First important announcement in a while

I can't believe how quickly time goes - it's already been 12 years since my debut with "Automatic," which was called "that sensational video of dancing in a low ceiling room."(lol) I was 15 at that time.


Lately when I first meet someone they say, "Oh so you're still 27~! I thought you would be around 30, since I have this image that you have a very long career~. And you looked quite grown-up when you debuted."


27 years old, it's young in a sense . . . but not that young in another sense.


When I think back I find I've always worked on music ever since I was 15. Spent my life overprotected by people around, so that "Utada Hikaru" can stick to music. People say I have plenty of life experience for my age, but as a matter of fact what I've experienced is quite lopsided.


I have had chances to do something uncommon thanks to this job. I thank you all my fans, all my staff from the bottom of my heart.


That said, there is this part of me which has stunted since around 15, when I started living my life focused on artist activities. That is the part, important as a human being.


Over the past 12 years I've challenged various things as an artist, and I think I've grown up a bit through those experiences. And I need to grow up as a person, aside from music, to evolve further.


Based on those thoughts I have made a big decision!




I am going to stop flashy "artist activities" for a while and focus on "human activities, " starting from next year.




This is not a "retirement announcement"! Nor is this "rest" or "recreation."


This period is going to be the period form me to face the real me as a person, by studying something new eagerly and humbly, seeing and learning things in this while world I don't know yet. I think that's something that should be called "human activities," different from "artist activities."


And that should lead to my growth as an artist too, as a result.


Of course I may be making music or singing as I like, during that time.


When the time comes that I realize I have grown up a little as a person, and I feel the need to let you all hear my music, that is about time I should do so.




I didn't like it just to hide without showing up in front of my fans, and to jump into "human activities" with no regrets, I'm gonna go on full-throttle to do music activities till the end of this year!


First of all, I'm gonna release Single Collection vol 2 in upcoming autumn. I've made a lot of singles after the relase of vol 1.


This time I'll put some new songs in it!


Maybe 4 songs or so, 5 hopefully . . . ! I'm right in the middle of recording, trying to make them something that can tell you my recent feelings, change of my heart. Pleae wait for a while, I'll let you know as soon as the release date is fixed.


Other than that there are more things already fixed and I'll tell you about them soon! Like, a CM I appear in and such . . . expect a lot!




I thank all the staff of EMI being receptive to my offer to take off from artist activities from next year.


I've always made them nervous or worried, still they've always believed in me, supported me. Thank you very much.


I can focus on "human activities" with an easy mind thinking they will wait for my return, believing me.


I guess each one of you has a different impression on my decision, but please believe me and wait for my return. I have no idea how long it gonna be - 2 years or 5 years, but I shall return, more matured. Give me some time.


Well before that I'm gonna release new songs in autumn, then winter and there should be some opportunities to show you recent me, as well as interact each other. So that's all for today. (Also I'm thinking of starting twitter for a limited time! That way I can reply to you directly)


Last of all, thank you for reading this long message. I hope this can help to tell you my current feeling, as much as possible.


August 9th 2010


Utada Hikaru

Picky eating burst out

I've eaten saba no misoni (mackerel with miso) 4 times in the past week.

Tastes too good ! ! (more like "eaten too many times," I say)

I just ate saba no misoni bento again a little while ago, watching Hana Yori Dango 2 . . . When my song was playing I was thinking like *chomp* *chomp* . . . "Hmm? They*chomp*play it*munch*longer than I*chomp*thought~," then came to find out that they aired the song in full length!

Oh My God

They aired the song from start to finish~! That's incredible.

Whew.

Flavor Of Saba no misoni . . .

. . .



Damn you!! You dork!!

I know it's hard for you to write a new message right after that "Important Announcement," but do not play to the gallery halfway !


Aw, all right this will do! (lol)

*uploaded a message*

Important announcement

Yesterday, on March 2nd, I, Utada Hikaru, and Kiriya Kazuaki, officially divorced.

To all the people who have supported us until now, we would like to thank you very much. Our apologies for surprising you with the short notice.

We believe that both of us have learned so much and grown up with the 4-year and a half marriage.

While we mutually keep changing, a perception gap on the direction of the future and concept of marriage has gradually emerged between us. Another big reason is the lack of communication in our life, passing each other while both are working internationally.

"Though divorce is a pity, it was good that we have met each other" - that is what we talked. As a creator and a dear friend, we hope we can continue watching the growth of each other.

I am looking forward to following Kiriya-kun's career in the future.

