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/
Sakura Drops
宇多田ヒカル Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
誓うことは これが最後の heartbreak
桜さえ 風の中で
揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
降り出した 夏の雨が涙の横を通った すーっと
思い出とダブる映像 秋のドラマ再放送
パンチ何度もくらっちゃうんだ
それでもまた戦うんだろう
それが命の不思議
恋をして 全て捧げ
願うことは これが最後の heartbreak
桜さえ 時の中で
揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
繰り返す 季節の中で くつが擦り減ってく
もっと 肩の力抜いて
過去はどこかにしまっておけ
ここからそう遠くないだろう
観たこともない景色
止まらない 胸の痛み
超えて もっと君に近づきたいよ
一周り しては戻り
青い空をずっと手探り
恋をして 終わりを告げ
誓うことは 今日が最初の good day
桜まで 風の中で
揺れて そっと君に手を伸ばすよ
好きで好きでどうしようもない それとこれとは関係無い
The lyrics to 宇多田ヒカル's song "SAKURAドロップス" express the feelings of someone who has experienced heartbreak but still believes in the beauty of love and the fleeting nature of life. The opening line "恋をして 終わりを告げ" ("I fell in love and said goodbye") sets the tone for the song, as the singer acknowledges the pain of lost love but also recognizes the inevitability of endings. The next line, "誓うことは これが最後の heartbreak" ("I swear this will be my last heartbreak"), suggests a sense of hope and determination to move on from the past.
The chorus, with its repeated phrase "桜さえ 風の中で 揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ," ("Even the cherry blossoms sway in the wind and eventually bloom"), conveys a message of resilience and beauty in the face of adversity. The seasonal metaphors of rain, autumn dramas on TV, and worn-out shoes further emphasize the passing of time and the importance of letting go of the past.
The closing lines of the song, "恋をして 終わりを告げ 誓うことは 今日が最初の good day 桜まで 風の中で 揺れて そっと君に手を伸ばすよ 好きで好きでどうしようもない それとこれとは関係無い" ("I fell in love and said goodbye, but today is the first good day. Even the cherry blossoms sway in the wind, and I reach out to you. I love you so much that I don't know what to do, and that has nothing to do with all of this"), express a sense of renewed hope and a willingness to embrace the present and the future.
Line by Line Meaning
恋をして 終わりを告げ
Having fallen in love, it's time to give up and move on.
誓うことは これが最後の heartbreak
Swearing that this will be the last heartbreak and ending the cycle of heartache.
桜さえ 風の中で 揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
Even the cherry blossoms sway in the wind and eventually bloom.
降り出した 夏の雨が涙の横を通った すーっと
The summer rain that started falling passed by like a tear.
思い出とダブる映像 秋のドラマ再放送
The sight and sounds of the autumn drama being re-aired duplicate memories.
どうして同じような パンチ何度もくらっちゃうんだ それでもまた戦うんだろう それが命の不思議
Why do we keep taking the same punches? Despite everything, we still fight. That's the mystery of life.
恋をして 全て捧げ
Giving everything to love.
願うことは これが最後の heartbreak
Wishing that this will be the last heartbreak.
桜さえ 時の中で 揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
Even the cherry blossoms sway in the flow of time and eventually bloom.
繰り返す 季節の中で くつが擦り減ってく
Shoes that are worn down by repeating seasons.
もっと 肩の力抜いて
Relax your shoulders some more.
過去はどこかにしまっておけ
Store away the past somewhere.
ここからそう遠くないだろう 観たこともない景色
The scenery that you have not seen is not that far away from here.
止まらない 胸の痛み
An unending chest pain.
超えて もっと君に近づきたいよ
Overcoming that to get closer to you even more.
一周り しては戻り
Going around in circles and returning again.
青い空をずっと手探り
Continuously reaching out into the blue sky.
誓うことは 今日が最初の good day
Swearing that today will be the first good day.
桜まで 風の中で 揺れて そっと君に手を伸ばすよ
Even the cherry blossoms sway in the wind and I extend my hand to you gently.
