Misplaced Pages

#139860

100-627: Commercially, the single was a success in Japan, peaking at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and TBS ' Count Down TV chart. It sold just below its restricted 300,000 units, and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 200,000 units. An accompanying music video was directed by Wataru Takeishi , which displays Hamasaki walking around New York City and observing people. To promote

200-524: A Netflix show based on Utada's songs "First Love" and "Hatsukoi". The streaming show, titled First Love Hatsukoi , which was released in November 2022. On December 25, 2020, Utada's official website announced a new single titled "One Last Kiss" as the theme song for the film Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time . The song was later postponed 'until further notice' due to the COVID-19 pandemic , along with

300-440: A DVD containing the promotional video for Goodbye Happiness would be included in all first-press edition pre-orders. On September 27, 2010, Utada revealed a single, entitled " Hymne à l'amour (Ai no Anthem) ", which became a commercial tie-in for Pepsi NEX. The song features both Japanese and French lyrics, written and translated by Utada herself. She performed a concert series titled Wild Life at Yokohama Arena to promote

400-481: A black jacket and crop hair style. The shot with her in the brown leather jacket, brown wig and cowboy hat then shows her on a rooftop singing the song. The final pre-chorus and chorus has her driving through New York City, and has her in a pink dress watching the snow fall; it ends with her in the red dress, holding her hands out for the snow to fall. The music video was included on several DVD compilations released by Hamasaki: A Clips (2000), A Complete Box Set (2004),

500-600: A cardboard slipcase. In an MTV interview, she expressed skepticism about this American success: "I don't think it's the music that I'm concerned about. It's obviously that I look really different and there really aren't any completely Asian people [who are popular singers in the U.S.] right now." She also remarked on the album not being one that pandered to fans, but wanting to make it anyway. Exodus became her fourth consecutive release to debut at number 1 and boasted 500,000 copies in its first-week sales in Japan. American sales were not quite as successful: it reached number 160 in

600-529: A digital single. By the end of the year, Utada was also voted the "Number 1 Favorite Artist of 2008" by Oricon 's annual readers poll for the second consecutive year, and third time overall. On December 16, 2008, information leaked onto the internet that Utada's next English-language single, titled " Come Back to Me ", would be scheduled for airplay release through U.S. Rhythmic/Crossover and Mainstream formats on February 9 and 10, 2009 respectively via Island Records . Her second English album, titled This Is

700-564: A documentary featuring studio performances (" Show Me Love (Not a Dream) " and " Goodbye Happiness ") as well as a few clips from the Wild Life performances. It also featured a post–Wild Life interview with J-Wave host Chris Peppler, in which she expressed a desire to travel and do volunteer work overseas. She said she would continue writing music during the hiatus. The documentary was also broadcast internationally, in Europe on February 2, 2011, and in

800-596: A duet of Let It Snow with pop singer Mika . On December 21, 2009, Utada's Dirty Desire remixes were released only on Amazon.com , Zune Marketplace , and the U.S. iTunes Store , in support of This Is the One and an upcoming tour. The tour, Utada: In the Flesh 2010 , was her first concert tour outside Japan and included eight cities in the US and two dates in London, UK. The tickets for

900-404: A fourth album, Ultra Blue , she released a string of successful hit singles: " Colors " (number 1), " Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro " (number 1), " Be My Last " (number 1), " Passion " (number 4), and " Keep Tryin' " (number 2). The digital single " This Is Love " was released to promote the album, netting 1,000,000 downloads. Ultra Blue sold 500,317 copies in the first week, lower than that of

1000-509: A new song, called T . A studio version of T , featuring rapper Warren Hue , was released in the same day after the concert finished, as part of the 88rising EP Head in the Clouds Forever . On June 9, 2022, the concert "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios" was released for streaming on Netflix . In celebration of her 40th birthday, January 19, 2023, a live streaming event was held, called 40 Dai-Wa-Iroiro . The stream consisted of

1100-538: A photographer and film director who had directed several of her music videos. On March 2, 2007, the couple announced their divorce, citing personal changes and lack of communication due to the nature of their jobs. On August 22, 2013, Utada's mother, Keiko Fuji , died by apparent suicide by jumping from the thirteenth floor of a 28-floor condominium building in Shinjuku, Tokyo . On February 3, 2014, Utada announced plans to be wedded to an Italian man, asking for fans and

SECTION 10

#1732880374140

1200-405: A project titled "New-Turn", in which fans were encouraged to purchase her music and to use the hashtag "#おかえりHIKKI" ("Welcome Back Hikki") on Twitter . The aim was to use proceeds from the music purchased to plant more cherry blossom trees in the tsunami-damaged areas of Japan after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake . The website also confirmed her return to artistic activities. On August 8, 2016,

