Yuki Uchida/Kohmi Hirose -- Shiawase ni Naritai（幸せになりたい）

Nice to hear a mellow J-Pop song from the 1990s. And this one is one that I haven't heard in a very long time so it's nice making a re-acquaintance with "Shiawase ni Naritai" (I Want to Be Happy) by singer/actress Yuki Uchida（内田有紀）. Released in January 1996, this was written and composed by Kohmi Hirose（広瀬香美）who knows something about creating some energizing high-tempo tunes and cuddly mid-tempo ballads like this one.

Although I know that Uchida appeared in the later movies of the "Odoru Dai Sosasen"（踊る大捜査線）franchise, I still see her more as the 1990s It Girl with the tomboyish streak. Her singing career was arguably less known than her time as an actress, but whenever I do think of it, it's usually either "Shiawase ni Naritai" or "See The Sky" that comes to mind.

"Shiawase ni Naritai" was Uchida's most successful single (her 5th) as it broke into the Top 10 at No. 6 and later becoming the 59th-ranked single for 1996. The song was also included in her 4th album "nakitakunalu" which was released in October that year. It peaked at No. 18. The song was also the theme for the TBS drama "Campus Note"（キャンパスノート）which starred Uchida herself.

https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/%E5%BA%83%E7%80%AC%E9%A6%99%E7%BE%8E-the-best-love-winters/202325943

It's a pity that I couldn't find a whole version of Hirose's cover of "Shiawase ni Naritai" but I could find an excerpt at iTunes. That was a track on her BEST album "Love Winters" from November 1998. For some added Hirose goodness, there is another song of happiness in her song list.