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Hikaru Utada

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Hikaru Utada

Hikaru Utada (宇多田 ヒカル, born January 19, 1983), also known by her fans as Hikki (ヒッキー, Hikkī), is a third culture singer-songwriter, arranger and record producer in Japan and the US. She is well-known internationally for her two theme song contributions to Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts video game series.[1]

Her proper Japanese-language debut album, First Love, released in March 1999 when she had just turned 16, charted at #1 for an astonishing six non-consecutive weeks on the Oricon Albums chart, and went on to become the best-selling album of all time in Japan with over 7.65 million copies sold to date in Japan alone.[2] With the release of 7 Japanese and English studio albums, 1 compilation album, 25 Japanese and English solo singles, and several VHS/DVD releases, she has sold over 41 million records worldwide (with over 35 million in home nation Japan). Moreover, her first three Japanese studio albums are in the Top 10 all-time best-selling albums in Japan ranking (#1, #4, #8)[3], making her one of the most indefinitely successful and popular singers in J-pop history. She has had 12 #1 hits to date on the Oricon Singles chart, with a record five of them being million-sellers and four placing in the Top 100 List of Japan's All-Time Best-selling Singles (the former record for a female solo or group artist she has tied with Namie Amuro, Ayumi Hamasaki, and Pink Lady)[4][5]. She has won the Nihon Golden Disk "Song of the Year" award for fourteen of her singles since 2000 and has won the Golden Disc "Pop/Rock Album of the Year" award for all four of her Japanese studio albums.[6] In 2003 Utada Hikaru was ranked the #24 Japanese pop artist in its survey of "Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists of All Time" by HMV, [7] and #10 in HMV's "Top 30 Best Japanese Singers of All Time" in 2006.[8]

In 2007, her single "Flavor of Life" reached #2 in worldwide digital download single sales with over 7.2 million downloads (the only non-American artist to hold such a distinction), and she sold a total of 12 million digital ringtones and songs in that same year, making her the first artist ever to have this many digital sales in a year's time.[9]

Biography

Early life

Hikaru Utada was born in New York to Japanese parents with roots in the Japanese music industry. Her father, Teruzane Utada, was a record producer. Her mother, Junko Utada, was an enka singer, performing under the stage name "Keiko Fuji."  Junko Utada’s mother, and Hikaru’s grandmother, was a blind shamisen player (ごぜ, or goze). Hikaru Utada made her first professional recording at the age of twelve. She did her recordings with her mother, releasing songs under a band named “U3” (also known as Utada 3) until 1996 when she started her first solo project, "I’ll be Stronger."  The "Cookin’ With Moses Vocal" from this project was called the "Cookin’ With Gas Vocal" on the promotional release. "I’ll Be Stronger" was the first song Hikaru Utada wrote. It was released under the artist name "Cubic U," a mathematical reference to her being the third Utada 'power,' which was Hikaru’s pseudonym before becoming a superstar in Japan. The song failed to release in the United States, and in 1997, she started her next project. Her goddaughter, Ayani Saiyuki helps her with some of her music.[citation needed] She is currently attending Polytechnic High.

Utada didn't want to be there at first.

"Watching my parents, doing crazy things to continue working on music, um, I thought I never want to be musician, It's crazy, and it's unstable.....Just, it looks like a very hectical life, and I didn't really understand the passion for music they have back then. But I ended up following my parents' footstep and carry on the family business and I am a musican now as well and, now I understand the driving passion behind it, and that's ok." She said on an interview.[1]

The Beginning

  • 1998: Precious Era

Cubic U released her debut single "Close to You," which was a cover of The Carpenters' song. She then released her debut album Precious, but it failed to be released in the United States due to restructuring issues at her then record label Capitol Records. In an MTV interview (on MTV’s You Hear It First, October 2004), Utada explained: "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 said ok, why not? I'll try. Then I gave it a shot, and the Japanese album just really blow up in Japan."[2] She released Precious in Japan on January 28, 1998, and then later re-released it on March 31, 1999 to much better success. It has sold 702,060 copies to date in Japan, making it a significant hit for an all-English album in that market.

Continuous Success in Japan

  • 1998-1999:First Love Era

Utada moved to Tokyo in late 1998 and attended Seisen International School, and later the American School in Japan, while continuing to record on a new contract with Toshiba-EMI. She soon made her mark on Japanese music with her phenomenally successful single, "Automatic / Time Will Tell."  Over 2,063,000 units have sold cumulatively of its two versions, making it the 2nd most successful single by a solo female artist in Japanese music history, behind Namie Amuro’s "Can You Celebrate?", and also stands as the most successful debut single ever released in the country.[10] Two months later, "Movin' on without you," which was a tie-in with a popular Nissan Car television commercial, was released on February 17 1999 and would clear 1-million confirmed units with its two cumulative versions: another 8cm and 12cm dual release, and became her second platinum single and first #1 single.