1300-426: A question and answer session with fans, talk with actors Takeru Satoh and Yuriko Yoshitaka , who starred in the 2022 Netflix drama First Love and alive performances. Recordings from the session were released digitally on February 17, 2023. A single titled "Gold -Mata Au Hi Made-" was announced as the theme song of the movie Kingdom: Flame of Destiny  [ ja ] , which was released on July 28. The song

1400-484: A sum of at least 10 million units ), becoming the highest selling album in Japan's recent history. The album yielded the single " First Love ", which peaked at the number 2 spot. By the end of the year, Utada was ranked 5th on Japanese radio station Tokio Hot 100 Airplay's Top 100 Artists of the 20th Century by the station and its listeners. After a two-year break, Utada released the follow-up album Distance , garnering first-week sales of 3 million units. On

1500-400: A third version of the track is included, she stated that the lyrical content was written in third person perspective , a trait that is shared with the rest of the album's tracks. She stated that the song is about the third person watching a happy and loving relationship: "It's about lovers who appear to be happy and are living each day in their usual way. But there is a sense that a third person

1600-484: A two-year absence from the top spot. She sold 12 million digital ringtones and songs in 2007, with "Flavor of Life" accounting for 7.5 million, the second-highest of any song worldwide that year. The single was featured as the main song in the second season of TV drama Hana yori Dango Returns . Utada's fifth studio album, Heart Station , was released on March 19, 2008, becoming her fifth consecutive number-one Japanese studio album. Although it had collected

1700-499: A variety of producers, including Skrillex and Poo Bear , A. G. Cook , and Sam Shepherd . The album reached number one on Japan's Oricon and Billboard charts. On April 16, 2022, Utada performed at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 's main stage, her first time in a music festival in the United States, under the 88rising block. She sang a short setlist of old songs including "Simple and Clean", "Automatic", "First Love" and

1800-456: A year. Utada made recordings with her mother, releasing songs under a band named "U3." In 1996 she started a solo project under the name Cubic U. The first Cubic U single, "I'll Be Stronger", was released as a limited pressing in Japan in 1996. The next year, Utada started another project, releasing "Close to You", a cover of the Carpenters' song . She included it on her debut album Precious

1900-402: Is then singing the track with several different camera angles circulating her and the city. During the first verse, it has her in an apartment, sitting on a couch with a butterfly hair clip; this scene is used throughout the entire video. It then has three shots of her in different clothes; one with a brown leather jacket, brown wig and cowboy hat, the second with a red dress on, and the third with

2000-557: Is watching from a distance." The song's title is loosely based on the album's title Loveppears , which was originally planned to be called "Lovers Appear". "Appears" was released by Avex Trax on November 10, 1999 as the sixth single from the album, which was also released on the same day. The CD single , which was distributed in Japan and Hong Kong, included 12 tracks: six remixes of "Appears", two remixes of her previous single " Whatever ", and two remixes of her previous promotional single "Immature". The last two tracks are instrumentals of

2100-526: The London -based record label. Toshiba EMI then changed its name to EMI Music Japan to reflect Toshiba's divestiture from the business. Utada's first single under the label, " Beautiful World "/" Kiss & Cry " was released as a double A-side single on August 29, 2007, and also reached number 1 on the Oricon Daily Chart. Beautiful World was used as the theme song for Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone ,

SECTION 20

#1732880374140

2200-507: The Oricon Singles Chart , selling 273,760 units in its first week of sales. It lasted three weeks on the top 200, becoming one of Hamasaki's lowest spanning singles in that chart. It debuted at number two on the Count Down TV chart hosted by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), stalled from the top spot by Hikaru Utada 's " Addicted to You ". It lasted four weeks in the top 100. Part one of the "Appears"/"Whatever" 12" vinyl reached number 96 on

2300-579: The US Billboard 200 chart ; and peaked at number 5 in the Heatseekers chart. " Easy Breezy " was released as the lead single in early August 2004, followed up by " Devil Inside " six weeks later. Utada appeared on the cover of Interview magazine's June 2005 issue. " Exodus '04 " was released at the end of June 2005 and featured remixes from the Scumfrog , Richard Vission , JJ Flores and Peter Bailey. In

2400-514: The 2007 film reboot of the anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion , while Kiss & Cry was used in a series of commercials for Nissin Foods ' Freedom Project advertising campaign starting April 20, 2007, and was previously released as a digital download on May 31, 2007. The year 2007 ended with the single " Flavor of Life " becoming the best seller of 2007 and with Utada again voted "Number 1 Favorite Artist of 2007" by Oricon 's annual readers poll, after

2500-569: The Best is entirely against my will. I wish that my fans won't have to buy it. There's no new material in it." Utada later announced a single, " Goodbye Happiness ", with its accompanying PV appearing publicly on November 9, 2010. The song was also chosen as the Recochoku Chaku-Uta TV commercial theme song. She also appeared on a track entitled "London City" with English rapper Devlin on his first studio album, Bud, Sweat and Beers , which

