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vannessave
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J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
I've enjoyed this singer for a long time without knowing who she is. She is the reason I bought my son the Kingdom Heart game (don't tell him ). Anyway, later I bought him one of her CDs to help him with his Japanese. This weekend I've fallen in love with her and have listened to SIMPLE & CLEAN more than a few times (okay probably WAYYYYYY more than a few times) much to the dismay? of my long suffering family who gets to hear me warble along to it.
Anyway, if my son gets her entire collection lets just say it is because I'm supporting his education not my own obssession....
Now on to the details (most courtesy of Wikipedia:
Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル, Utada Hikaru? born January 19, 1983), also known by her fan-nickname of Hikki (ヒッキー, Hikkī?), is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter.
She has been hailed as one of the most successful, influential and acclaimed pop singers in Japanese music history. With the release of her seven studio albums, including one compilation and two all-English, 24 solo singles (18 Japanese and 6 English) and several VHS/DVD releases, she has sold a combined estimated total in Japan of some 35,000,000[1] records in Japan as of the end of 2006, making her the 9th most successful musical act ever in Japan. Her worldwide total sales of albums, singles and VHS/DVDs to date is well past 40,000,000 units. Her unusual success has been, in large part, because of her fluent bilingual skills in English and Japanese, having been raised in New York City and Tokyo.
Utada became an unprecedented icon in Japan after her debut, First Love, began shattering a number of records in 1999, and has shown extremely consistent and strong sales of albums, singles and chart presence since. She has won the Golden Disk (Japan's most-esteemed musical award) "Song of the Year" award for twelve of her singles since 2000, a record for a solo or group artist. In addition, she has won the Golden Disk "Pop/Rock Album of the Year" award for all of her Japanese studio albums.
In 2003, HMV Japan announced that Utada Hikaru is the #24 Japanese pop artist in its survey of "Top 100 Japanese pop artists" of all time, making her the youngest artist with the highest rank in that survey.[2] In 2006, Utada Hikaru also ranked #10 in HMV's "Top 30 Best Japanese Singers of All Time".[3]
Profile
Name: Japan: Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル); USA/UK: Utada
Maiden Name: 宇多田光 (Utada Hikaru)
Married Name: Iwashita Hikaru
Also known as: Hikki
Profession: Singer, songwriter and producer
Date of birth: 1983-January-19
Birthplace: New York City (Manhattan), New York, USA
Height: 158cm
Weight: 45kg
Star sign: Capricorn
Blood type: A
Family: ex-spouse Kiriya Kazuaki (http://wiki.theppn.org/Kiriya_Kazuaki)
Talent Agency: Toshiba EMI (Japan), Island Def Jam (USA), Mercury (UK)
[edit]Drama Theme Songs
Prisoner of Love, from Last Friends (Fuji TV, 2008)
Flavor of Life, insert song from Hana Yori Dango 2 (TBS, 2007)
Sakura Drops, from First Love (TBS, 2002)
Can You Keep A Secret?, from Hero (Fuji TV, 2001)
First Love, from Majo no Jouken (TBS, 1999)
[edit]Trivia
Daughter of famed Enka (traditional Japanese ballard) singer, Fuji Keiko. Father is musician, producer, Utada Teruzane.
Born in New York, but believed to have spent most of her childhood in Tokyo, Japan. Travelled back and forth between the two metropolitan cities to allow her parents to pursue their music careers.
Last edited by vannessave, 5/22/2008, 1:11 pm
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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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4/14/2007, 1:00 pm
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bubu13
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
 Thanks for starting this thread vannessave!
I saw Hikki on Hey! Hey! Hey! last week, along with Ayumi Hamasaki and Mika Nakashima.
Hikki's mother, Fuji Keiko was a popular Enka singer back in the day... don't know what ever happened to her.
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4/14/2007, 8:42 pm
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vannessave
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Thanks for the link with her mother. Also thanks for the name Mika. My son figured out Ayumi (I had bought him a single of hers) but I don't think I knew anything about Mika.
Anyway, I like the emotion Utada has in her voice. Though it si a bit embarrassing I wll share with you all that I was actually a bit sad (okay I actually shed adult tears) when "the son" finally beat the Kingdom Hearts game because the guy left the little girl. Actually, I thought it was something "the son" did when playing that made that particular ending happening so I got mad at him at first.
Anyway, I wanted to share with you all the Kingdom Heart's ending.
