JIU and Kana Ruth unite to write and produce ‘Unfaded’. Kyosuke Matsumoto and Deapooh arrange the vibrant beat that drives the track.
Released: March 4, 2026
Unfaded
Jiu | Kana Ruth
Unfaded Lyrics English Translation by Jiu | Kana Ruth
The songwriters describe the physical grind with ‘Denim and notebook wrinkled from my grip’. They push through doubt and exhaustion to prove their worth.
A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one.
A, a, a, a, a Ima be ichibanAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be the best.
A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one.
A, a, a, a, a Ima be ichibanAh, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be the best.
A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one.
J wa I to U Kana Ruth, beat by Deapoop make a energyJ is I and U, Kana Ruth, beat by Deapooh, we make the energy.
Kawarazu ni keep on writing hi no me abiru made mada tryI’ll keep on writing without changing, I’ll keep trying until I see the light of day.
Hitasura jiboujiki kara iikikaseta mou jiki daI kept telling myself through the sheer despair that my time is coming soon.
Ishi to beat kiite imeeji ishi to beat kiiteruListening to my will and the beat, picturing it, listening to my will and the beat.
Atama no naka ni wa shouri o imeeji kagami no mae no omae to ribenjiI picture victory in my mind, getting revenge against the version of you in the mirror.
Raibu de maiku nigitta suteeji nagame wa zenin ga teki ni mieruGripping the mic on the live stage, looking out, everyone seems like an enemy.
Iikikaseru no sa kamasu dake taimingu neratte tsukaiwakeI tell myself I just have to kill it, aiming for the right timing and switching up my flow.
Onore no ishi to beat kiiteru onore no ishi to beat kiiteruListening to my own will and the beat, listening to my own will and the beat.
(Teru teru)(Listening, listening).
Shinji nukeru made yaritsuzukeru koto yo ga akeru koro haiteru denimu to kaiteru nooto mo chikara ga haitte wa shiwakuI’ll keep pushing until I fully believe it; by dawn, the denim I wear and the notebook I write in are wrinkled from my grip,
Cha natteru boroboro nias they get completely worn out.
Onore no kachi nara ichiban wakatteru hitasura dattara shou ni wa atteru afureta coffee no shimi nara torenai kashiI know my own worth the best, if it takes sheer dedication, then it suits my nature, the lyrics stained with spilled coffee that won’t come out.
Uwagaki no vintageOverwritten vintage words.
Kore wa ribenji mukau suteeji onore no peesu dekinai teishiThis is revenge, heading to the stage, moving at my own pace, I can’t be stopped.
Dare no iken fumenai bureeki call me crazy?I won’t hit the brakes for anyone’s opinion, do you call me crazy?
Kamau koto nee daroI don’t care at all.
Dare no rikai sura motomenakatta ga omoi no take o koe ni shitaI didn’t even ask for anyone’s understanding, but I voiced everything I was feeling.
Raibu owari ni orita atari de koe o kakete kureta Kana gaWhen I stepped down after the live show, Kana called out to me.
Maybe I’m just not good enough andMaybe I’m just not good enough, and
Maybe that’s why you keep seeing past through meMaybe that’s why you keep seeing right through me.
Though meThrough me.
That’s why you keep seeing past through meThat’s why you keep seeing right through me.
Tell meTell me.
Tell me I can make it without changingTell me I can make it without changing.
Taking all my chancesTaking all my chances.
I keep scrapingI keep scraping.
ScrapingScraping.
Atama no naka ni wa ukanda ikari furasutoreeshon atama itaiAnger and frustration float in my head, making it ache.
Ashita hayai kedo mada nerenai no wa kuyashisa dake de wa owarasenaiI have to be up early tomorrow, but I can’t sleep yet, I won’t let it end with just regret.
Nameteta yatsura o wakarasetai atsukaikata nara jibun shidaiI want to show the ones who underestimated me, how I handle it is entirely up to me.
Onore no ishi to beat kiiteru onore no ishi to beat kiiteruListening to my own will and the beat, listening to my own will and the beat.
(Teru teru)(Listening, listening).
Kyaku mo inai naka ushiro de botoru o akerare katte ni moriagatteruWith no audience there, they’re opening bottles in the back and hyping themselves up.
Mukatsuiteiru saichuu ni atama ni chi nobori kashi o futtobashiteruWhile I’m getting pissed off, the blood rushes to my head and I completely forget my lyrics.
Nanishittenda yo omae maji dassee naWhat the hell are you doing? You’re seriously pathetic.
Mou au koto nee yo sonna yatsuraI’m never gonna see those guys again.
Hikisagaru na MC omoidashi bashibashi kuyashii nara omae de wakarashinaDon’t back down, MC, remember it sharply, if you’re frustrated, then prove them wrong yourself.
Tanin wa omae ni wa kyoumi wa nee yo nigeru koto wa kantan da ga nigeta omae ga jibun mite nani o omouOther people don’t care about you at all; running away is easy, but what will you think when you look at yourself after giving up?
Itsu datte onore mukiatte koso daro wakatteru naraIt’s always about facing yourself, isn’t it? If you already know that.
Tsugi ni mukatta genba mou aete iu nara ore wa ore ni kattaHeading to the next venue, if I dare say it now, I finally beat myself.
Let’s get itLet’s get it.
Kako mo mirai mo kankei nai (A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1)The past and the future don’t matter. (Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one).
Mayottemo ii n janai (A, a, a, a, a Ima be ichiban)Isn’t it fine to hesitate sometimes? (Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be the best).
Kawaru no mattemo shikata nai (A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1)There’s no point waiting for things to change. (Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one).
Shikata nai (A, a, a, a, a Ima be ichiban)There’s no point. (Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be the best).
Riyuu wa iranaiI don’t need a reason.
Nanimo kankei nai (A, a, a, a, a Ima be number 1)Nothing else matters. (Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, I’m gonna be number one).
Tsumiagete kitaEverything I’ve built up,
Mono, mono, monoall these things, things, things,
Mono ga imi nan janaiaren’t what truly give this meaning.
Unfaded Music Video
Unfaded’ lyrics offer a raw account of perseverance. JIU and Kana Ruth deliver a relentless Japanese performance.