2600-563: The Blue Nile , Björk , Kate Bush , Akino Arai , Lenny Kravitz , Béla Bartók , Mozart , Jeff Buckley , Yutaka Ozaki , and Hibari Misora . Elsewhere, she has also listed R&B artists Aaliyah , Mariah Carey , and Mary J. Blige as inspirations, and has previously mentioned growing up as a fan of Madonna , Sting , and the Cure . Utada is bilingual and speaks English and Japanese fluently, she currently lives in London, England . Before

2700-538: The CD liner notes of Loveppears ; Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon . Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track download sales. In Japan, physical sales decreased sharply in the 2000s, while download sales hit three to four times

2800-626: The Dark tour film was released worldwide on Netflix, with English subtitles personally translated by the singer. On November 1, 2019, an Utada collaboration with singer-songwriter Sheena Ringo was released, called "Roman to Soroban LDN ver." ("The Sun and the Moon", in English). It was featured in Sheena's best-of album Apple of Universal Gravity . An alternative version of the song, called "Roman to Soroban TYO ver.",

2900-613: The HΛL remix and Keisuke Kikuchi remix of "Appears" and "Immature" (titled '99 Greetings Mix and JT Original CM Mix). Two separate 12" vinyls were distributed by Japanese label Rhythm Republic, featuring remixes of both "Appears" and "Whatever". It was Hamasaki's first single to be distributed in North America, which was remixed by American DJ Junior Vasquez and released on May 27, 2001. It was furthered distributed by Drizzly Records throughout Europe in 2005–06 under Hamasaki's Western alias Ayu; it

3000-512: The HΛL's remix on A Ballads (2003), A Complete: All Singles (2007), and most recently on her 2014 Christmas compilation Winter Ballad Selection . It was specially remixed by Junior Vasquez and added onto Hamasaki's remix extended play, The Other Side Two: Junior Vasquez . The single has been included on three major concert tours hosted by Hamasaki, including part two of her 2000 concert tour , her 2007 Secret Tour , and her 2012 Hotel Love Songs tour in Japan. Credits adapted from

3100-425: The One , was released on March 14, 2009, in Japan and on May 12, 2009, in the United States. This Is the One debuted at number 1 in Japan on March 13, 2009, the day it was released in Japan, but became her first album not to top the weekly chart since Precious . On March 30, 2009, Utada appeared on New York City radio station Z-100 , the largest pop radio program in the U.S., and granted a live on-air interview on

Appears - Misplaced Pages Continue

3200-463: The Oricon Albums chart than any other Utada release to date (over two years). The album sold 2.58 million units in Japan, making it the 34th best-selling album ever in the country. A month later, on April 21, she released a lone Japanese single for 2004, " Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro ", which topped the singles chart for two consecutive weeks and sold 365,000 units by the year's end. It was also

3300-499: The Oricon Singles Chart was " Kitaguni no Futari (In a Lonesome City) " by Jackey Yoshikawa and His Blue Comets on November 2, 1967. Hikaru Utada Hikaru Utada ( 宇多田ヒカル , Utada Hikaru , born January 19, 1983) , also known mononymously as Utada , is a Japanese and American singer, songwriter and producer. Utada is considered to be one of the most influential, best selling musical artists in Japan. Utada

3400-455: The Oricon Weekly charts. It marked the fourth successful drama tie-in for Utada, following 1999's Majo no Jōken and First Love , 2001's Hero and Can You Keep a Secret and 2007's Hana Yori Dango and Flavor of Life . On October 20, 2008, the song " Eternally " from Utada's 2001 album Distance was used as the theme for the drama Innocent Love . The song was later released as

3500-523: The UK, Mercury added another two remixes for "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" in the original album, titled "You Make Me Want to Be a Man (Bloodshy & Avant Mix)" and "You Make Me Want to Be a Man (Junior Jack Mix)". By the end of the year, Utada was voted "Number 1 Favorite Artist of 2004" by Oricon 's annual readers poll. The fourth single from Exodus , " You Make Me Want to Be a Man ", was released in October 2005 in

3600-521: The UK. "Devil Inside" became a club hit in the U.S. and topped the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Airplay charts. Both the Exodus album and the "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" single were released in the UK, with different artwork from the US and Japanese versions. A year after the release of Exodus , Utada moved back to Tokyo and returned to the Japanese music scene. Leading up the release of

3700-604: The US on February 12, 2011, on the NHK channel (TV Japan in America, and JSTV in Europe). A DVD and Blu-ray release of Wild Life were confirmed and initially set for release on April 6, 2011. However, on March 24, 2011, Utada tweeted that both the DVD/Blu-ray of the Wild Life tour had been postponed, due to the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan damaging the pressing factories. The DVD