This was soon followed by her much-anticipated official studio debut album which came out the following month, March 1999, titled First Love, which has a historic triumph with over five million copies sold from March to April 1999, placing Utada among the 100 wealthiest people in Japan, and end up with the biggest selling album ever in Japan. First Love was not only the best-selling album in Japanese history,[citation needed] but also had the highest initial first-week and overall sales for a debut album, achieving multi-platinum status in its first week of release. Utada would be noted in the Guinness Book of World Records 2000 for being the "Most Popular Singer in Asia."[citation needed]

A month after the album First Love was released, the song "First Love" was released as a single, mostly because of popular demand, and sold 804,000 units cumulatively of its 8cm and 12cm version. First Love was Utada’s only album to have merely three previous single releases, all her subsequent work would contain at least four singles. In addition to the album reaching #1 status on the daily, weekly and monthly charts of the Oricon Top 200, Utada also broke the record for units sold of a single album in Japan by the year’s end (over 7.650 million units), all by age 16, which record she still holds to this day. First Love is the most commercially successful debut CD album, and most commercially successful album overall by a Japanese artist, in Japanese music history, having sold over 10 million copies throughout Asia, with nearly 8 million copies sold in Japan alone.[11] [12] The year ended for Utada on a high note, being ranked #5 on Japanese radio station "Tokio Hot 100 Airplay's" Top 100 Artists of the 20th Century by the station and its listeners.[13]

  • 1999-2001:Distance Era

Eight months after "First Love" was released, Utada then released her fourth Japanese-language single, "Addicted To You." It broke the million mark in its first week, making it the fastest selling single of all time by a solo or female artist in Japan.[citation needed] It also hit #1 on the Oricon Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks (a personal first) and eventually sold 1,784,000 copies. It remains her most successful single of all time. On April 19 2000, Utada released her first of only two singles for that year, "Wait & See ~Risk~." It also reached #1 on the Oricon Sinlges with her second highest debut on that particular chart, and would go on to sell 1,662,000 copies, her largest-selling single that year. This single would later be ranked #6 on Oricon's list of 10 Best-Selling Singles from January 1 1999 to April 24 2006[14]. A month later, she released a half single "Remix: Fly Me to the Moon" in English and Toshiba-EMI released an animated music video for the single version of Fly Me to the Moon. The single was a limited edition release of 20,000 units, but sold out rapidly while hitting a chart peak of #16 on the Oricon. The follow-up "For You / Time Limit," her second double A-sided single, was released in late June and proved much more successful by becoming her fourth #1 hit (her second single to reach #1 two consecutive weeks). It was her last single in 2000 and it eventually sold 888,650 units. In July-August 2000, Utada decided to go on her first major headlining tour entitled "Bohemian Summer Circuit Live 2000". The tickets for all the July concert showings sold out within ninety minutes on April 22 2000 with the following day resulting in all the August tickets selling out in under seventy-five minutes[15]. Utada would temporarily return to New York City just after "For You/Time Limit"'s release to attend Columbia University as a freshman, but finding her break into Japanese music scene "easier than expected," she left after a year to pursue her music career.[16]

In early 2001, Utada released what would be the final Distance era single, "Can You Keep a Secret?" on February 16, 2001. It brought her #1 hit count up to five (her third single to stay #1 two weeks), and became her fifth single to exceed a million units in sales, raking in an eventual 1.484 million units, and was #10 on Oricon's Top Ten List of Best-Selling Singles from January 1, 1999 to April 24, 2006[17]. A month later, she released her second album, "Distance," on March 28, 2001, after nearly a two year hiatus. It has the largest first-week sales for any album in music history, with over 3 million units sold.[18] At the end of 2001, it became the most sold album for any J-music artist worldwide or in the residential industry, with 4.469 million copies sold in Japan alone. She had the #1 single and album of the year as well in Japan, for Distance and its last released single, "Can You Keep A Secret?" Distance is also the fourth best-selling album of all time in Japan.[19] The video for Utada's 2001 song "Can You Keep a Secret?" received some attention as part of "International Week," which coincided with the 2001 EMAs on the American channel MTV2. The video's airplay was likely Utada's first chance of exposure in the United States. In 2001, Utada also did a duet with Foxy Brown tited "Blow My Whistle" and featured on the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack.

