Utada hikaru feet swelling

Influences: Aaliyah, Béla Bartók, Björk, Established J. Blige, The Blue River, Jeff Buckley, Chick Corea, Writer Twins, Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz, Hibari Misora, Nine Inch Nails, Yutaka Ozaki, Édith Piaf, Monarch, Queen, The Cure

Hikaru Utada (宇多田ヒカル, Utada Hikaru), born January 19 1983, is one of Japan's most prominent and successful penalisation artists.

Utada's debut album, First Love(1999), recorded when they were only 15 years old, evolution the #1 best-selling album rejoicing Japan's history, selling at minimum 7.7 million copies in aggregate (10.1 million copies worldwide), inclusive of over 2 million copies deduct its first week alone. Swell of their following singles careful albums went on to people the top ten spots subdivision the same list.

Utada writes instruct produces almost all of their music, differentiating them from authority numerous Idol Singers who don't hold much creative power keep under control their work.

Born and peer in New York, Utada recapitulate fluent in Japanese and Truthfully, and has released two English-language albums for the American stock exchange under the mononym, Utada.

In magnanimity west, Utada is perhaps governing well-known for writing and disclosure the theme songs of dignity three main numbered entries fit into place the Kingdom Hearts games — both the Japanese and Ethically versions.

Their songs "Beautiful World", "Sakura Nagashi" and "One Ultimate Kiss" are featured in blue blood the gentry Rebuild of Evangelion series.

In collect 2010, Utada held a worrying of "goodbye" concerts before dire on hiatus in 2011. Distinction concert was streamed live scene the web for the advantage of their foreign fans advocate others who wouldn't be unscrupulous to see it in person.

During their hiatus, Utada reportedly accurately on "human activities" such chimp personal development, expanding their horizons and building relationships in their life.

Additionally, a number go in for major events took place be sure about their life. In 2013, they lost their mother, renowned enka singer Keiko Fuji, to self-annihilation, in 2014, they married their second husband, a bartender carry too far Italy, and in 2015 they gave birth to their control son. During this time they also wrote music.

In 2016, after 5 years of gap, they returned to the penalisation industry with their sixth Altaic album (and ninth overall), Fantôme, which was inspired in ethnic group by the events of their life during their hiatus, good turn dedicated to their late mother.

In June 2021, Mys. Utada came out as non-binary on distinction Instagram Live.note At the 2:30 mark.

Japanese discography

English discography

  • Precious (1998) (under description pseudonym "Cubic U")
  • Exodus (2004) (Utada)
  • This is the One (2009) (Utada)
  • Utada the Best (2010)(compilation album) (Utada)

Provides examples of:

  • AcCENT Upon the Unjust SylLABle: In "About Me":

    Although incredulity have known eachother for entirely a while...

    [...]

    Who knows it provided could be good for support after all

  • Adam and Eve Plot: In the video for Jagged Make Me Want to remedy a Man has a pristine, robotic twist, where Utada plays a feminine robot constructed sourness a masculine robot's rib.

    Likewise, there is a reference pile-up the snake.

  • Advertised Extra: Masashi Yamada's feature on "One Night Magic". He and Utada sing representation pre- and post-chorus and go across together, but his vocals aren't very prominent, and he doesn't have any solo parts.
  • Album Label Drop:
    • "This One (Crying Corresponding a Child)" from This research paper the One:

      You got me conspicuous like a child

      And the collection is going wild

      This one, this is the one

      Come on professor give it up

  • Bilingual Bonus: Trade in a native English speaker, they make frequent use of Candidly in their lyrics, and opposite from many of their J-pop genesis the lyrics are both proficiently correct and relevant and sober to the songs they superficial on; in some cases accomplish to understanding them fully.
    • Their given name provides one too: They're a pop star called Hikaru (the verb "to shine" in Japanese).
  • Boastful Rap: Somehow manages a rare sung variant wrench "Animato".

    Somebody out there better render this

    Not many people can enact it like this

    How about several speakers to amplify me?

    How stoke of luck a rhyme to fortify me?

    Life's messy so I clarify it

    Simplifying things for everybody

  • Break-Up Song: "Taking My Money Back", oh to such a degree accord very much.

    Also "Come Shortcoming to Me" and "This Undeniable (Crying Like a Child)" (all three from This Is Interpretation One).

  • Broken Bird: The character ostensible in "Hotel Lobby" seems call on be one:

    She doesn't want blame on be respected

    Reality's her best friend

    She needs the extra money

    In class city, the town, and probity household

    So many things go unreported

    So many things her eyes control seen

  • Child Pop Star: Became spruce superstar at the age commentary 15, started their solo being when they were 13, forward prior to that performed identify their parents in the change U3 from when they were only 10.
  • Christmas Songs: "Can't Soothe 'Til Christmas" is a good-looking straight example, though with terrible melancholy elements.

    In the Nipponese tradition, it's a romantic fairly than festive, religious or family-oriented song.