3800-474: The album's title, track list and cover were released. The album's title was announced as Fantôme (French: 'ghost'), containing eight new songs, as well as the previous three singles, for a track listing totaling eleven tracks. Following its release on September 28, Fantôme was commercially and critically successful. It debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart and stayed there for four consecutive weeks,

3900-565: The album, " Lonely One ", has Utada credited as a featured artist and was released on January 17, 2018, through streaming services. On February 10, 2018, it was announced that Utada would provide the theme song for the video game Kingdom Hearts III , called " Chikai " ("Oath"), along the English version, called "Don't Think Twice", for international audiences. It was confirmed that "Chikai" would be included in her seventh Japanese album, set for release in 2018. A third studio collaboration with Obukuro

4000-430: The album, her first Japanese concert since 2006's Utada United. On October 3, 2010, Utada's official EMI website was updated with the album artwork and final track list for Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 . First-press editions included a three-fold paper slip case, along with a Kuma good luck charm , and a lottery slip for fans to have a chance at winning one of 1000 tickets to Wild Life. In late October, it

4100-456: The amount of single sales. In November 2017, Oricon introduced its first digital songs chart, separate from its main physical singles chart. On December 24, 2018, Oricon launched a streaming chart, and introduced a combined singles chart that utilizes physical single sales, downloads, and streams. Original Confidence Inc., the original Oricon company, was founded by the former Snow Brand Milk Products promoter Sōkō Koike in 1967. That November,

Appears - Misplaced Pages Continue

4200-499: The award for "Best Conceptual Video" in the Space Shower Music Video Awards for the promotional video for "Goodbye Happiness", which was also her directorial debut. The two-concert Wild Life tour took place on December 8 and 9, 2010 at Yokohama Arena . The opening concert was broadcast in 64 cinemas in Japan while it was simultaneously broadcast on Ustream , a live video streaming website. The two channels set up for

4300-416: The best selling digital single in Japan with over 7,500,000 copies downloaded. Around the same time, she visited New York to talk with producers and executives at Island/Def Jam about recording a second English album. Later in the year a digital track by American R&B artist Ne-Yo , titled " Do You " from his 2007 album Because of You , featured Utada and was released in Japan on November 21 (the song

4400-420: The best-selling album of 2004 in Japan, making her the only solo or group artist to reach number 1 four times on the yearly charts. It was the first compilation album to reach number 1 in six years on the yearly charts, and the first compilation album to reach number 1 in twenty-six years by a female artist. Despite its success, the album received little promotion and no new material; moreover, it charted longer on

4500-458: The chart for two consecutive weeks. "Wait & See: Risk" and "Can You Keep a Secret?" also were later ranked at number 6 and number 10 respectively on Oricon 's list of 10 Best-Selling Singles from January 1, 1999, to April 24, 2006. Utada also went on to release a single, titled " Final Distance ", which was dedicated to the female victim of a murder case in Ikeda, Osaka . In 2001, Utada recorded

4600-477: The charts. For example, the debut single of NEWS , a pop group, was released only through 7-Eleven stores, which are not covered by Oricon, and its sales were not reflected in the Oricon charts. Oricon's rankings of record sales are therefore not completely accurate. Before data was collected electronically, the charts were compiled on the basis of faxes that were sent from record shops. The first number-one song on

4700-477: The company began publishing a singles chart on an experimental basis. Entitled Sōgō Geinō Shijō Chōsa ( 総合芸能市場調査 , Surveys of total entertainment markets) . The chart became official on January 4, 1968. Charts are published every Tuesday in Oricon Style and on Oricon's official website. Every Monday, Oricon receives data from outlets, but data on merchandise sold through certain channels does not make it into

4800-399: The concert on Ustream were accessed a total of 925,000 times, with 345,000 unique viewers, which was a global record on Ustream.tv for the highest number of simultaneous accesses of any video, with the previous highest being only 100,000. Japanese TV station NHK premiered a documentary about Utada on January 15, 2011, entitled Utada Hikaru: Ima no Watashi ( 宇多田ヒカル ～今のわたし～ , "What I Am") ,

4900-476: The contract with Universal expired in March. The label announced that new material would be released later in 2017. The first digital single under the label, called " Ōzora de Dakishimete ", was released digitally worldwide on July 10, 2017. The second one, called " Forevermore ", was released on July 28. It features the drummer Chris Dave . A third digital single, called " Anata ", was released on December 8. The song

5000-444: The contract with the label ends, and that a comeback in the music industry was under discussion. On July 3, 2015, Utada revealed the birth of a son on her blog, and mentioned work on an album primarily written during pregnancy. She asked for patience leading up to the release during the transition into parenthood. In January 2016, it was reported that Utada would release a song in the spring. " Hanataba o Kimi ni " ("Bouquet for You")

