Utada Hikaru Profile
Name: Utada Hikaru (Hikaru Utada)
Japanese name: 宇多田光, 宇多田ヒカル
Nickname: Hikki ヒッキー, Cubic U
Birth date: January 19th, 1983
Birthplace: New York, USA
Height: 158cm
Blood type: A
Husband: Kazuaki Kiriya
Language spoken: English and Japanese
Profession: Singer and song writer
Dreams: Become a writer, open a small bookshop and become a clerk there, work part-time at a cafe
Hobbies: Literature, spicy stuffs, photography and web-surfing
Specialties: Touch typing, Tetris, biting the bullet, reading minds, moving just the smallest toe of my left foot, full leg splits and other instances of flexibility
Favourite places: Mexico, Machu Picchu and the Sahara Desert
Favourite artists: Nine Inch Nails, Mozart, Jimi Hendrix, Bela Bartok, Lenny Kravitz, Prince, Edith Piaf, Cocteau Twins, Jeff Buckley, Chick Corea, The Blue Nile, Freddie Mercury, Bjork, Yutaka Ozaki, and Hibari Misora
Favourite movies: Amadeus, Crash, Munich, Brazil, Tasogare Seibei, Lost Highway, The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather Part II, The Jerk, Orlando, and works by Hayao Miyazaki
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Utada Hikaru Biography
Utada Hikaru was born in a family with both Japanese parents involved in music industry; Utada’s music talent was nurtured in an early age and she showed her potential by recording her first English album “Precious” at the age of 12.
Precious was not actually released in US, but later discovered by a Japanese producer and released it in Japan in 1998. The album received some good reviews and Utada Hikaru, at age of 15 back then, was gradually gaining fame.
Seeing Utada’s potential, the Japan recording company (Toshiba-EMI) convinced her to release her Japanese album instead.
Utada Hikaru released her first Japanese single “Automatic” in 1999 and was an instant hit. Shortly after that Utada released her first Japanese album, “First Love” that sold over 10 million copies across Asia. “First Love” is still until today the best selling music album in Japan.
In 2000 Utada went back to US for further study in Columbia University; her university life was interrupted when she released her 2nd and 3rd Japanese album “Distance” (2001) and “Deep River” (2002) which both sold for multi million copies.
Utada Hikaru didn’t finish her university studies due to health issues and a busy successful singing career.
Utada Hikaru then surprised many when she married Kazuaki Kiriya, a photographer she worked with numerous times, shortly after the released of Deep River in 2002.
In 2004 Utada Hikaru released her ambitious English album “Exodus” that was not very successful in US market. Her single “Devil Inside” however managed to become a disco club hit and claimed #1 spot at Billboard Hot Dance/Club Airplay charts.
Utada Hikaru has just released her 4th Japanese album, “Ultra Blue” in June 2006.
Utada’s musical success is often compared to another Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki, especially in the early 2000s. Their rivalry is not as fierce now with the rising of other Japanese pop stars.
Why I like Utada Hikaru
I like Utada Hikaru’s music. I first listened to Automatic and thought that it’s a good song; then with First Love, which is still one of my favorite Japanese songs.
I admire Hikki’s talent as a complete artist in singing, songwriting and album producing… which is not often in Asian music industry.
Utada Hikaru Websites and Contacts
Related Entries
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First Love, Utada Hikaru (music video)
Celebrities List
February 5th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
[...] Japanese pop star Utada Hikaru is also a great fan of Emily Strange, she love it so much that she decided to translate the stories into Japanese by herself.. now that’s fanatic lol. [...]
February 5th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
i’m just fallin in love. maybe you all can say love at fist sight.
she is my ‘fist love’.i’m live in indonesia. here in my country,it’s really difficult to find japanese artist cd. but utada hikaru is exceptional.every music store sell her album.i miss her so much. coz here is far away from japan.
when she comes out with new album?
February 5th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Hi Denny, Utada is indeed one of the most popular Japanese artist in Asia.
Her newest album is expected to came out in 2006, no details available yet.
March 27th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Utada is like the 1st
asian girl that i heard….
that can speak LIKE
perfect english!
LOVE simple and clean…….
SHez HOT!!!!
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 am
She’s my favorite japanese singer ever. Im listening to her songz right now.!!!
April 5th, 2006 at 10:59 am
[...] Japanese diva Utada Hikaru announced a nationwide concert tour in Japan, namely “Utada United 2006″. [...]
April 11th, 2006 at 3:53 am
Oh My Gosh, I didn’t No that she had a biography!!! I love her songs expecally Simple and Clean!!!!!
April 11th, 2006 at 7:16 am
GOD I LOVE YOUR SONG “FIRST LOVE” I LIKE IT ALOT MORE THAN MY BROTHER WHO’S A FAN OF YOU TOO…
April 11th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Utada Hikaru is a great singer, can’t wait for her new album releasing in June, surely will be a great one!
May 3rd, 2006 at 12:15 pm
[...] US-borned Japanese pop-queen Utada Hikaru released her first Japanese album, “First Love” in 1999. The album still holds the best selling record in Japan, and the hit song First Love is always on of my favorite song, as for many other as well.. [...]
May 8th, 2006 at 5:06 am
Utada hikaru is the great japanese singer i cant wait to hear her new album!!
May 23rd, 2006 at 3:15 pm
i really love hikki songs!she’s my ultimate jpop idol ever!
May 26th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Utada Hikaru is the best asian gal in the whole UNIVERSE!!!
I just love her music, talents, her voice, and herself!!
July 15th, 2006 at 5:58 am
if im not mistaken..u sing thish one song..:simple and clean….if u r the artist..dang gurl u roxs..take mah stage..
July 15th, 2006 at 11:35 am
u r right nikki.. simple and clean is her song. And Utada’s nickname is hikki, quite close to yours lol.
July 25th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Hikki! Aishiteru! I\’m you\’re #1 fan in Brunei! I can\’t wait to hear your Ultra Blue album, cuz in Brunei I have to wait for months for your album arrival. :\’( so sad! But I\’ll wait & see! And please Hikki.. Don\’t stop your career when you\’re 28 yrs old.. Continue till you can\’t continue anymore! I know you dream to be a scientist?(heard it from someone mystery) Well, we all love you.. I know it\’s hard to sing and take care of your family but don\’t ever dissapoint us cuz we love you!! Gambatte!!
July 26th, 2006 at 9:03 am
hi hikaru im azumi your no:1 fan on philipines i like your song all you know that reaply me after you read this ok!
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:36 am
Hikaru Utada thankyou for all of your good music and your wonderful and very beautiful voice that makes me always enjoy listening to you. I love the fact the you brought the whole R&B feel to Japan and I’m sooooOOOOOooooo grateful for having your music in my life.
REPRESENT NY!!! (I’m from the Bronx, she’s from Manhatten…REPRESENT!!)
LOL!!! Okay I”m done. ^_^
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:02 pm
lol tokyosista.. so New Yorkers united huh..
August 4th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Last night I was ill! Dude! Itz painful! But then I dreamt of Hikki, she took good care of me like I was her sister.. *sigh* I wish it was real.. But hey! I saw her video “You Make Me Want To Be A Man”! Shez HOT! Her eyes are red! And who is that man? Hez COOL! I want to see it again!!