  • 2002-2003:Deep River Era

After Distance, Utada quickly released the single which was dedicated to the female victim, Utada's fan, of a murder case in Ikeda, Osaka "Final Distance." After that, she released "Traveling," "Hikari," and "Sakura Drops/Letters" for her 2002 follow-up album, Deep River. With the exception of "Final Distance" (#2 peak), they all became instant #1 smashes on the Oricon singles chart, selling a combined total of about 2.8 million physical units by the end of 2002.[citation needed] In May 2002, she became sick right before the release of Deep River and underwent surgery after being diagnosed with an ovarian tumor.[20] During this period, not only did she have to put on hold her TV appearances and other promotional activities, but she was hurt as the media knew she had gained weight from surgery.

In June 2002, just over a year and a month after "Distance," the album was released. While there were no TV appearances, she promoted her album in magazine and radio interviews. The Oricon count of the album was another amazing first-week sales debut for Utada, with 2.35 million sold for the week post its release day. Oricon reports that sales eventually surpassed 3.60 million, making her the only singer or group in Japanese music history to have three consecutive albums surpass the triple-platinum (3 million) sold mark, by RIAJ standards. It was also her third consecutive time to hold the #1 position on Oricon's Yearly Albums chart[21] and became the eighth best selling album of all time in Japan.[19]

In 2003, Utada's promotional and personal life schedules got more active due to her marriage and an imposing agreement with Island Records in America to release a proper full-English debut album. New Japanese-language singles would therefore come few and far between, but Utada did release "Colors" on January 29, 2003, which was her only single release for 2003. This song was distinctive because it featured heavy ethereal and experimental tones for the first time in Utada's discography, something that would display itself fruitfully in all the ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION eras' singles. It became her longest charting single ever with a 45 week trajectory on the Oricon Singles chart, selling 881,000 copies, and was #3 on the Yearly Singles chart.

International Forays

  • 2004-2005:Exodus Era

Her first singles compilation album Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol.1 was released on March 31, 2004. It became the best-selling album of 2004 in Japan, making her the only solo or group artist to reach #1 four times on the yearly charts. It was also the first compilation album to reach #1 in six years on the yearly charts, and the first compilation album to reach #1 in twenty six years by a female artist.[22] Its success was a particularly amazing achievement, since it received very little promotion and contained no new material or photos. Moreover, it charted longer on the Oricon Albums chart longer than any other Utada release to date, over 2 years. It was also her first to debut at #1 on the United World Charts, the first time in music history for any Asian artist.[23] The album would go on to sell over 2.575 million units in Japan, making it the 34th best-selling album ever in the country.[19] A month later, on April 21, she released her only Japanese single in 2004, "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro," which topped the singles chart for two consecutive weeks and sold 365,000 units by the year's end and was also the main theme song for Casshern, her now ex-husband's directorial debut.

In mid-2004, Utada moved back to New York, and began work on a new recording contract with Island Def Jam Music Group. On October 5, 2004, she released her North American English-language debut album, Exodus, under the name "Utada," which was her new American-given artist title at the Universal Convention[24]. It was released nearly a month earlier, on September 9 in Japan, with a special booklet and housed in a cardboard slipcase. In an MTV interview, Utada said: "I don't think it's the music that I'm concerned about. It's obviously that I look really different and there really aren't any completely Asian people [who are popular singers in the U.S.] right now."[25] Exodus became Utada's fourth consecutive release to debut at #1 and boast 500,000+ first-week sales. It had a chart run of twenty weeks on the Oricon and saw her reach #1 on the World United Charts a second time,[26] eventually selling 1.35 million copies. In spite of enlisting the help of Timbaland to produce and co-write some songs, her American debut as an Island Records artist was met with indifference by the American market, almost due to the fact that there was virtually no promotion on her record label's part, selling a minimal 30,000 units. "Easy Breezy" was released as the lead single in early August 2004, peaking at #9 Billboard Hot Dance/Club Airplay chart[citation needed], followed up by "Devil Inside" a month and two weeks later. "Exodus '04" was released at the end of June 2005 and featured remixes from The Scumfrog, Richard Vission, JJ Flores and Peter Bailey. In the UK, Mercury added another 2 remixes for "You make me want to be a man" in the original album Exodus 04, titled "You Make Me Want To Be A Man [Bloodshy & Avant Mix]" and "You Make Me Want To Be A Man [Junior Jack Mix]." By the end of the year Utada was voted "#1 Favorite Artist of 2004" by Oricon's annual readers poll[27]