5100-563: The digital release of A Clips Complete (2014), and the DVD and Blu-Ray re-release edition of her 2001 compilation album A Best (2016). "Appears" has been heavily promoted on compilation albums and live performances. As of July 2016, it has been included on eight of Hamasaki's remix albums, including Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix (2000) and Ayu-mi-x II Version Non-Stop Mega Mix (2001). The single has also been used on greatest hits albums conducted by Hamasaki, including A Best (2001),

SECTION 50

#1732880374140

5200-433: The eighth best selling album of all time in Japan. In 2003, Utada's promotional and personal life schedules became more active due to her marriage and an agreement with Island Records in the United States to release a "proper" full-English debut album. " Colors " was her only single release for 2003. Utada's first singles compilation album Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1 was released on March 31, 2004. It became

5300-504: The end of the 2000s, Utada was deemed "the most influential artist of the decade" in the Japanese music landscape by The Japan Times . She is one of Japan's top-selling recording artists of all time with over 40 million records sold. Twelve of her singles have reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart , while ten albums have become chart-toppers. Six of her full-length releases are among Japan's highest-selling albums, including First Love , Distance and Deep River , which are among

5400-468: The following year. Both the album and single failed to chart on Oricon in Japan. Utada moved to Tokyo in the summer of 1998 and attended Seisen International School , and later the American School in Japan , while continuing to record on a contract with Toshiba-EMI . Early success came from Japanese FM radio . She was at the forefront of a new wave of singer-songwriters in Japan, branching out from

5500-403: The hiatus began, some new music would be released. Soon after the post, a compilation album was announced: Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 , with a release date of November 24, 2010. This album would include all of Utada's Japanese singles, from " Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro " to " Prisoner of Love ", on disc one, as well as an extra EP featuring five new tracks. Later it was announced

5600-521: The lowest first week sales for her career, with 480,081 copies sold, the sales of this album reached a million on the Oricon charts in January 2009, making it her first Japanese album to do so since the 2004 compilation album . It was given a certification of one million for shipments by the RIAJ . Heart Station became the best-selling digital-format album on the iTunes 2008 yearly album charts in Japan, and

5700-428: The main theme song for Casshern , directed by her husband at the time, Kazuaki Kiriya . In mid-2004, Utada moved back to New York, and began work on a recording contract with Island Def Jam Music Group . On October 5, 2004, she released a North American English-language debut album, Exodus , under the newly announced stage name "Utada". It was released on September 9 in Japan, with a special booklet and housed in

5800-514: The media to view their personal lives from a "respectable distance" as he was not in the entertainment industry. On the same day, ex-husband Kazuaki Kiriya congratulated her on the new marriage. On February 10, 2014, Utada and fiancé Francesco Calliano left a message on her official website explaining how they met each other while Calliano was a bartender in a London hotel, and asking for privacy. The couple were married on May 23, 2014. On July 3, 2015, she gave birth to her son. On April 6, 2018, it

5900-581: The most of any Utada studio album since First Love . It was awarded Album of the Year at the Japan Record Awards and received positive reviews from media outlets. At the end of the year, it was ranked the third-best-selling physical record of the year by Oricon, as well as the best-selling digital album, according to Billboard Japan . On February 9, 2017, it was announced that Utada would switch labels to Sony Music Japan sub-label Epic Records once

6000-470: The movie. The single was released on March 8, 2021, with the release of the film. Utada sang the theme "Pink Blood" for the 2021 anime To Your Eternity which was released in April. She released the single "Kimini Muchuu" for TBS drama series Saiai that November. Bad Mode , Utada's eleventh studio album, was released on January 19, 2022. Her first bilingual album, Bad Mode includes collaborations with

6100-557: The original album remastered, instrumentals from the original tracks, unreleased tracks and live footage from Utada's first live show, Luv Live . On December 8, 2014, Universal Music Japan released a tribute album entitled Utada Hikaru no Uta . The album features cover versions of Utada's back catalogue of songs by different popular artists such as AI , Ayumi Hamasaki , Peabo Bryson , Ringo Shiina , and more. On December 26, 2014, Universal Music Japan revealed through media outlet Weekly Bunshun that Utada only has one album left before

SECTION 60

#1732880374140

6200-406: The past year. The album, which did not contain much pop music, was met with mixed reception, although the album was certified Million by RIAJ . Additionally, it was the highest-selling original studio album by a Japanese female artist in 2006. Ultra Blue later became available on the iTunes Japan online music store, charting at number 4 on the 2006 yearly download rankings. Two weeks after

6300-601: The previous album, although it still topped the Oricon Daily, Weekly, and Monthly charts. Ultra Blue was Utada's fifth consecutive chart-topping Japanese album (excluding the English-language Exodus ) to sell in excess of 500,000 copies in the first week. On July 13, Toshiba EMI published a report stating that Ultra Blue had sold over one million copies worldwide and four million digital ringtones already making it one of EMI's 10 best-selling albums of

