Viva Ai (stylized as ViVa A.I.) is the seventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released March 4, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured three singles, the 2008 theme song for the film Departures, "Okuribito," a collaboration single with Exile vocalist Atsushi called "So Special" and the preceding single, "You Are My Star."
Background and development
Six months after Ai released her sixth album, Don't Stop Ai, she released a re-cut single from that album, a ballad called "Taisetsu na Mono." Both of the B-sides from the single, "Feel for You" and "Touch the Sky" appear on Viva Ai. At the same time, she released a single with Anna Tsuchiya called "Crazy World," which was the first time Ai was a billed artist on a single since Suite Chic's "Uh Uh......" and Michico's "Gold Digga" in 2003.
In July 2008, Ai was featured on an R&B mid-tempo song called "So Special," by Exile member Atsushi, released on Exile's compilation album Exile Entertainment Best. The song was later re-arranged into an Ai version, and was released as one of the A-sides of her September 2009 single. The other A-side, "Okuribito," is the eponymous theme song for the Academy Award winning Yōjirō Takita film Departures.
After a gap of five months, Ai released "You Are My Star," an upbeat R&B track a month before the album.
Writing and production
The album has a wide number of genres on it, including R&B, pop, rock, neoclassical and 1970s style R&B. Ai saw the album as a challenge, as she wanted to do as many new things as she could. Ai worked with Japanese producer Uta for the first time, who produced much of the album: "Kimi to Ita Basho," "Like a Bird," "So Special," "You Are My Star," and co-produced "People in the World" with DJ Watarai. Ai had not worked with DJ Watarai since 2006's "I Wanna Know." He also produced the song "Rose."
The album is the second to feature Scandinavian producers. "I'll Remember You/Brand New Day" (2007) producer Jonas Jeberg returns on the song "Fire!" new collaborators include Mats Valentin on "Day Vacation" and dance musicians Kocky (David Åström) and Trash (Patrik Jan Berggren) produced "My Angel," as well as the two remixes. Ai travelled to Sweden and Denmark for the first time, to meet with three production teams, producers and to record the songs.
Three previous collaborators were reunited with Ai for individual songs. "Nobody Like You" featured Icedown ("Mirai" (2006), "Queen" (2005)), "Feel for You" was produced by Bach Logic ("Get Up" (2007)) and "Touch the Sky" by The Company ("Butterfly." "Taisetsu na Mono" and "The Answer" from Don't Stop Ai (2007)). Two songs featured new collaborators, Kei Kumasa for "Scream," and classical pianist Joe Hisaishi for "Okuribito." The song "Okuribito" was already produced for the film, and the single version features Ai's vocals (with self-penned lyrics) layered on top of the instrumental theme. The song with Ai does not actually feature in the film, but as used in promotion for the film.
Ai collaborated with three Japanese musicians and one overseas musician on the album, "So Special" with Exile Atsushi, "Scream" featuring vocalist Jesse from Rize, and "Like a Bird" featuring reggae singer Corn Head. Ai had been friends with Atsushi since 2006, and had wanted to collaborate for some time. The idea was brought up by Atsushi, and the pair wrote and recorded the song with Uta in three weeks. The Ai version features a slightly different song structure, melody and lyrics. Trackmaker Uta made the Ai Version with a little more beat, to be more "dancable" than the Exile version.
One of the remixes was of the James Morrison song "Broken Strings," which featured Ai instead of Nelly Furtado on the Japanese version of his album, Songs for You, Truths for Me. His album was released in Japan on the same day as Viva Ai.
Recording was primarily done at Music Safety Research in Yoyogi, Tokyo, where almost all of Ai's vocals were recorded. Additional recording was performed at Prime Sound Studio Form and Studio Blan. Recording with Jesse from Rize was held at his private studio, Purple Brain Studio. Recording with Exile's Atsushi Sato was at Avex Studio, and the initial recording of the theme from Departures was recorded at Victor Studios. Recording in Europe was at Jeberg & Cut Studio in Copenhagen, and Storm Studios in Oslo.