Hikaru Utada was born to Japanese parents who both had roots in the Japanese music industry; her father, Teruzane Utada, was a producer, while her mother, Junko Utada, was an enka singer (she performed under the stage name Keiko Fuji (藤圭子). Utada Hikaru has been recording since 1993. She made her first professional recording at the age of twelve, and recorded her first album, Precious, in 1996 under the pseudonym Cubic U. This album led to her career overseas. In an interview for MTV's, You Hear It First, Hikaru said: "Someone in Japan heard it, at a Japanese record company, and he said, 'Oh, can't you write in Japanese? You speak Japanese.' And I didn't want to say no, so I had to try it."
Hikaru moved to Tokyo in late 1997 and attended Seisen International School, and later the American School in Japan while continuing to record on a new contract with Toshiba-EMI. Unlike other pop stars at the time, she was more focused on becoming a singer and songwriter while other Japanese female singers were attempting to become idols. Leading up to the release of her Japanese debut album "First Love", Hikaru released two successful million-selling singles: "Automatic/ time will tell" and "Movin' on without you". "Automatic/Time Will Tell" sold over two million copies. Backed by her singles, First Love went on to sell over 7 million units in Japan alone (with an additional 3 million overseas, bringing it to a sum of at least 10 million units), becoming the highest-selling album in Japan's history.
After a two-year break, Hikaru released her follow up album "Distance", garnering first-week sales of 3 million units sold. Backed by her singles — "Addicted to You", "Wait & See ~リスク~", "For You / タイム・リミット" and "Can You Keep a Secret?" — Distance became the best-selling album of the year, with almost 5 million copies sold in Japan alone. Additionally, "Addicted to You" became Hikaru's best-selling single, selling one million in its first week. Hikaru went on to release a single which was dedicated to the female victim of a murder case in Ikeda, Osaka, titled "Final Distance".
Leading up to the third album, "Deep River", Hikaru released "traveling", "光", and "SAKURAドロップス"; all 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 act in Japanese music history to have three consecutive albums surpass the three million mark. The album was cited by many fans and critics as Hikaru's most acclaimed work, as well as achieving the Triple Crown at the 17th Golden Disc Awards in Japan. Later, she attempted to break into the US market under her stage name Utada with her album Exodus.
A year after the release of Exodus, Hikaru moved back to Tokyo and started work on her next album. Leading up to the release of her fourth album, "Ultra Blue", Hikaru released a string of successful hit singles: "COLORS" (no. 1), "誰かの願いが叶うころ" (no. 1), "Be My Last", (no. 1), "Passion" (no. 4), and "Keep Tryin'" (no. 2). The digital single "This Is Love" was released to promote the album, netting around one million digital downloads. Ultra Blue sold 500,317 copies in the first week, lower than that of the previous album, although it still topped the Oricon Daily, Weekly, and Monthly charts. Ultra Blue gave the artist her fifth consecutive chart-topping Japanese album (excluding her English album) to sell in excess of 500,000 copies for first-week sales. 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 10th best-selling albums of the past year.
A tour of Japan, "Utada United 2006," commenced on June 30th, 2006 (Two weeks after Ultra Blue's release) and ended on September 12th, 2006, after Hikaru Utada's performances at Yoyogi. Ticket sales started on May 28th, 2006, with the majority of venues selling out in less than two hours.
Hikaru Utada released the single "Flavor of Life" on February 28th, 2007. Her next single, "Beautiful World / Kiss & Cry", was released in Japan on August 29th, 2007 - A track which also doubled as the theme song to the anime movie "Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone".
On February 20th, 2008, she released her 20th Japanese single, HEART STATION/Stay Gold which reached #1 on Japan’s weekly radio charts, which was followed shortly after by her 6th Japanese studio album, HEART STATION released on the 19th of March 2008. Hikaru intended to go for a "simpler" approach for the album; she stated, "From the beginning, I had always intended to make this album easier to listen to so anyone can enjoy it. I always aimed for a simple melody, simple lyrics and a simple message rather than over-complicating it all. But overall, I had a lot of fun making this album." Utada then returned to the US market, releasing This Is the One. She also went on tour with 'Utada: In the Flesh', playing in cities around the world, such as Los Angeles, New York, and London.
