White Light (Superfly song)

"White Light" is a song by Japanese musical act Superfly. Used as the theme song for the Bandai Namco game Tales of Zestiria, it was released as a digital single and the leading track from Superfly's fifth studio album White on January 21, 2015.[1]

"White Light"
Single by Superfly
from the album White
Released	January 21, 2015 (2015-01-21)
Recorded	2014
Genre	Power pop
Length	4:48
Label	Warner Music Japan
Songwriter(s)	Shiho Ochi, Kōichi Tsutaya
Producer(s)	Kōichi Tsutaya
Superfly singles chronology
"Ai o Karada ni Fukikonde" (2014) "White Light" (2015) "On Your Side" (2015)

Background and development

In 2014, Superfly released two singles, "Live" and "Ai o Karada ni Fukikonde". The former was used as the theme song for the film Ushijima the Loan Shark, while the latter was used as the theme song for the third season of the drama Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, which starring by Ryoko Yonekura.[2][3]

Superfly had previously released only one song for a game: "Eyes on Me", a song used as the Square Enix game The 3rd Birthday in 2010. Superfly vocalist Shiho Ochi was inspired to write the song's lyrics after reading the script of Tales of Zestiria, being moved the idea of enemies who respect each other, and likened it to the process of creating music with other musicians. Ochi themed the song around the idea that white was a color that was untainted by any other colors, but could be dyed with any color.[4]

Promotion and release

The song was first unveiled as the theme song of Tales of Zestiria in September 2014, when it was used in commercials promoting the game.[5] A day before the game's release, the song was made available for purchase in Japan as a digital single.[6] Superfly performed the song live at Music Station on January 23, and again at Music Japan on February 1.[7][8]

Music video

A music video was produced for the song, directed by Yutaka Kimura.[9] It features Ochi, wearing a white coat and hat, in a white room with mirrors. Artist Ryo Matsuoka walks into the room with cans of brightly colored paint and begins to paint the mirrors with his hands. Paint increasingly covers Ochi's face, arms, and clothes as well. After the mirrors are painted, they shatter, with glass shards raining down around Ochi. She then walks out of the room, echoing the video's introductory sequence, as the song ends.[6]

Track listing

"White Light" digital download

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"White Light"	Shiho Ochi, Jam	Shiho Ochi, Kōichi Tsutaya	4:48
Total length:				4:48

Chart rankings

Charts (2015)	Peak position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[10]	19
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[11]	25

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Distributing Label
Japan	January 21, 2015 (2015-01-21)[1]	Digital download	Warner Music Japan

References

1. "5/27(水)5thアルバム『WHITE』発売決定＆先行配信シングル「White Light」配信スタート！" (in Japanese). Taisuke. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
2. "ナタリー - Superfly「万華鏡と蝶」が盛り上げるウシジマくん予告編". Natalie.mu. 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
3. Natasha, Inc. (September 24, 2014). "Superfly、米倉主演「ドクターX」主題歌続投". Retrieved November 29, 2014.
4. "『テイルズ オブ ゼスティリア』 新キャラ＆"リアルマップバトル"や"マップアクション"など新情報をお届け　テーマソングアーティスト・Superflyのコメントも！" (in Japanese). Famitsu. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
5. "Tales of Zestiria Ad Unveils Superfly Theme Song". Anime News Network. September 13, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
6. "Superfly、2年8カ月ぶり新作アルバムは何色にも染まる「WHITE」" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
7. "次週Mステに時雨、ももクロ、乃木坂、KAT-TUN、Superfly、miwa" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
8. "三代目JSB、TRUSTRICK、安藤裕子ら7組が「MJ」登場" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
9. "White Light" (in Japanese). Space Shower. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
10. "Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard (in Japanese). February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
11. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.