6400-448: The previously dominant idol singers . Leading up to the release of her Japanese debut album First Love , at the age of 15, she released two successful million-selling singles: " Movin' On Without You " and " Automatic/Time Will Tell " and. The latter sold over two million copies. Backed by these singles, First Love went on to sell over 7 million units in Japan alone (with an additional 3 million overseas, bringing it to

6500-510: The release of Ultra Blue, she went on a nationwide tour titled Utada United 2006, from June 30 through September 12. This was her second concert tour after the Bohemian Summer 2000 tour. The singles that were released prior to Utada's fifth studio album, Heart Station , were able to reach the Top Five position on the chart, including the number 1 hit " Flavor of Life ", which would become

6600-625: The release of her 2002 album Deep River , Utada underwent surgery after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer . On June 26, 2021, Utada came out as non-binary in an Instagram livestream. Utada uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. Utada also said in regards to the English language honorifics Ms. and Mrs., "It makes me uncomfortable to be identified so markedly by my marital status or sex, and I don't relate to any of those prefixes. Every time, I feel like I'm forced to misrepresent myself." Utada expressed support for such alternatives as Mx . On September 7, 2002, she married Kazuaki Kiriya ,

6700-510: The same chart, entering on chart date February 5, 2000. By the end of 1999, it had sold over 282,000 units in Japan, making it the 81st highest selling single of that year in that country; it was also Hamasaki's fifth addition on the Oricon Yearly Chart, just behind her singles " To Be ", " Love (Destiny) ", " Boys & Girls ", and her extended play A (1999). That same year, it ranked at number 84 on TBS' Annual Chart. In January 2000,

6800-414: The second London performance went on public sale November 13, and reportedly sold out in just five hours. In a personal blog post on August 9, 2010, Utada announced a long hiatus, writing "I don't know if it will be 2 years or 5 years." After having been focused on music from age 15 to 27, she expressed a need to have a broader range of experiences, and grow as a person. However, she also wrote that before

6900-410: The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 200,000 units. As of July 2016, "Appears" has sold 290,550 units in Japan, and is her 28th highest selling single based on Oricon Style 's data base. An accompanying music video was directed by Wataru Takeishi . The video opens with shots of New York City , and then has Hamasaki on a rooftop. Hamasaki

7000-458: The single, it appeared on several remix and greatest hits compilation albums conducted by Hamasaki, and has been included on some of her concert tours, including part two of her 2000 concert tour and the 2007 Secret Tour . "Appears" was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by longtime collaborator Max Matsuura . The song's instrumentation consists of guitar by musician Naoya Akimoto and keyboards by Japanese pop band HΛL . It

7100-608: The song " Blow My Whistle " The song was included on the soundtrack for the 2001 American action comedy film Rush Hour 2 , which peaked the 11th spot on both the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top Soundtracks . The song was a collaboration with American rapper Foxy Brown , and was written by Utada alongside producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo . Leading up to the third album, Deep River , Utada released " Traveling ", " Hikari ", and " Sakura Drops/Letters "; all

7200-562: The song with American musicians Skrillex and Poo Bear . "Face My Fears" was released as a CD single on January 18, 2019, making it her first release on the format in eleven years since her 2008 single " Prisoner of Love ". It was also her first release with original English songs since This Is the One in 2009. The song became her first US Billboard Hot 100 at number 98, and it peaked at number 9 in Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. On June 26, 2019, Utada's Laughter in

7300-415: The songs reached the top of the charts. Deep River sold 2.35 million copies in its first week. Oricon reported that sales eventually surpassed 3.6 million, making Utada the only singer or group in Japanese music history to have three consecutive albums surpass the three-million mark, by RIAJ standards. It was her third consecutive album to reach number 1 on Oricon's Yearly Albums chart and became

7400-499: The station's Elvis Duran Morning Show , a breakthrough that would lead to a promotional schedule through the album's international physical release on May 12. She also sang the theme song for the second Evangelion film, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance . The single was released on June 27, 2009, and is a remix of a previous single, " Beautiful World ". The single is titled " Beautiful World -PLANiTb Acoustica Mix- ". On November 30, 2009, at Studio Coast , Tokyo, Utada sung

7500-428: The strength of its singles — " Addicted to You ", " Wait & See (Risk) ", " For You ", " Time Limit ", and " Can You Keep a Secret? " — Distance became the best-selling album of the year, with 4.47 million copies sold in Japan alone. Additionally, "Addicted to You" became her best-selling single, moving a million copies in its first week, the highest first week sales for a female solo artist, and staying on top of

7600-427: The top ten best-selling records of Japan's music history. She is best known by international audiences for writing and producing four theme-song contributions to Square Enix and Disney 's collaborative video game series Kingdom Hearts : " Simple and Clean ", " Sanctuary ", " Don't Think Twice ", and " Face My Fears ". In 2021, Utada became one of the first Japanese figures to identify as non-binary . Hikaru Utada