Last edited by vannessave, 4/15/2007, 7:51 am
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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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4/15/2007, 7:49 am
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vannessave
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
My Simple & Clean fascination continues. I love the emotion she brings to her songs. Anyway, I am sharing lyrics found at mp3lyrics.org
When you walk away
You don't hear me say please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
You're giving me too many things
Lately, you're all I need
You smiled at me and said,
Don't get me wrong I love you
But does that mean I have to meet your father?
When we are older you'll understand
What I meant when I said "No,
I don't think life is quite that simple"
When you walk away
You don't hear me say please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
[so simple and clean]
The daily things [like this and that and what is what]
That keep us all busy
Are confusing me
That's when you came to me and said,
Wish I could prove I love you
But does that mean I have to walk on water?
When we are older you'll understand
It's enough when I say so
And maybe some things are that simple
When you walk away
You don't hear me say please
Oh baby, don't go
Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight
It's hard to let it go
Hold me
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all
Nothing's like before
Hold me
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all
Nothing's like before
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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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4/16/2007, 10:55 am
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stephoniha
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
Ah, Utada Hikaru, one of my favorite j-pop singers. I first found out about her from the Kingdom Hearts game w/ "simple and clean". However, the unusual thing is that her English album "Exodus": I couldn't find it here in the United States, but it's available in Canada. My cousin has that album...nice singer-songwriter. "Flavor of Life" (theme to Hana Yori Dango 2) is also one of her current works that I like.
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4/16/2007, 10:00 pm
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vannessave
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J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
welcome to the boards stephoniha! Great to meet another Utada Hikaru fan. I'm now wailing Simple & Clean and Keep Tryin around the house. Poor family (I'm not known for having a great voice)
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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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4/16/2007, 10:19 pm
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stephoniha
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
Arigatou gozamimashite, vannessave. Ah, I see...I don't sing in the showers or anything even if I do love several songs to death. I'll just sing quietly in my mind or just enjoy the music and trying to figure out the meanings behind music. Erm, yeah, that's about it. I haven't really kept up with Utada Hikaru that much except that she got married at 19, released an English album, and that "Flavor of Life" is one of the theme songs to "Hana Yari Dango 2"...that's about it.
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4/17/2007, 4:14 pm
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vannessave
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Well I am sure my family wish I didn't sing out loud but they love me anyway.
I didn't know she was married at 19. Another thing that I adore about Utada is thatyou just get a down to earth vibe from her.
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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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4/28/2007, 11:03 am
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theanonymousafro
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
Just found this. Actually involves 2 singers I like.
Japan: Hikaru Utada to Sing Theme Song for 'Evangelion'
29/06/2007 In: News Buzz
Hikaru Utada and DJ OZMA will battle it out this summer in the theaters, singing theme songs for two popular anime franchises. Utada has been chosen to sing the theme for the first of the upcoming "Evangelion" films. On September 1, "Evangelion Shin Gekijo Ban: Jo " will make its theatrical premiere. Utada's single, titled "Beautiful World," will go on sale three days earlier, on August 29.
However, DJ OZMA will have a head start singing for a more recent anime series. His "Lie-Lie-Lie" (on sale August 1) is the theme song for "Naruto Shippuden: The Movie," which opens in theaters on August 4.
Source:http://www.asianpopcorn.com/default.asp?Display=783
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7/1/2007, 5:54 pm
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bubu13
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Re: J-Star: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
Utada Hikaru Most Popular Artist
July 20, 2007
Singer Utada Hikaru has reclaimed her top spot in the hearts of Japanese music fans. For the fourth time, and the first since 2004, she has topped the Oricon annual ranking of the country's favorite artists. She took the No.1 spot back from Aiko (31), who held it the last two years. She's had an eventful year, releasing the No.1 single "Flavor of Life" in February and announcing her divorce from filmmaker Kiriya Kazuaki (39) in March. At No.2 were the duo Kobukuro, who grabbed their first chart-topping single in April, followed by veteran rock band Mr. Children. The ranking is based on a survey of 20,000 readers of the "Oricon Style" magazine.
Japan Zone Entertainment News - July 2007
Oricon Style Official Site (Japanese)
1. Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル)
2. Kobukuro (コブクロ)
3. Mr. Children
4. aiko
5. Dreams Come True
6. ayaka (絢香)
7. Spitz (スピッツ)
8. Porno Graffitti (ポルノグラフィティ)
9. Masaharu Fukuyama (福山雅治)
10. B'z
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7/20/2007, 4:16 am
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