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/
This One
宇多田ヒカル Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm an independent woman, I,
I've been crying like a child
I just wanted you to know the person that I am
More than any other your fans
I would love you for a thousand years
Yours truly
Let me tell you I've tried that
Already
Every day, and every night, your words
Ring through me
Who am I trying to fool, honey I've been living on my own
like Freddy
But I'm still a woman, baby tell me how
How could I ever love another?
How could you say you don't remember?
God knows I'd give anything
For just one more night together
Today I'll miss you more than ever
How could you say you don't remember?
This one's for the happiness I'll be wishing you forever
It's just another Friday night
For you and your accessory
And there you are before my eyes
Two hours and for fifteen minutes you are here
I don't wanna scream lest I should tear
A whisper in the darkness disappears
Sincerely
We should get back on the road
Like Simon and Garfunkel
Let's get married
You were all the shelter that I need above me
Who am I trying to fool
Honey I've got your ring tone on my
Blackberry
And I won't give a damn if only I knew how
How could I ever love another?
How could you say you don't remember?
God knows I'd give anything
For just one more night together
Today I'll miss you more than ever
How could you say you don't remember?
This one's for the happiness I'll be wishing you forever
You got me crying like a child
Ain't no need for me to lie
A hundred j-peg files fillin' up my herd-drive
You got me crying like a child
And the crowd is going wild
This one, this is the one
Come on and give it up
How could I ever love another?
How could you say you don't remember?
God knows I'd give anything
For just one more night together
Today I'll miss you more than ever
How could you say you don't remember?
This one's for the happiness I'll be wishing you forever
How could I ever love another?
How could you say you don't remember?
God knows I'd give anything
For just one more night together
Today I'll miss you more than ever
How could you say you don't remember?
This one's for the happiness I'll be wishing you forever
The lyrics of the song, "This One" by 宇多田ヒカル, describe the singer's heartfelt and emotional plea to a former lover. Despite her being an independent woman, she has been crying like a child and desperately wants the man to know the person she truly is, more than any other of his fans. The lyrics also highlight her unending love for him, even after a painful breakup, and her inability to forget him. Throughout the song, she is grappling with the memories of their past and wondering how she could ever love someone else.
The second verse reveals the torment she feels when she sees him again, and how she is battling to keep her emotions together. Nonetheless, she finds solace in their shared history and wants him to consider giving their relationship another chance. The song ends with the singer's declaration of her undying love for him and a wish for his ongoing happiness, even if they never reunite.
Overall, the lyrics of "This One" are a poignant and wistful reflection on the complexities of love and relationships. The song conveys a sense of vulnerability and honesty that is both relatable and insightful.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I put this I I I
I am struggling to express myself
I'm an independent woman, I,
I am a strong, self-sufficient woman
I've been crying like a child
I am vulnerable and emotional
I just wanted you to know the person that I am
I want you to understand who I truly am
More than any other your fans
I care for you more than any of your other fans
I would love you for a thousand years
My love for you transcends time
Yours truly
Sincerely and with love
I ain't gonna play it cool
I am done pretending not to care
Let me tell you I've tried that
I have attempted to hide my true feelings
Already
But it hasn't worked
Every day, and every night, your words
Your words consume me constantly
Ring through me
They echo through my mind and heart
Who am I trying to fool, honey I've been living on my own
I am pretending to be independent, but I need you in my life
like Freddy
Like Freddy Krueger, who haunts dreams
But I'm still a woman, baby tell me how
Despite my strength, I still have deep emotions and needs
How could I ever love another?
I cannot imagine loving anyone else
How could you say you don't remember?
You claim to not remember our time together
God knows I'd give anything
I am willing to do anything for another chance with you
For just one more night together
I yearn for one more moment with you
Today I'll miss you more than ever
I am feeling your absence strongly today
This one's for the happiness I'll be wishing you forever
This song is a tribute to the love and happiness I wish for you
It's just another Friday night
Another night without you
For you and your accessory
You are with someone else
And there you are before my eyes
But I cannot stop thinking about you
Two hours and for fifteen minutes you are here
You were only present for a brief time
I don't wanna scream lest I should tear
I am holding back my emotions to avoid breaking down
A whisper in the darkness disappears
The memory of your presence fades quickly
Sincerely
With honesty and heartfelt emotion
We should get back on the road
We should try to move forward together
Like Simon and Garfunkel
Like the musicians who found success together
Let's get married
Let's commit to each other fully
You were all the shelter that I need above me
You provided comfort and safety for me
Honey I've got your ring tone on my
I have your ringtone on my phone
Blackberry
An older model of smartphone
And I won't give a damn if only I knew how
I am willing to risk everything for a chance with you
You got me crying like a child
You are causing me to feel vulnerable and emotional
Ain't no need for me to lie
I am being honest about my feelings
A hundred j-peg files fillin' up my hard-drive
I have many memories and photos of us stored on my computer
And the crowd is going wild
My emotions are overwhelming
This one, this is the one
This song is the most important one to me
Come on and give it up
Admit your feelings for me and give in to our love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mikkel Eriksen, Teruzane Utada, Hikaru Utada, Tor Hermansen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ayako Tashiro
on 日曜の朝
good