A year after the international releases and promotion of Exodus, Utada moved back to Tokyo and returned to the Japanese music scene with the release of her 14th Japanese single, "Be My Last," originally rumored to be a double A-side. The title track was used as the main theme for the movie Spring Snow (春の雪 Haru no Yuki). Despite topping the Oricon charts, "Be My Last" did not meet commercial expectations, failing to sell over 30% of pre-ordered shipments. However, "Be My Last" became the second most downloaded song via PC of 2005 in Japan. In mid-December, she released her second Japanese single for 2005 single "Passion," which was used as the theme song for the Japanese version of video game Kingdom Hearts II. Depite the large tie-in that was akin to Hikari, the single only reached #4 on the Oricon Top 200 singles charts, selling just over 112,000 copies total, her lowest-selling Japanese single to date.[citation needed] In addition to "Passion," Utada composed an English version, "Sanctuary," that was used for overseas advertisement for Kingdom Hearts II, which used different lyrics and style of background vocals.

The fourth single from her English Exodus album, "You Make Me Want to Be a Man," was released in October 2005. "Devil Inside" became a club smash in the U.S. and topped the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Airplay charts, and remains her most successful single release in the U.S..[citation needed] Both the Exodus album and "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" single were released in the U.K., with different artwork from the USA and Japanese versions. In October 2005, "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" became another #1 on the Billboard Dance chart and was featured on the Japanese Nintendo DS Launch Campaign.

Return to Japan

  • 2006: Ultra Blue Era

On February 22, 2006 Utada released her 16th Japanese single, "Keep Tryin'." The single was used to promote Lismo! au Listen Mobile Service. "Keep Tryin'" peaked at #2 on the Oricon charts, selling a sizeable 125,000 copies total over Passion, still somewhat short in contrast to most all her earlier works. However, the digital sales were Utada's highest up to this point, clearing two-and-a-half million downloads, and spending the most weeks atop OnGen's digital charts at two and half months. "Keep Tryin'" also reached number one on iTunes Japan's year-end chart[28]. "This Is Love", the opening track from Utada's then-upcoming Japanese studio album Ultra Blue became available for download on May 31, making it Utada's first digital sales-exclusive single (eventually becoming the ninth most downloaded song of 2006 at iTunes Japan[29]) and was used to promote Ultra Blue, which was released on June 14, 2006 physically and June 28 digitally. The album contained "Colors" her lone 2003 single and "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro" her lone 2004 single. Unlike her previous Japanese-language albums, Ultra Blue did not have an eponymous track to the album title. Instead, the ballad "Blue" was recorded. The song and album featured Utada's new experimental pop and dance tone, becoming its central theme. Ultra Blue sold 500,317 copies in the first week, easily topping the Oricon Daily, Weekly and Monthly charts, and becoming Utada's third #1 album debut on the United World Charts.[26] in addition to giving Utada her sixth consecutive chart-topping album to sell in excess of 500,000 units for first-week sales, setting a new record. It also charted a second week at #1 on the Oricon Daily and Weekly charts, selling a further 157,000 units. By July 13, barely a month post its release, her record label Toshiba EMI published a report confirming Ultra Blue had sold over one million copies worldwide and four million digital ringtones already[30]. After fifty-three weeks on the Oricon chart, Ultra Blue sold 910,998 units in Japan and was certified triple-platinum by the RIAJ, making it the highest-selling original studio album by a Japanese female artist in 2006.[31]

Ultra Blue was also Utada's first album to be available on the iTunes Japan online music store, where it was immensely successful, charting at #4 on the 2006 yearly download rankings[32]. It was the best selling original studio album by a female artist in 2006, and the seventh best selling album of the year according to 'Oricon Style' magazine rankings. The EMI Group released their Annual Report for 2007 on July 29, and with it came news that Utada’s album Ultra Blue had sold 1.3 million units worldwide, making it one of EMI’s 10th best-selling album of the past year.[33]

The "Utada United 2006" nationwide tour commenced June 30, 2006 and ended on September 12, 2006 after Utada's performances at Yoyogi. This was Utada's only other concert tour besides her debut tour with the "Bohemian Summer 2000" concert series; she performed one concert at the Budokan Dome in 2004. Aside from her Japanese work, the tour's set list featured three tracks from her 2004 English-language album, Exodus. The dates were all cumulatively announced, and ticket sales started on May 28, 2006 with the majority of venues selling out in less than two hours.[citation needed] On September 20, 2006, Exodus was re-released in Japan in addition to releasing "Utada Hikaru Single Collection" Volume 4 in September 2006.

