Singer-songwriter Natsuki Kawanishi released the new digital single, Goodbye at My Best, on August 7.

The new song is a pop ballad exploring heartbreak. It expresses the singer’s desire to be just a little stronger and to say “thank you” for the time spent together, even while grappling with the sadness and mixed emotions that come after a break-up. Through motifs found in everyday life, Kawanishi sought to express her feelings surrounding the relentless passage of time and the way each person sets out toward their own future. Thankfully, this song is filled with tenderness and hope, and not only the sadness of parting.

■Comment from Natsuki Kawanishi
“This song portrays parting in a positive light. I think that when you say goodbye to someone who was important to you, you actually feel all kinds of emotions, like wanting to cry or wanting to stop them from leaving. Even so, I wondered if I could turn the time I spent with that person into something worth praising. I poured my desire to be just a little bit stronger into this track. Goodbyes are sad, but I think it’s because of that time that I am who I am today, and that’s what allows me to take a new step forward. I hope this song is one that can walk beside someone trying to say “goodbye.”