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
January 26th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
hi!
hikki is sooooo….amazing!! super..shes my inspiration in life and the only person to show me the way on how to release tension and pain. listening to her songs is a pain releaver it keeps the doctor away for a while..hehe!!
Luv u hikki!!….u rockz!..=)….
sEaN
March 4th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
[...] pop star Utada Hikaru (宇多田光) has announced her divorce with (ex)husband Kazuaki Kiriya (纪里谷) in a joint [...]
March 8th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
really really love this singer so much!! hikki ur always the Best!
March 18th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Hikki is amazing. Enough said. =)
March 29th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Looks pretty sweeet in that pic. Nice belly shot!
March 29th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
It’s not easy to find a good pic on Hikki. Her voice is pretty amazing, but I think she looks just ok. Btw, this belly shots should be from a few years ago, she’s gaining some weight for the past couple of years lol.
March 31st, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Really? She couldn’t be that bad, cute little tummy on a little girl like that. lol.
Why has she gained weight? Is she not performing much any more? Having kids or what?
March 31st, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I often forget that she’s just ~24, she has been around for almost a decade lol.
I can’t tell the exact reason for her weight gaining; her medication could be one of the reasons… I believe she have some hormones problem, and those medication tends to make a person look chubby.
Besides, Hikki is always known for her talent… her appearance is not too much a matter for her fans, and perhaps she doesn’t care that much as well.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Hikki is the best! i love her music! especially the Flavor of Life
May 11th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
ohhh she so cool and have a nice voice. Yes I also like her so much!! I have heard “Simple and Clean” 2Months ago and it is so cool! Yes and “First Love” is soo nice.. oh I forgot, all of her songs are cute and cool! hihi
May 19th, 2007 at 9:36 am
i though she was slutting like other cele but guess not unlike britney spit and them…….she cool pretty good
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:51 am
Konnichiwa! Watashiwa Tam dess! Ogenki Desska?
Niho-jin-ja-arimasen!
June 7th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
she’s just super talented. she’s the kind of artist that doesn’t try to satisfy what listeners are wanting to hear. she creates her own music and keeps her style. i like that
June 24th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
BESIDES Utada, what other POPULAR Japanese actress and or idol/singer, speaks English fluently?
June 26th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Jeff… I can’t recall other Japanese artist that speak fluent English at the moment. They must be a few more but certainly not many.
July 4th, 2007 at 12:29 am
She is the best Singer I hope she will have a tour here in Philippines !
Keep it on Utada Hikaru ….. sayounara to all have a nice day!
July 6th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I like Utada song.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
i like her the she perform her music i am a pilipinjin kedo utada hikaru is my number one
August 7th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I LOVE UTADA HIKARU. I ALSO LOVE HER SONG SHE WROTE SANCTUARY FOR KINGDOM HEARTS BECAUSE THE SONG IZ BEAUTIFUL AND SO IZ DA GAME. I REAALY HOPE I GET 2 MEET HER
August 12th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I really like her song the “First love”….