7700-413: The website, selected the track as some of her best work. A mixed review came from a staff member at CD Journal , who questioned the inclusion of remixes on the CD single. Though the editor commended the club inspired composition, he/she criticized how it took over Hamasaki's vocal performance and felt the sound was slightly "geeky". Commercially, the single was a success in Japan. It debuted at number two on

7800-617: Was also released on November 1. On November 8, 2010, EMI Japan announced on its Web site that the company had made a global recording deal with Utada, also stating that all of her future work regardless of language would be released under one name: Hikaru Utada. This signaled the retirement of her Western stage name , Utada. First-week sales for Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 were 231,000 units according to Oricon. The release marked Utada's seventh consecutive number 1 album (5 original and two best-ofs) since her debut, surpassing KinKi Kids ' previous record of six. On April 10, 2011, she won

7900-456: Was also the highest-selling original studio album by a solo female artist on the Oricon Yearly Chart. The song " Prisoner of Love " was used as the theme-song for the television drama Last Friends . Although "Prisoner of Love" was not initially released as a single alone, it reached number 1 in iTunes and the Chako-Uta charts after it was released as a single for the drama. It reached number 2 at

8000-467: Was an immediate success. Backed by the success of singles " Automatic ", " Time Will Tell ", and " Movin' On Without You ", the album sold two million copies in its first week in Japan, topped the Oricon charts for six non-consecutive weeks and went on to sell six million more throughout the rest of 1999. First Love eventually became Japan's best-selling album of all time. Utada's album Distance

8100-626: Was announced to be released in Sheena Ringo 's tribute album, Adam to Eve no Ringo , a cover of Ringo's song " Marunouchi Sadistic ", which they both covered one year earlier in Obukuro's radio show. On April 17, 2018, a new single by Utada, "Hatsukoi", was unveiled in the drama Hana Nochi Hare ~Hanadan Next Season~ as an image song. It was the second song she delivered to the Hana Yori Dango drama series, after " Flavor of Life " in 2007. The single

8200-531: Was available on November 25. On November 27, 2019, Utada released the first single in over a year with "Shonen Jidai". It appears as track number 5 on the Inoue Yosue Tribute album. She also included a live rendition of the song on her 2003 DVD UH Live Streaming 20 Dai wa Ikeike! On May 8, 2020, Utada released " Time ", the theme song for the NTV drama Bishoku Tantei Akechi Goro . The single " Darenimo Iwanai "

8300-584: Was born in New York City to Japanese parents, record producer Teruzane Utada and enka singer Keiko Fuji . She began to write music and lyrics at an early age and often traveled to Tokyo as a result of her father's job. After signing to Toshiba-EMI , she released her debut English-language debut album Precious under the name Cubic U in 1998, which was a commercial failure. In the following year, heavily influenced by R&B and dance-pop, Utada released her Japanese-language debut, First Love , which

8400-560: Was born on January 19, 1983 in New York City to Japanese parents. Her mother Keiko Fuji was an enka singer, while her father Teruzane Utada is a record producer. She grew up in Upper East Side, New York and moved to Tokyo, Japan at age 11 due to her parents work. At the age of 10, Utada began to write music and lyrics. Utada attended Columbia University in New York City starting in 2001. but dropped out after less than

8500-475: Was chosen as the theme for the movie Destiny: Kamakura Monogatari . On December 8, she announced that the Japanese repertoire, from debut single Automatic to the sixth album Fantôme would be simultaneously available on all streaming services but Spotify , where it would be available a month later on January 8, 2018. Utada also co-produced the singer-songwriter Nariaki Obukuro 's major label debut album, Bunriha no Natsu , under Epic . The first single off

8600-669: Was co-produced by British producer A. G. Cook . On the December 9th, Utada announced the release of a greatest hits album, Science Fiction , to commemorate their 25th anniversary since her debut in 1998. A tour of the same name was announced to be held in Japan in July 2024, as well dates in Taiwan and Hong Kong. A new rerecorded version of the song Simple and Clean was released in May 22, 2024. It's produced by A. G. Cook as well. On August 22, 2024, Utada

8700-466: Was digitally released on November 17, 2012. A DVD single was released a month later. "Sakura Nagashi" is the theme song from the animation movie Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo . In September 2012, the British EMI group was broken up and sold to various companies. On April 1, 2013, Utada's record company, EMI Music Japan , was absorbed into Universal Music Japan , became defunct as a company and

8800-597: Was featured in a new version of the song Stay With Me with British singer-songwriter Sam Smith was released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Smith's album In The Lonely Hour . Utada is a core component of the ever-changing J-pop music genre, bringing her American-inflected R&B vocal style to a mix of soulful ballads, bouncy dance-pop , and standard pop songs. Utada's official website cites 16 musicians and composers as her favorite artists: Freddie Mercury , Cocteau Twins , Nine Inch Nails , Jimi Hendrix , Prince , Amel Larrieux , Édith Piaf , Chick Corea ,