On August 9, 2010, Hikaru announced on her personal blog that beginning in 2011, she would go on an indefinite hiatus, citing fatigue since her debut 12 years previously. She also stated a need for rest, to study new things and learn more about the world, as well as see to some personal matters. It was unclear as for how long this break would last and if she would ever return to the music scene. Before the hiatus began, she said that she would go "full throttle" on her artistic activities, and soon after her site was updated, a new compilation album, "Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2", was announced, with a release date of November 24, 2010. This new album would include all her Japanese singles from "誰かの願いが叶うころ" to "Prisoner of Love" on disc one, as well as an extra EP, featuring five new tracks.
From November 24, 2010, first-week sales for Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 were 231,000 units according to Oricon album daily charting. On April 10, 2011, Utada won the award for "Best Conceptual Video" in the SpaceShowerTV Music Video Awards for the PV for "Goodbye Happiness", which also marked her directorial debut. An announcement was made that Utada would perform a two-night concert titled Wild Life at Yokohama Arena to promote the album, her first Japanese concert since 2006's Utada United.
On August 8, 2016, her sixth Japanese album's title was released: "Fantôme", French for "ghost". 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, 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. Musically, Fantôme is a collection of tracks that emphasize acoustic and stripped-down instrumentation, alongside influences of pop, electronic, and R&B music. The lyrical content delves into themes of grief, sadness, love, and death, mostly influenced by the death of her mother, her second marriage, and the birth of her son in 2015.
Hikaru's seventh album, "初恋", was released on June 27, 2018. The release coincided with the commemoration of her 20th anniversary as an artist in Japan. A national tour was announced to support the album in November 2018, "Laughter in the Dark 2018", her first Japan concert tour in 12 years. It is currently available on iTunes for digital download and Netflix for streaming.
Hikaru released her eighth album, "BADモード" on January 19, 2022. It features production from musicians such as Skrillex and A. G. Cook.
Official sites:
www.emimusic.jp/hikki
http://www.u3music.com/
甘いワナ 〜 Paint It Black
宇多田ヒカル Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
行く先々に現われる変なヤツ
いつもあぶないことばかりしてるから
どうしても気になっちゃう love trap
身動き取れない程
愛されて 惑わされて
足元すくわれそうに
甘いワナに はまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナ 柔らかいだけじゃない
浅い 若い なんて言わせない
イジワルをされる度に 近くなって行った二人
そんな突然マジメな顔しないで
そんなあなたの 巧みなワナに迷い込んだ
無駄な抵抗 love trap
幼い笑顔に油断してたのか
無防備狙われ
またたく間に あなたの瞳の底へ突き落とされた
あなたの鎖が心地良くなってた
あなたの両手に包まれた
蛍のように光っていたい
甘いワナに はまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナの とりこになるばかり
甘い あわい 優しい光
甘いワナに はまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナ 本気と言わないあなた
洗いざらい 白状しあおう yeah
(I see a red door and I want it painted black)
The lyrics to 宇多田ヒカル's song 甘いワナ 〜 Paint It Black describe a love trap that the singer has fallen into. Each time she meets the person she has feelings for, her doubts deepen, and she feels trapped in a situation where she is constantly doing dangerous things because of her love. She is unable to move, caught up in the trap and her feelings. The lyrics describe the singer feeling confused and manipulated but unable to resist the charm of the one who has entrapped her.
The lyrics depict a love that is wrapped in deception and uncertainty, where the singer is being manipulated and enticed. The person who has entrapped her is an expert in crafting traps to lure her in, and the singer is unable to resist this "love trap." The lyrics indicate that the singer has been drawn in by the charm of the other person.
In conclusion, the lyrics to 宇多田ヒカル's song 甘いワナ 〜 Paint It Black signpost a situation where the singer is caught in a trap of love that has been crafted by another person. The lyrics describe how the singer feels powerless and manipulated by the person to whom they are attracted. Ultimately, the song speaks to the way love blinds us to the control of others.
