Tuesday, July 17, 2001

An incredible story!

Good morning.
Could be a sudden question, but don't you think I've been doing lots of things lately - here and there?? I took part in the OST in America, worked as a voice actress some days ago, gonna challenge MTV UNPLUGGED soon . . . any more? Ah yes, and I'm supposed to take part in advertising DOCOMO's new products! And my new single will be out soon, the analog version of my album as well, my video clip collection vol.2 out in Autumn . . . besides, there's a secret project in the works though the time is not yet ripe to reveal what it is . . . all these months I've been too concentrated on each of these works to notice it, but for the past couple of weeks I've often stayed up all night till morning, which made me see various news about me on morning TV shows and feel I've been having my hands in so much various, incoherent things in all directions(lol). Don't you think so?? Here, let me tell you about each one of them and put them in order in my head, too!!

Well I can't tell you all in one go, so first of all! The UNPLUGGED is a traditional event of MTV US composed of minimum electronic musical instruments plugged into the amp, a place where famous musicians show their other side - their simple, acoustic side. I've watched my favorite artists on it often since I was a child. Mariah, Maxwell, Eric Clapton, Jewel and etc., the great artists of the time! What was impressive was that all of them were sort of more relaxed than usual, enjoying the time defenselessly with a small audience at very-close range. So how come I could participate in such a great traditional program? Here's why: when I happened to have a meal with the staff of MTV International in NY we were chatting "Let's do something together," but I had no specific idea what to do at that time. This time I'm working hard on a round of promotion to get the new single heard by as many people as possible, and I . . . somehow think this song is not something which is supposed to be shown like, "Okay please get ready to sing - Here it is, 'FINAL DISTANCE'" after some talks with MCs, appearing a series of TV shows. I do enjoy works of TV appearances, but since I don't want this song shown like that, I've decided to do promotion mainly by radio and magazines. Still, I cannot help but appear in front of you guys, who have always been supporting me --- !! I wanna do something special - !! So I've been working on this project of the live concert and airing it with the MTV staff.

"I got it. But you know, come to think of it . . . what on earth does 'an incredible story,' the title of this message mean?! My eyes are getting tired!" - for those of you about to shoot a question like this at me, well, actually IT happened a little while ago. Yesterday I wrote the rehearsal of the UNPLUGGED was going to start from today, you remember that? I woke up at dawn this morning, started searching for my CD to rehearse the songs for the program . . . then noticed I didn't have even one copy of my CDs, and got in a panic thinking "Oh, no!! I can't rehearse the songs! I can't do rehearsing! What should I do!" for a while, alone early in the morning. (I'm to blame for not having done rehearsing till the last minute! I'm very sorry for it . . .) And then, a thought flashed across my mind a little while ago!! I've just remembered that the other day I was sent a mobile phone featuring "the music distribution service" with greetings by DOCOMO-san whom I was going to work with. Yes! They were kind enough to give me the phone with the Memory Stick on which they have downloaded my past singles!! Recently a friend of mine saw it and told me like "I thought you don't listen to your own songs, eh?" and I answered like ". . . Well actually I don't listen to my songs . . ." Whew, I'm saved!!! Indeed!! Thank you very much DOCOMO-san . . . I promise I will repay you someday . . . Oh yes, I see, I can repay you by putting my energy into shooting commercials and making songs! (lol) So that's why Utada is here, rehearsing the songs. Its sounds are very good and clear! I'm not trying to advertise them but I'm really, really relieved now. It happens, very rarely. Sounds like an incredible, unbelievable story, huh?

Okay the real rehearsal starts today - I'll do my best for it --- !

Monday, July 16, 2001

Once you make a promise you should keep it!

I'm back home from Yokohama!
Just a couple of hours ago I was on a live radio program of FM YOKOHAMA called "The Ranking" and I publicly pledged "to post a message here for sure for sure!" after return home. To tell you the truth, I announced I was going to get a driver's license last time I was on the program, but you know, actually I'm still far from it. That won't do, Utada!! Anywayz! That's why I'm here writing this now!

Yesterday I was on Mr. Chris "Sexy☆Dynamite☆Voice" Peppler's live radio program of J-WAVE and I was a little low-spirited while on the air, since I had been feverish from the night before, so I was helped by Mr. Peppler so much. Today I used up my energy all the more!! Yes, last night I slept very well and . . . thought I recovered pretty well but . . . I'm sleepy now, probably because I've just gone too wild in Yokohama . . . I've got many things to tell you, but I go to sleep for now as the rehearsal of MTV UNPLUGGED starts tomorrow!! It's very likely I'll get up at midnight or early in the morning if I go to bed now, so then I'll take my time and write various things.
At least I kept the promise this time~!! Yay, Yokohama!
Well talk to you later☆

Saturday, July 07, 2001

Ah! yes,

I just remembered while checking emails from you guys! I've come to challenge the work of voice acting for the first time by playing the part of Pinoko! Sounds great, huh? You know, I've been thinking of talking about it to you, *yawn* but I feel sleepy now . . . it's natural cause it's almost dawn! So I'll write about it next time!

Good night --------- ヾ(=_=)ノ

FINAL DISTANCE makes a move

Some of you may worry about me as I've left a few days blank after my last message like that - "Maybe Toshiba EMI got furious with Hikaru-chan for not having finished the song, and did her things like this or that . . ." actually that didn't happen to me and I've finished demo recording as planned! Although its completion is still very far, I think it's going to be a real good song☆

And what I've been doing these last few days is . . . shooting the PV of FINAL DISTANCE for two days in Yokohama! "What is it like?" Well you know, this video is off the hook. It's gonna be a really great one cause I touched a real sheep for the first time, at the back of the set. Huh, you say "What the heck is that??"? It's hard to say now what it will be like in the end as the editing process is just going to start, but I assure you it will be something quite good without doubt. This time I made this song giving as much weight to the message of the images as to the song itself. So far, making music and making visual images after I finish making music, had been completely different works for me; but this time the song and its visual images were made almost simultaneously reflecting each other in unison, from the aspect of scheduling. I also did the recording of the song imagining its visual images. That was the first time experience for me. As a result, it's likely the PV is gonna be something that synchronizes with the song itself naturally more than ever. It's like, the song and visual imagery make one piece of work. Well seeing is believing! Look forward to it~!!

In addition the 5th of July, which was day two of the PV shooting, was also my mom's birthday! After the shooting was over we celebrated her birthday together with many staff, with both the feelings of "Happy Birthday!" and "Thanks for all your hard work!" loudly like ( ^0^)/□☆□\(~▽~ ) Cheeeeers!! It was so nice♪

Come to think of it, my previous PV was taken exactly on my birthday as well . . . it's probably because EMI had arranged it so?? If so I very much appreciate their warm concern . . . no, it must be just a coincidence! Well but I can't tell if something might happen or not on July 21, my dad's birthday . . . ??