  • 2007-2008:Heart Station Era

On November 22, 2006, Utada released her 17th Japanese single, "ぼくはくま (Boku wa Kuma, lit. I'm a Bear)." "Boku wa Kuma" was aired on the Japanese children's show, Minna no Uta.

On February 28, 2007, Utada released her 18th Japanese single "Flavor Of Life ." The ballad version of "Flavor Of Life" was featured as the insert song for the second season of the popular Japanese drama, Hana Yori Dango 2. An annual EMI record report on July 29, 2007 mentioned the immense digital success of “Flavor Of Life,” citing it as one of the reasons why EMI’s digital revenue expanded by 69% this year in Japan.[33] In April 2007, "Flavor Of Life" became the highest-selling Japanese downloadable single of all time (in excess of 7.7 million downloads by July 2007). Combining its digital downloads with physical CD sales, it has sold well past 8,300,000 copies in total, marking the all-time combination sales record for a single in Japan.[34]

"Kiss & Cry", featured in the 2007 "Freedom Cup Noodles CM", the same tie-in of her 2006 Japanese digital single, "This is Love." "Kiss & Cry", released June 30th, became her second digital single in Japan, and later her fourth double A-side single. Her next single, "Beautiful World" was the theme song for the first Rebuild of Evangelion movie, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) AloneAfter multiple delays, "Beautiful World / Kiss & Cry" debuted on August 29, 2007. It reached #3 on the weekly rankings with 93,518 copies sold and has sold over 234,000 copies to date. The single's B-side, "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) -2007 Mix- would be used as a theme for the CM trailers promoting "Rebuild of Evangelion". The song, originally featured on the "Distance" single, "Wait & See ~Risk~," was remastered with new background music for the tie-in. "Beautiful World / Kiss & Cry" was the #2 female single of 2007 in Japan behind her own "Flavor Of Life." Utada was also voted "#1 Favorite Artist of 2007" by Oricon's annual readers poll, three years after she was last voted #1 on the poll.[27]

Utada sold a cumulative total of 12 million digital ringtones and songs in 2007, making her the first Japanese artist ever to have this many digital sales in one year.[9] Utada's physical single sales for 2007 were the highest of any solo or female artist in Japan.

On September 25, 2007, Utada stated in her blog that she visited New York and that she was talking with producers and executives at Island/Def Jam about recording her third English album (confirming rampant rumors earlier this year about a possible follow-up to Exodus).[35]. A duet with with American R&B artist Ne-Yo, titled "Do You" from his latest 2007 album, Because of You. The track was digitally released in Japan on November 21. [36][37]

USEN, in commemoration of Utada entering her 10th year as a professional singer/songwriter in Japan, gave away free Chaku-Uta downloadable copies of her debut single “Automatic” in Decemeber 2007. The popular Japanese social networking service, Mixi (similar to Facebook), also collaborated with Utada Hikaru and EMI Music Japan to celebrate her 10th anniversary as an artist as well as to promote her album, "Heart Station". The campaign ran in March 2008 with free "First Love” Chaku-Uta downloads available.

Utada released her 20th Japanese single, Heart Station / Stay Gold, on February 20, 2008. The second A-side, "Stay Gold" was used to promote Kao's new Asience hair care line, while "Heart Station" was used in the 2008 Recochoku ringtone download service commercial. "Heart Station" had the honor of being the newly-branched Billboard Japan's first #1 hit for the Hot 100 Airplay Charts[38].

"Heart Station" is also the name of her fifth Japanese album which was released on March 19, 2008. With a total of 13 tracks, the album's opening track, "Fight the Blues" was used as the albums main promotional track, with airplay on Japanese radio and availability for download through USEN on March 3, 2008.[39] The promote the new album, a sizable amount of 30 magazines hosted a standard short Q&A with artist's picture with four having exclusive interviews and longer photoshoots [39].

To further promote the album, "Prisoner Of Love," was confirmed as the theme song to the Japanese drama "Last Friends", which premiered onApril 10, 2008.[40] “Prisoner Of Love”, the theme song to the then upcoming Japanese drama “Last Friends,” would also be released as a re-cut physical single on May 21, 2008. "Prisoner Of Love" will remain as the theme song while a new version, "Prisoner Of Love -Quiet Version-" will be the insert song for the drama.