Line by Line Meaning
街で偶然会う度に 深まっていった疑惑
Every time we happen to meet on the streets, my doubts about you deepen.
行く先々に現われる変なヤツ
Strange people keep appearing wherever I go.
いつもあぶないことばかりしてるから
Because we always engage in dangerous things,
どうしても気になっちゃう love trap
I just can't help being drawn into this love trap.
身動き取れない程
I can't move my body.
愛されて 惑わされて
I am loved and confused.
足元すくわれそうに 流されて 捕えられてしまった
I feel like I'm about to lose my footing and get swept away, and I've been caught.
甘いワナに はまってしまった私
I fell into a sweet trap.
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
I'm in a pretty dangerous situation.
甘いワナ 柔らかいだけじゃない
The sweet trap is not just soft.
浅い 若い なんて言わせない
Don't call me shallow or young.
イジワルをされる度に 近くなって行った二人
Every time you're mean to me, we get closer.
そんな突然マジメな顔しないで
Don't suddenly make a serious face like that.
そんなあなたの 巧みなワナに迷い込んだ
I got lost in your skillful trap.
無駄な抵抗 love trap
It's a futile resistance against the love trap.
幼い笑顔に油断してたのか
Was I too relaxed with your childish smile?
無防備狙われ
I was targeted while defenseless.
またたく間に あなたの瞳の底へ突き落とされた
In an instant, I was pushed down into the depths of your eyes.
あなたの鎖が心地良くなってた
Your chains were becoming comfortable.
あなたの両手に包まれた
I was wrapped in your arms.
蛍のように光っていたい
I want to shine like a firefly.
甘いワナの とりこになるばかり
I just become a captive of the sweet trap.
甘い あわい 優しい光
A sweet, gentle light.
甘いワナ 本気と言わないあなた
You won't admit that the sweet trap is serious.
洗いざらい 白状しあおう yeah
Let's confess everything and come clean, yeah.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hikaru Utada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-cz4ck4hk6f
街で偶然会う度に
深まっていった疑惑
行く先々に現れる変なヤツ
いつもあぶないことばかりしてるから
どうしても気になっちゃう
love trap
身動き取れない程
愛されて・惑わされて
足元すくわれそうに流されて
捕らえられてしまった
甘いワナにはまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナ・柔らかいだけじゃない
浅い・若い なんて言わせない
イジワルをされる度に
近くなって行った二人
そんな突然マジメな顔しないで
そんなあなたの巧みなワナに迷い込んだ
無駄な抵抗
love trap
幼い笑顔に油断してたのか
無防備狙われ
またたく間にあなたの瞳の
底へ突き落とされた
あなたの鎖が心地良くなってた
あなたの両手に包まれた
蛍のように光っていたい
甘いワナにはまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナのとりこになるばかり
甘い・あわい 優しい光
甘いワナにはまってしまった私
かなりヤバイ状態になってる
甘いワナ・本気と言わないあなた
洗いざらい白状してしあおう
@tomoyo6744
これ初めて聞いた時は衝撃だった。幼いながらにこれが才能ってやつかと感じたのを鮮明に覚えている。
@user-vz2ro3ni7f
宇多田さんの才能を確信した曲です。
@ojuri.
中学生の頃カラオケでは絶対に歌ってた曲。
懐かしい～大好きだったなぁ
@user-he4jc4vr7h
夜タバコ吸いながら宇多田ヒカル聴いてからじゃないと眠れなくなった…
この曲特に好き🥲
@user-neerg
冗談抜きで自分が知ってる曲の中で1番好きなイントロ
@user-lo2fn2jq6t
宇多田ヒカル ベストオブベスト
@user-vv9ph6gs5i
小学生の時にずっーとCDリピート再生してたな〜大学生になった今不意に思い出して聞きに来た💖
@user-we3ov6xz5i
リズム感が好き。
@user-tu4md4ve3x
あーまた発掘しちゃったw
@Tak9Low
これぞR&Bの真骨頂！！！