March 3rd 2007    Utada Hikaru




This is to let you know that yesterday I, Kiriya Kazuaki, and Utada Hikaru divorced. Until now I have shared a lot of things with Hikaru and created various kinds of things together. Those are wonderful, treasured memories. However, we think that we were not able to emotionally depend on each other to the end, keeping severity, rigors and loneliness of creation in each other's heart. Though we came to this conclusion, I sincerely appreciate it that I met Hikaru and spent very happy times together. I am very much concerned about Hikaru's well-being.

I truly would like to thank all the people who have supported us until now. I hope you will continue supporting Hikaru and her music in the future.

Kiriya Kazuaki    March 3rd 2007

I've passed through one week so far...

I haven't divorced yet (laugh)

Oh! I'm really grateful to my friends and people who I didn't expect for giving me so many words of blessing. Thank you!! Some fans are having romantic concerns, like that I am too happy to make songs in the same way as before, and there are fans that want to congratulate me, but have mixed feelings like "somehow complicated" or "lonely"... Come on! I won't change at all! I face my job and my productions with a very strong sense of work, professional sense, artisan sense. Delivering a document to the ward office doesn't mean anything will change, everyone will naturally do the same, sooner or later.

I don't write lyrics based on my real life, so I think you won't see a clear change suddenly, even in my lyrics. So there's no point in looking for changes in my lyrics (laugh) Because lyrics are poems... So if we listen connecting them to the reality, the enjoyment reducts by half!

I'm often said that marriage is the "goal", but I think it's actually the real "start" (sorry about the lack of dream (laugh)) I feel like I've been finally qualified, and the real match will begin from now! This may seem like "getting married out of the blue" from your side and it may be the reason why some of you are worried about me, but actually I had this in my mind since long time and made a calm decision on it. Trust me a little more

It was written in a weekly magazine that I'm repeatedly entering and leaving hospital, but I'm not, so don't worry about my physical conditions. A tumor in the ovary (in my case, hereditary) isn't a serious illness and I'm not thinking about making a baby now. This will be on a distant future! When this time comes, I will make a baby-making declaration, as an apology for having surprised everyone with the sudden marriage announcement (laugh)

By the way, recently I got addicted to cappuccino, even more than coffee!! I'm drinking so much that people around me is saying I'm strange!! By all means, isn't the first impression really important? When I drank it for the first time, I thought it was the taste of clouds that I had imagined when I was a child! It seems to be the clouds itself by its appearance or taste, and I felt it would be bitter because of the pollution of the clouds in the city's sky. The bitterness of cappuccino was exactly, just like I had imagined! And now I like it so much that I drink it down in a single draft.

And, I saw a discussion about the lyrics during the fade out of the song ASAP that is recorded in the album, being developed in a fan site managed by a fan!
I think I haven't ever talked about parts of lyrics that aren't printed on the lyrics card, but let me tell you only this one!

The correct answer is...
Aitai toki ni kimi wa inai (When I want to see you, you aren't there)
Nakitai toki wa enryo shinai (When I want to cry, I won't hold back)

I love this part, so I wanted to tell it at any cost!

Well then... see you!


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credits to Samurai @ HikkiCentral who originally translated this message.

Important announcement

To whom it may concern:

Today I, Utada Hikaru, had my name entered in Kiriya Kazuaki's family register.

Since we got to know each other in the winter before last, we overcame various occurrences involving joys and sorrows, while publishing together many works of videos and CD jackets, and putting full confidence in each other we have gotten to this decision. I am deeply grateful to the people who gave us help to this realization.

I think that after resting for a while, this time when I am restarting the musical activities is very appropriate to the start of a new life, and I got married without even waiting for being blessed with a child.

I have obtained a new power, and hereafter I will fling myself into work throwing out my chest.


For all the fans:

Just now, I've sent the above letter by fax to the mass media.

I got married today.
Consulting Toshiba-EMI, my office and my parents, I've been preparing it carefully, faithfully, trying to materialize it with a good shape as much as I can, until I reached this day.

So, don't worry!
Maybe some people will wonder why did I get married so young without even getting pregnant.
But on this world where we don't know what will happen, I think that all conviction is desire, and desire is the biggest conviction.
It's a decision that comes from the natural feeling of wanting to live in a dignified manner with the person that I love.

Please expect the new Hikaru!!

September 6th 2002
Utada Hikaru


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credits to Samurai @ HikkiCentral who originally translated this message.