Heart Station claimed first place on the Japanese iTunes as well Oricon weekly sales chart, selling 480,081 physical units in its first week on sale in Japan, making it the highest first week album sales of 2008. This is Utada’s seventh consecutive weekly #1 debut album, and sixth consecutive weekly #1 for original albums, tying the record alongside the Checkers, Hikaru Genji, and Kinki Kids[41].

Utada Hikaru's name

Utada's name variations have been a source of some minor confusion in the past. Her legal name at birth is Utada Hikaru (宇多田光, Utada Hikaru). For her original U.S. debut album, she used the name Cubic U. However, she gained very little fame at this stage in her career. For her Japanese recordings, she has used the name Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル), with her given name in katakana. Unlike most Japanese artists, she became well known in the English-speaking world under this surname-first name ordering, since her name has been romanized only in that order for the Japanese domestic market. In Japan, it was known that her nickname growing up in the U.S. was "Hikki." However, due to her immense popularity in Japan, she became better known under this nickname in Japan than in the United States. After her successes in Japan, she re-entered the U.S. market simply as Utada (sometimes Iwashita). On a few rare occasions, she has been credited in full on U.S. domestic albums as either "Hikaru Utada" or "Utada Hikaru." Her legal name in Japan was Hikaru Iwashita (岩下光, Iwashita Hikaru) due to her marriage to Kiriya Kazuaki (whose real name is Kazuhiro Iwashita). However, she does not use this name for most public purposes. Her legal name in the United States has not been clear, especially since the announcement of her divorce on March 2, 2007.

Personal life

On September 7, 2002 Utada married Kazuaki Kiriya, a photographer and film director who was fifteen years her senior. Kiriya had directed several of her music videos, including "Final Distance," "traveling," "Hikari," "Sakura Drops," "Deep River," "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro," "Be My Last," "Passion," and "Keep Tryin." Also, "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro" is the theme song of Kiriya's directorial debut, Casshern.

On September 26, 2006, Utada Hikaru's mother, Junko Utada, had more than $400,000 USD seized in what the DEA says are suspected drug proceeds as Junko tried to board a plane from New York to Las Vegas. Junko Utada said the money was for a Las Vegas foster home but she could not remember the name or if she ever visited it. Junko Utada has since filed a claim to retrieve the money.[3]

On March 2 2007, Utada Hikaru and her husband Kazuaki Kiriya were officially divorced, thus ending their four and a half year marriage. They announced the divorce on Utada's blog the following day. Both stated that many factors contributed to the divorce, including personal changes, different viewpoints on the future of their marriage, and, more importantly, lack of communication due to the nature of their jobs. Kiriya hoped that Utada's fans would continue to support her and that the divorce would not affect her reputation and sales. He stated that they could not "emotionally depend on each other" and wished for everybody to support Utada.[42]

On March 92008, roughly a year after her divorce, for an interview for SSTV V.I.P., Utada was asked another question regarding it. Utada stated that they were headed towards a direction in which she felt that she needed to be validated by her husband's opinion. She came to realize the only type of assurance she needed was herself and as a result of the divorce, she gained confidence. Also, Utada stated that she wishes to have children, giving her a brighter outlook on the future. [43]

