| It's All Me, Vol. 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Digital cover | ||||
| EP by Ai | ||||
| Released | February 24, 2021 (2021-02-24) | |||
| Recorded | 2019 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 21:24 | |||
| Language |
| |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Ai chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from It's All Me, Vol. 2 | ||||
| ||||
It's All Me, Vol. 2 (stylized IT'S ALL ME VOL 2) is an extended play by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on February 24, 2021, through EMI Records, as a follow-up to It's All Me, Vol. 1 (2020). Ai primarily collaborated with western producers and longtime collaborator Julian Le.
The lead and only single "Not So Different" was released in November 2020 with a remix release featuring Awich in December 2020. "Hope" was released in January 2021 as a promotional single.
Background and release
When I , I hadn't decided to put this song on "Volume two" At that time, the Black Lives Matter movement expanded, and decided to put out now. I always want to send a message like this, but often I can't put out a song unless the timing is right.
— Ai reflecting on including "Not So Different" on It's All Me, Vol. 2
Celebrating her twenty-year anniversary in the music industry, Ai released a compilation album, Kansha!!!!! – Thank You for 20 Years New and Best in November 2019 and an extended play, It's All Me, Vol. 1 in July 2020.
The EP's first single, "Not So Different" was released on November 25, 2020 with its music video premiering on the same day. In December 2020, Ai partnered with One Young World and released a special music video of the song in support of the project. A remix of "Not So Different" featuring Japanese rapper Awich was released on December 11, 2020 as a promotional single. The second single, "Hope" was released on January 30, 2021 with its music video premiering the same day. Ai partnered with deleteC, a non-profit organization in Japan aiming to support cancer treatment. A music video of the "Not So Different" remix was released on February 20, 2021, a few days prior to the EP's release on February 24.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not So Different" |
|
| 3:41 |
| 2. | "Jump" | Uemura |
| 3:56 |
| 3. | "Off You" |
| Blaq Tuxedo | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Expectations" |
| Bernard "Harv" Harvey | 3:05 |
| 5. | "Hope" | Uemura |
| 4:05 |
| 6. | "Not So Different" (Remix featuring Awich) |
|
| 3:42 |
| Total length: | 21:24 | |||
| No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not So Different" | Kensaku Kakimoto | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Not So Different" (Behind the Scenes) | Kakimoto | |
| 3. | "Gift" | Kakimoto | 3:38 |
| 4. | "Gift" (Behind the Scenes) | Kakimoto | |
| 5. | "Kokoro" (featuring Jenn Morel and Joelii) (lyric video) | Hideyuki Ishii | 3:18 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from album's liner notes and Tidal.
Musicians
- Ai Carina Uemura – lead vocals, songwriting, production
- Julian Le – production
- Felisha "Fury" King – songwriting
- Fallon King – songwriting
- Bernard "Harv" Harvey – production
- Scott Storch – production, songwriting
- Blaq Tuxedo – production, songwriting
- Avedon – production, songwriting, remixing
- Rachel West – songwriting
- Akiko Urasaki – songwriting, featured artist
- Matt Cab – production
- Toma – production
Technical
- D.O.I – mixing
- Mark Parfitt – vocal engineering
- Randy Merrill – mastering
- Keisuke Fujimaki – vocal engineering
- Kesiuke Suwa – vocal engineering
- Shiori Maruoka – vocal engineering
- Yuki Arai – executive producer
- Naoshi Fujikura – executive producer
Visuals and imagery
- Ran Tondabayahsi – art director
- Yousuke Tsuchida – designer
- Hiroki Watanabe – photographer
- Moemi Odo – retouching
- Akemi Ono – hair, makeup artist
- Noriko Gota – stylist
- Akio Kawabata – design coordination
- Shuma Saito – design coordination
Chart performance
It's All Me, Vol. 2 debuted and peaked at number 47 on the Japan Oricon weekly albums chart, charting for two weeks.
| Chart (2021) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 47 |
| Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon) | 50 |
| Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan) | 52 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | February 24, 2021 | Standard | |||
| Japan | CD | ||||
|
Limited |
Notes
- On physical releases, the catalog number is present below the title of the EP.
References
- ^ "AI「IT'S ALL ME - Vol.2」インタビュー｜今この世界で掲げる、ずっと歌い続けてきた"ラブ＆ピース" - 音楽ナタリー 特集・インタビュー". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- Not So Different - Single by AI, retrieved April 15, 2021
- AI - 「Not So Different」 (official video), November 25, 2020, retrieved April 15, 2021
- AI - 「Not So Different -One Young World Japan Version-」 (official video), December 2, 2020, retrieved April 15, 2021
- Not So Different (Remix) [feat. Awich] - Single by AI, retrieved April 15, 2021
- "deleteC". deleteC. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- "みんなの力で、がんを治せる病気にするプロジェクト". Yahoo!ネット募金 (in Japanese). Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- It's All Me, Vol. 2 (CD). Ai. EMI Records/Universal/Def Jam Recordings. 2021. UPCH-29383
- "Credits / It's All Me, Vol. 2 / Ai". Tidal. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ "IT'S ALL ME - Vol.2(初回限定盤) | AI". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- "AIのデジタルアルバム売上TOP7作品". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2021/03/08". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- "It's All Me - Vol.2 [Regular Edition] AI CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- "It's All Me - Vol.2 [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] AI CD Album". CDJapan. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
| Ai | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | |
| Compilation albums | |
| Live albums | |
| Reissues | |
| Extended plays | |
| Singles |
|
| Featured singles | |
| Promotional singles | |
| Other songs | |
| Concert tours | |