好きで好きでどうしようもない それとこれとは関係無い
Loving you so much that I don't know what to do, but that has nothing to do with anything else.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hikaru Utada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-el2li5cr4m
恋をして 終わりを告げ 誓うことは これが最後のHeartbreak 桜さえ風の中で揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
降り出した夏の雨が 涙の横を通った すーっと 思い出とダブる映像 秋のドラマ再放送
どうして同じようなパンチ 何度もくらっちゃうんだ それでもまた戦うんだろう それが命の不思議
恋をして 全て捧げ 願うことは これが最後のHeartbreak 桜さえ時の中で揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
繰り返す季節の中で くつが擦り減ってく
もっと肩の力抜いて 過去はどこかにしまっておけ ここからそう遠くないだろう 観たこともない景色
止まらない胸の痛み超えて もっと君に近づきたいよ 一周りしては戻り 青い空をずっと手探り
恋をして 終わりを告げ 誓うことは 今日が最初のgood day 桜まで風の中で揺れて そっと君に手を伸ばすよ
好きで好きでどうしょうもない それとこれとは関係ない
@LeeCat
SAKURAドロップス
恋をして 終わりを告げ
誓うことは これが最後の heartbreak
桜さえ 風の中で
揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
降り出した 夏の雨が涙の横を通った すーっと
思い出とダブる映像 秋のドラマ再放送
どうして同じような
パンチ何度もくらっちゃうんだ
それでもまた戦うんだろう
それが命の不思議
恋をして 全て捧げ
願うことは これが最後の heartbreak
桜さえ 時の中で
揺れて やがて花を咲かすよ
繰り返す 季節の中で くつが擦り減ってく
もっと 肩の力抜いて
過去はどこかにしまっておけ
ここからそう遠くないだろう
観たこともない景色
止まらない 胸の痛み
超えて もっと君に近づきたいよ
一周り しては戻り
青い空をずっと手探り
恋をして 終わりを告げ
誓うことは 今日が最初の good day
桜まで 風の中で
揺れて そっと君に手を伸ばすよ
好きで好きでどうしようもない それとこれとは関係無い
@yuuji.73y
作詞：宇多田ヒカル
作曲：宇多田ヒカル
恋をして 終わりを告げ
誓うことは: これが最後のHeartbreak
桜さえ風の中で揺れて
やがて花を咲かすよ
降り出した夏の雨が
涙の横を通った すーっと
思い出とダブる映像
秋のドラマ再放送
どうして同じようなパンチ
何度もくらっちゃうんだ←打ち返さなそうなるわ😑
それでもまた戦うんだろう
それが命の不思議
恋をして 全て捧げ
願うことは: これが最後のHeartbreak
桜さえ時の中で揺れて
やがて花を咲かすよ
繰り返す季節の中で
くつが擦り減ってく
もっと肩の力抜いて
過去はどこかにしまっておけ
ここからそう遠くないだろう
観たこともない景色
止まらない胸の痛み超えて
もっと君に近づきたいよ
一周りしては戻り
青い空をずっと手探り
恋をして 終わりを告げ
誓うことは: 今日が最初のgood day
桜まで風の中で揺れて
そっと君に手を伸ばすよ
好きで好きでどうしょうもない
それとこれとは関係ない🍀🍎 105 知りませんでした🫠
宇多田さんも 別れ際 ありがとうを水臭いと表現するね
@norikob888
この曲聞くたびに涙が出る40過ぎたおばちゃんです。この曲を10代で作ったなんて、天才としかいいようがない。
@user-ue9yt9lw6i
涙が出るのは恥ずかしい事じゃないですよ。オレもヒッキーの曲聴くと泣きたくなります。同い年でこんな天才がいるなんてなー。もろ感性に響きます。あなたも心に直に来てるから涙が出るんですよ。
@maki-gz3ob
私もヒッキーと同世代40代。
同じお気持ちです、、、
この時期無性に聴きたくなって。
いまは、桜を見ながらこの曲を聴いて、しずかに涙を流したいです。
旋律も、この時期の切なさとゆったりとした香りをふくんだ空気をそのまま現していて。
泣くけど、嬉しいのですよね。
@user-vg2sy7qe5f
失恋してもまた恋を繰り返すことと、散ってもまた咲く桜とが綺麗に重ね合わせられてて凄い
@typhoontyphoon
このPV見るたびに思うことは黒髪はとても美しいものだという再確認。
@user-cx3ne8gs8d
どんな曲も
何回聴いても久しぶりに聴いても
凄いなって思えるから
天才ってこういう事なのかなって思う。
@user-tp4je3bd4i
間違い無いですよね 泣けてきちゃうけど大好きです
@user-jz4th5rp8b
そや
@battoshindo7806
どの曲聴いても凄いよな。意味わからんもん
@user-mp8pc1bc2d
凄すぎて未来までも追いつけない