Discography

Notable awards and records

Years Awards
1999
  • Yusen Awards - Top Award "Special Prize"
  • Yusen Awards - Top Award "Best New Artist"
  • The 40th Japan Record Awards - Best Album Prize (First Love)[44]
  • The 40th Japan Record Awards - Honorable Mention Songs (Automatic)[45]
  • Record: First Love - Best-Selling Japanese Language Album of All Time (7.648 million units in Japan and 10.056 worldwide as of 2007), Highest First Week Sales for a Debut Album (2 million+), and Fastest Selling album in Japanese history (5.24 million units in one month)
2000
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - The Triple Crown
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Artist of The Year
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of The Year (Automatic, Movin' on without you, Addicted To You)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Pop/Rock Album of The Year (First Love)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Music Video of The Year (Single Clip Collection Vol.1)
  • World Music Awards- Best-Selling Asian Artist[46]
  • Jasrac - Gold Award (Automatic)
  • Jasrac - Silver Award (time will tell)
2001
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of The Year (Wait & See ~Risk~ & For You / Time Limit)
  • MTV Japan Viewer's Choice Video (Can You Keep A Secret?)
  • Record: Distance - Highest First Week Sales Album of All Time (3 million+)
2002
  • SpaceShowerTV Best Art Direction Video (traveling)
  • SpaceShowerTV Best Female Video (traveling)
  • SpaceShowerTV Best Video of The Year (traveling)
  • MTV Japan Best R&B Artist
  • The 16th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of The Year (Can You Keep A Secret? & traveling)
  • The 16th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards - Pop/Rock Album of The Year (Distance)
  • Jasrac Silver Award (Can You Keep A Secret?)
2003
  • Rank #24 in HMV Japan's Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists of All Time[47]
  • J-Wave Tokio Hot 100 Airplay Best Female Artist
  • SpaceShowerTV Best Female Video (Sakura Drops)
  • MTV Japan Best Female Video (Sakura Drops)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - The Triple Crown
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Artist of The Year
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of The Year (Hikari, Sakura Drops, & Colors)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Rock & Pop Album of The Year (Deep River)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Music Video of The Year (traveling)
  • Jasrac Silver Award - (traveling)
  • Jasrac Silver Award -Foreign Production- (Hikari)
2004
  • AMD Award for Best Music Composer (UH Live Streaming 20 Dai wa Ikeike!)
  • World Music Awards - Best-Selling Japanese Artist[48]
  • Record: Highest First Week Sales in Japan for an English/International Album: Exodus (521,000+ units)
  • Record: Only Musical Artist (solo or Group) to be #1 on Oricon's Yearly Charts 5 (consecutive or -non) times (4x on Yealy Album Charts and 1x on Yearly Singles Chart)
2005
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of The Year (Dareka no negai ga Kanau Koro)[49]
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Rock & Pop Album of The Year (Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - International Rock & Pop Album of the Year (Exodus)
  • The Japan Gold Disc Awards - Music Video of The Year (Utada Hikaru in Budokan 2004 'Hikaru no 5')
2006
  • Rank #10 in HMV Japan's "30 Greatest Japanese Singers of All Time" List[50]
  • Rank #3 for Total Female & Solo Artist Album Sales[51]
  • The 20th Japan Gold Disc Awards - Song of the Year (Be My Last)
  • Record: (Tied w/ Japanese rock group "Mr.Children") Most Times (consecutive or non-) an Asian or Non-U.S. music Act had the #1 Album in the World on the United World Chart Album Rankings (3x~Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1, Exodus, & ULTRA BLUE)
  • Rank #1 - Most Consecutive Albums by a solo or group artist to have 500,000+ first week sales since debut (5)[52]
2007
  • The 21st Japan Gold Disc Awards - Rock & Pop Album of The Year Award (Ultra Blue)
  • The 21st Japan Gold Disc Awards - 10 Best Albums (Ultra Blue)
  • The 21st Japan Gold Disc Awards - Million Sales Album Artist Card - Ultra Blue[53]
  • HEY!HEY!HEY! Music Champ SP (Top 10 Million-Selling Albums of All-Time in Japan)
  • -First Love-#1 (7,650,215)
  • -Distance-#4 (4,469,135)
  • -Deep River-#8 (3,604,588)
  • Listen Japan Website Report: #1 Digital Artist of Japan 2007 for 10 million download sales of two song versions of "Flavor of Life" and three "Beautiful World/Kiss & Cry" single songs[54].
  • The #2 Digital Single of the World - "Flavor Of Life" [55].
  • The #1 Best Selling Artist in Terms of Digital Sales in 2007, with total sales of over 12 million. [9].
2008
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - Single of the Year ("Flavor Of Life")[56]
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - PC Download Song of the Year ("Flavor Of Life")[56]
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - Best 10 Singles ("Flavor of Life")
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - Best 5 Chaku-Uta Songs ("Flavor of Life"-Ballad Version)
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - Best 5 Chaku-Uta Full Songs ("Flavor of Life"-Ballad and Original Versions-)
  • The 22nd Japan Gold Disc Awards - Best 5 PC Download Songs ("Beautiful World" & "Flavor of Life")
  • Best Monthly Airplay Record at Japanese Radio (Heart Station)[57]

