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/
Deep River
宇多田ヒカル Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
線を描く指がなぞるのは
私の来た道 それとも行き先
線と線を結ぶ二人
やがてみんな海に辿り着き
ひとつになるから 怖くないけれど
わけも聞かずに
与えられた名前とともに
全てを受け入れるなんて しなくていいよ
私たちの痛みが今飛び立った
剣と剣がぶつかり合う音を
知る為に託された剣じゃないよ
そんな矛盾で 誰を守れるの
何度も姿を変えて 私の前に
舞い降りたあなたを 今日は探してる
どこでも受け入れられようと しないでいいよ
自分らしさというツルギを皆授かった
時には流れを変えて 何も持たずに
与えられた名前とともに
全てを受け入れるなんて しなくていいよ
潮風に向かい 鳥たちが今飛び立った
The lyrics of 宇多田ヒカル's song "Deep River" delve into the themes of journey, connection, and the acceptance of pain. The lyrics, "Like drawing lines to connect dots, my fingers trace along the path I've come, or is it the destination?" convey the idea of tracing back the steps taken to get to a certain point, and questioning if that was the intended destination or if the journey is still ongoing.
The second stanza talks about two people connecting lines to each other and eventually arriving at the sea as one. This speaks to the idea of two individuals coming together and overcoming the fears of being united as one. The following lines, "Flowing through many rivers, without asking for reasons, we accept everything along with the name given to us," signify the acceptance of challenges and struggles that come with the journey, without questioning the reasons why they happen.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of identity and individuality, as conveyed by the lines, "Don't try to be accepted anywhere else, we have all been gifted the sword of individuality." And finally, the last stanza, "Sometimes, with no possessions, we change the flow, accept everything along with the name given to us" and "facing the sea breeze, the birds take off today," indicate a new journey that is about to begin, with the acceptance of what is yet to come.
Line by Line Meaning
点と点をつなぐように
As my finger traces lines, connecting one dot to another, I am reminded of the path I've already taken and wonder where it will lead me.
線を描く指がなぞるのは
My finger draws lines, as if following a map to an unknown destination.
私の来た道 それとも行き先
I am unsure whether the lines I am drawing lead me back to where I started or toward a hopeful future.
線と線を結ぶ二人
Two people, connected by the lines they draw, create an unbreakable bond.
やがてみんな海に辿り着き
Eventually, all paths lead to the ocean, where everything comes together as one.
ひとつになるから 怖くないけれど
Although the idea of merging with others is not scary, it can still be daunting to give up one's individual identity.
いくつもの河を流れ
We flow through many rivers in our lives.
わけも聞かずに
Without knowing why we were led there.
与えられた名前とともに
We accept everything given to us, including our names.
全てを受け入れるなんて しなくていいよ
However, we don't have to accept everything that comes our way.
私たちの痛みが今飛び立った
Our pain has taken flight and been released from us.
剣と剣がぶつかり合う音を
The sound of swords clashing against one another.
知る為に託された剣じゃないよ
This sword was not given to me so that I could learn about the clashes of other swords.
そんな矛盾で 誰を守れるの
How can I protect anyone when I am confused and conflicted myself?
何度も姿を変えて 私の前に
Appearing before me countless times, in different forms.
舞い降りたあなたを 今日は探してる
Today, I am searching for you, who gracefully came down to me.
どこでも受け入れられようと しないでいいよ
I don't have to try to be accepted everywhere by everyone.
自分らしさというツルギを皆授かった
Through self-discovery, I have been given a sword of individuality.
時には流れを変えて 何も持たずに
Sometimes, all it takes is to change the current, without carrying anything with you.
潮風に向かい 鳥たちが今飛び立った
With the wind at their backs, the birds take flight, soaring toward their new destination.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hikaru Utada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Van Lée
高二那年，這首發表，
只覺得如此深沉恬靜，
16年後，再次聆聽觀閱，
如江河匯流般的人情世故湧進心頭，
那些錯過的、後悔的、痛心的、美好的、歡愉的，
皆如這首起沈浮載，唱出人與人間彼此交集或分迄；
我問自己，後悔過嗎？若有機會願意重來？
但-
「其實不必如此做，
鳥兒們面對海風此刻振翅飛起。」
謝謝您，宇多田，
這首在我最消沈晦暗的時間裏，
如同劃過深藍穹蒼的流星群，
燃燒靜滅那些無數的沉痛。
あ
点と点をつなぐように
線を描く指がなぞるのは
私の来た道それとも行き先
線と線を結ぶ二人
やがてみんな海に辿り着き ひとつになるから
怖くないけれど
いくつもの河を流れ
わけも聞かずに
与えられた名前とともに
全てを受け入れるなんて
しなくていいよ
私たちの痛みが今 飛び立った
剣と剣がぶつかり合う音を
知る為に託された剣じゃないよ
そんな矛盾で誰を守れるの
何度も姿を変えて
私の前に舞い降りたあなたを
今日は探してる
どこでも受け入れられようと
しないでいいよ
自分らしさというツルギを皆授かった
時には流れを変えて
何も持たずに
与えられた名前とともに
全てを受け入れるなんて
しなくていいよ
潮風に向かい鳥たちが今飛び立った
揚子江気団
疲れ果てた時に聴くと深く癒される。
またやってこうと思わせてくれる。
素晴らしい楽曲。
M H
もう耐えられないくらいに辛い時に寄り添ってくれる曲。生きていく中で経験する、大切な人の死や別れや耐え難い事に立ち向かう時に、宇多田ヒカルの曲をいつも聞いてる。同じ時代に生きれてることに感謝してます。
TA
まさに今それです。普段聞かないのに、なんでだろ…耐えられなくてなって、この曲に辿り着きました
M H
@TA
とても今、辛い事に立ち向かってるんですね。心が痛いです。
どうか、あなた様が心穏やかに過ごせる日が早く来ることを願ってます。
TA
@M H 素敵なコメント
少しホッコリしました。
ありがとうございます🌸
トクさまキジトラ猫
感動的で魅力的な曲です。
泣けてきます。
😭😭😭
M H
@トクさまキジトラ猫
疲れた身体に染み渡りますよね😢
本当に自然と涙が出ちゃいます。
五反田どっとじぇーぴー
何があろうと人生で一番好きな歌
これほど根源的なものを感じられる歌は他にない
hattori
デビュー当時も衝撃だけど、19歳でこの歌詞を書き上げたのも本当に凄い
マサ ティー
どこに向かうかわからないこの時代を生きるのが疲れてしまって、久しぶりに聴いたら、涙が止まらなくて。