainbow'' (2002). Lyrically, the song talks about Hamasaki leaving her past, embracing the present and getting ready for the future, referring to it as "Next Level". "Next Level" received favorable reviews from most contemporary music critics, who praised the production. Many critics had praised Hamasaki's vocal delivery, the song's quality and the songwriting was particularly highlighted. However, some critics were critical towards the lack of innovation. Because "Next Level" was released as a digital download single only, the song was deemed ineligible to chart on the Oricon chart under their specific guidelines. However, the song charted on other Japanese charts. It became her first single to chart on the Japan Hot 100 at eighty-nine. An accompanying music video was shot by Stanly Izumi Kim and Luis Hernandez; Hernandez had previously directed her singles "Bold & Delicious" and "Pride" and was her first to be shot by a duo. The video shows Hamasaki driving on a beach front and inside a city. Hamasaki has performed the song only once, being on her ''Ayumi Hamasaki Arena Tour 2009 A: Next Level''. ==Background== In April 2008, Hamasaki had announced her commemoration of her tenth year inside the music business since her debut single "Poker Face". In order to do this, Hamasaki had several plans in order to celebrate the anniversary. She released her anniversary single "Mirrorcle World" on April 8, exactly ten years after the release off her debut single. The song received favorable reception from the Japanese audience and critics and topped the Oricon Singles Chart, which eventually gave her the distinction in being the only female solo artist in Japanese history to have a number single in ten consecutive years.〔http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2997〕 The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 250,000 units throughout Japan.〔http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200805.html〕 Hamasaki and her label Avex Trax had announced the new nationwide tour Ayumi Hamasaki Asia Tour 2008: 10th Anniversary to commemorate her touring since her debut. She toured throughout Asian countries including Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.〔 * * * 〕 Then, in order to complete her tenth anniversary year, she released her third greatest hits compilation ''A Complete: All Singles'' in September 2008, which featured all her lead solo singles since the release off her debut single.〔 〕 It achieved favorable reviews from the Japanese public and critics and was certified triple platinum fr shipments off 750,000 units within Japan. In December 2008, Hamasaki commenced the news off a new studio album and in order to pre-promote it, she released the double A-side single "Days/Green". The song was a commercial success and was certified gold by RIAJ.〔(【引用サイトリンク】script-title=ja:一般社団法人 日本レコード協会 )〕 She then released the single double A-side singles "Rule/Sparkle" as the second and final singles from the studio album. Commercially, the songs were a commercial success in her native Japan and was also certified gold in Japan for shipments off 100,000 units. Both songs became her thirty-first and third-second number one on the Oricon chart respectively. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Next Level (song)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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