References and notes

  1. ^ IGN: Square, Disney and Japanese Pop Star Utada Hikaru Collaborate on Kingdom Hearts
  2. ^ 宇多田ヒカル-ORICON STYLE ミュージック
  3. ^ List of million-selling CD albums in Japan
  4. ^ http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1431
  5. ^ http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single.html
  6. ^ "The Japan Gold Disc Award". Record Industry Association of Japan.
  7. ^ "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists - No.24" (in Japanese). 2003-11-07.
  8. ^ "日本のシンガーTOP30 - 第10位" (in Japanese). 2005-12-21.
  9. ^ a b c "Sales of 'Flavor Of Life' by Japan's Utada Hikaru pass 7.5 million". Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  10. ^ 歴代シングルランキング
  11. ^ 宇多田ヒカル-ORICON STYLE ミュージック
  12. ^ List of million-selling CD albums in Japan
  13. ^ "Announcing the Top 100 Big Artists of the 20th Century as chosen by listeners and J-wave (リスナーとJ-WAVEが選んだ20世紀のビッグ・アーティスト100人を発表!)". www.j-wave.co.jp (in Japanese). 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
  14. ^ JaME - The 1st database and information website about Japanese music - www.jame-world.com
  15. ^ MUSIC JAPAN+ -artist database
  16. ^ "Rising Stars of Asian America".
  17. ^ JaME - The 1st database and information website about Japanese music - www.jame-world.com
  18. ^ Christopher John Farley (2001-09-15). "Diva on Campus". Time. Retrieved 2006-12-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ a b c "Successful Albums Ranking: Top 267 (歴代アルバムランキング TOP267)". www.musictvprogram.com (in Japanese).
  20. ^ "Japanese teen pop star home after bout with side effects of ovarian surgery". AP Worldstream. May 11, 2002. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ What's This Year / 2002 / Entertainment / Music
  22. ^ "宇多田ヒカル Oricon Style Special Comment" (in Japanese).
  23. ^ "United World Chart". 2004-04-17.
  24. ^ MUSIC JAPAN+ -artist database
  25. ^ Alyssa Rashbaum (2004-10-05). "Utada". MTV. Retrieved 2006-09-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ a b "United World Chart". 2004-09-25.
  27. ^ a b "(発表! 音楽ファン2万人が選ぶ『好きなアーティストランキング』)". www.oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). July 20, 2004. Retrieved 2007-08-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ ITmedia News:iTunes年間ランキング、トップは宇多田とモーツァルト
  29. ^ ITmedia News:iTunes年間ランキング、トップは宇多田とモーツァルト
  30. ^ hypebot: Chairman Nicoli Addresses WMG Merger And EMI's Future
  31. ^ "アルバム 年間ランキング" (in Japanese).
  32. ^ ITmedia News:iTunes年間ランキング、トップは宇多田とモーツァルト
  33. ^ a b EMI Annual Report 2007 (PDF), 2007, p. 18, retrieved 2007-08-26
  34. ^ "宇多田シングル最多の630万ユニット販売" (in Japanese).
  35. ^ "Bon jour!". www.u3music.com. September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Utada.com
  37. ^ Utada.jp
  38. ^ www.tsutaya.co.jp/ranking/billboard/charts/j_air/j_air.html チャート100 - Billboard - TUTAYA online
  39. ^ a b "Hikki's Website". emimusic.jp (in Japanese).
  40. ^ Sanspo.Com > 芸能
  41. ^ 【オリコン】宇多田ヒカル、08年No.1スタートで6作連続1位! ニュース-ORICON STYLE
  42. ^ "Important announcement (大事なお知らせ)" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-08-26.
  43. ^ 2008 Utada Space Shower TV V.I.P. interview (Part II)
  44. ^ "The Japan Records Award - 1999". http://www.jacompa.or.jp/index.html (in Japanese). 1999. Retrieved 2007-09-01. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  45. ^ Jacompa
  46. ^ "Winners of the World Music Awards". www.montecarloresort.com. May 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
  47. ^ 音楽 情報ニュース/Top 100 Japanese pops Artists - No.24/HMV
  48. ^ "2004 World Music Awards Winners". www.billboard.com. September 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  49. ^ "(The 19th Japan Gold Disc Award 2005)". www.riaj.or.jp/e/ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  50. ^ 音楽 情報ニュース/日本のシンガーTOP30 - 第10位/HMV
  51. ^ "(松任谷由実、アルバム女性部門5冠達成!)". www.oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). June 30, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  52. ^ "(宇多田ヒカル、2年1ヶ月ぶりのアルバム首位獲得で史上初の快挙!)". www.oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). June 20, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. ^ "Million Artist Card Release (「ミリオンアーティストカード」登場)". shop.mu-mo.net. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
  54. ^ livedoor ニュース - 宇多田ヒカル、ブログパーツにアクセス殺到
  55. ^ "Sales of 'Flavor Of Life' by Japan's Utada Hikaru pass 7.5 million". EMI Group. 31 January 2008.
  56. ^ a b "EXILEが初のゴールドディスク大賞を受賞!". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese).
  57. ^ livedoor ニュース - 宇多田ヒカル、着うた無料DL第2弾は「First Love」

See also

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