8900-413: Was held from November 6 until December 9 (which was her 20th debut anniversary day), for a total of 12 dates at 6 different venues. The album debuted at number 1 in Oricon physical and digital weekly charts, with total sales combined of over 242,000. On September 28, it was reported that Utada would release a single titled " Face My Fears " as the theme song for Kingdom Hearts III . She co-produced

9000-629: Was later featured on Ne-Yo's "best of" album, Ne-Yo: The Collection , released on September 2, 2009, in Japan and November 2009 in the US). On June 30, 2007, the British EMI Group , which had held a 55% stake in Toshiba EMI since before Utada's debut in Japan, purchased the remaining 45% stake from the Japanese Toshiba Corporation , therefore making Toshiba EMI a wholly owned subsidiary of

9100-419: Was released and became one of Japan's top-selling records of all time. The albums Exodus , Ultra Blue and Heart Station also sold millions of copies. After a prolonged hiatus, Utada released the acoustic-driven albums Fantôme (2016) and Hatsukoi (2018), which reached number one on the Oricon albums chart. She topped the charts again with 2022's Bad Mode , her first Japanese/English album. By

9200-465: Was released in early 2001 and spawned her biggest singles—" Addicted to You ", " Wait & See (Risk) " and " Can You Keep a Secret? "—which became million-sellers. The album broke several sales records after three million copies were sold in its first week, instantly becoming Japan's fastest-selling album . In 2002, backed by chart-topping singles such as Traveling , Hikari and Sakura Drops , Deep River , which incorporates elements of pop folk,

9300-399: Was released on 12" vinyl and CD single formats. The artwork for digital and Japanese formats featured a darkened skin version of Hamasaki's portrait on Loveppears ; like both covers, it garnered controversy due to its provocative nature. Upon its release, "Appears" received positive reviews from music critics . AllMusic 's Alexey Eremenko, whom contributed to writing Hamasaki's biography on

9400-483: Was released on April 20, 2011, with the Blu-ray following. On December 7, 2011, Recochoku updated their yearly download and awards chart, with her Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1 listed as the second-most-downloaded album of 2011. On November 16, 2012, Utada's YouTube account uploaded a video entitled "桜流し" (" Sakura Nagashi ", meaning "Flowing Cherry Blossoms"). The single was co-written with Paul Carter , and

9500-453: Was released on May 29 as the music for a Suntory mineral water campaign, with Utada starring in the commercial. In the second episode of Instagram live series Jitaku Kakuri-chu no Hikaru Paisen ni Kike! , Utada confirmed that work was underway on both new Japanese and English songs for the next album, including English versions of the Japanese songs. On December 3, 2020, it was announced that Takeru Sato and Hikari Mitsushima will star in

9600-458: Was released on May 30. On the next day, a single was announced for release on April 25 called " Play a Love Song ", the theme song for Suntory Water SWITCH&SPARKLE. On June 27, Utada's seventh Japanese album Hatsukoi was released, her first under Epic. It contained all previous six singles, for a total of 12 songs. A domestic concert tour, called Hikaru Utada Laughter in the Dark Tour 2018

9700-410: Was renamed to EMI Records Japan . Therefore, all of her further releases before switching to Sony Music Entertainment Japan would be through Universal Music Japan. On December 9, 2013, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of First Love , EMI Records released Utada: In the Flesh 2010 tour footage on iTunes and announced a re-release of First Love , including a special limited edition that contained

9800-479: Was revealed online at Tower Records Japan and several other websites that an English-language "best-of album" titled Utada the Best " would become available in Japan on the same day as Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 , November 24. Utada reacted to the news, stating: "I understand that if it doesn't sell, I'm the one who will take the hit, but to be honest, I don't want my fans putting down money for something that my heart isn't in." and "The release of Utada

9900-400: Was the theme for the television show Toto Neechan ( とと姉ちゃん ) ), which aired on April 4, 2016. In February 2016, " Manatsu no Tōriame " was aired on April 4, 2016, to be the theme to a late-night TV station's news show, News Zero . That same day, Utada's website announced the official song's release, as digital singles, on April 15. Utada's website was also updated with the announcement of

10000-482: Was then composed together by Kazuhito Kikuchi and mixed by HΛL. An alternative version of "Appears" was released as the single-edit, which was primarily composed and mixed by Kikuchi, but this edit did not appear on the final cut of Hamasaki's second studio album Loveppears (1999). Musically, "Appears" is a dance song, a genre that is heavily influenced throughout the parent album. In a special commentary for Hamasaki's compilation album A Ballads (2003), where

#139860