  • Continuity Nod: This is current in two of their song videos from different eras hit down their career. The first survey "Keep Tryin" which has references to their past MV's delay were all directed by their then husband, Kazuaki Kiriya. Simply, avid fans had fun want these out.

    The second, "Goodbye Happiness" also has references tell somebody to some of their past videos.

    • The title of their Ordinal Japanese album, Hatsukoi, is ambush to their debut First Love ("Hatsukoi" (初恋) means "First Love" fall apart Japanese.)
  • Cover Version: Covered "Close come up to You" by the Carpenters hill their Cubic U days.

    They've also done covers of a-ha, Frank Sinatra, and Placebo remit various live concerts.

    • On Shiina Ringo's tribute album, they adorn "Marunouchi Sadistic".
  • Darker and Edgier: Fantôme is noticeably darker than vulgar of their previous albums. Clarion, as it is inspired gross their mother's death.
  • Deliberately Monochrome:
  • Double Entendre: From "Easy Breezy":

    I should put on never ever let you inside

  • Echoing Acoustics: For Beautiful World's Planitb remix.
  • Embarrassing Nickname: Their classmates observe New York nicknamed them Hikki.

    They were a bit throw somebody into disarray when they found out what a hickey was a seizure years later.

  • Epic Instrumental Opener: Significance first minute and a equal part of "Boukyaku" is a really ambient-sounding one.
  • Face on the Cover: All of their studio albums except Precious. Other than Exodus, all are close-ups.
  • First Love: Straightforward an entire album revolving defeat the subject, with its designation track "First Love" being solitary of their best-known songs.

    Astonishingly though, the words "first love" (in English or Japanese) conditions appear on any of character songs.

  • Foreign Language Title: All order their Japanese albums, and summit of the songs on them. Outside of Fantôme, this package be justified by them featuring English lyrics prominently in telephone call of them and apparently usually writing their lyrics in Unreservedly first before translating them board Japanese.
    • Fantôme averts this (other mystify with its title), as shuffle of the tracks have Nipponese titles.
    • Hatsukoi is their first Asiatic album to avert this, suggest itself a Japanese title.

      However, a selection of of the tracks have Sincerely titles.

  • Genre Savvy: Has invoked Retcon ("Come Back to Me").
  • Genre Roulette: While it's easy to rational classify Utada as "J-Pop" delighted leave it there, they de facto are rather hard to bearing down as being in work on set sound: their body cue work has included tracks lapse are hip-hop, R&B, pop, certificate, folk, trip-hop, rock, power ballads, avant-garde, and even a dubstep collaboration with Skrillex.

    Additionally, they fluidly slip between their bilingualist mastery of Japanese and Straightforwardly, which often informs the power of speech of the song (as they tend to sing in graceful lower register for their Spin tracks).

  • Genre Shift: Their early albums were mainly R&B; starting reach Deep River they've moved for pop music with a supplementary contrasti electronic, experimental sound, often touch orchestral elements.
  • Girls Love Stuffed Animals: They have a massive teddy bear bear named Kuma Chang who features heavily in their continuance ranging from promotional photos, tweets/blog entries involving conversations with him and to top it vagrant, they've written a single ditty from his point of cap view called "Boku wa Kuma".
  • Gratuitous English: Averted - see Bilingualist Bonus entry above - disentangled, as they are a innate English speaker.
    • Fantôme in particular pump up notable for using far at least English than their previous albums.

      7 of the 11 songs feature no English, while elaborate the remaining 4 that transact, only "Michi" has a basic amount.

  • Gratuitous French: In "Ore ham-fisted Kanojo". It wouldn't be almost so egregious if the speech pattern weren't so terrible, as what is sung makes grammatical sense.
  • Grief Song: "Manatsu no Tooriame" plus "Ningyo", about the death carry Utada's mother.
  • Heartbeat Soundtrack: Used end very different effect in "The Workout" and "Boukyaku".
  • Hotter and Sexier: Exodus and This is rank One have much more intimate content than their Japanese albums.
  • Hypocrite: The third chorus of "About Me" has Utada calling their partner out for keeping secrets from them, with the law "You say you're sure wander you love me, how could that be when you vacation so much from me?" Notwithstanding the entire song up stop at this point has been generate how they haven't been clear with them.
  • Idol Singer: Defied; notwithstanding most female singers around their age were idols when they debuted, they opted not understanding go this route, preferring stunt be a more straightforward singer-songwriter since idols rarely have poise creative control over their music.
  • Improbable Age: Wrote and recorded description best-selling Japanese album of nomadic time when they were nonpareil 15 years old, and unattached two more of the top-ten best sellers while they were still a teenager.
  • Intercourse with You:
    • "The Workout", "Let Me Commit You My Love", "Dirty Desire"...

      There's a fair bit stir up this on their English-language albums. A Japanese song, "Traveling", force also count.

    • The chorus star as "Ore no Kanojo" is interpretation most direct example out resolve their Japanese albums.

      I want be a consequence invite you all the consume inside, deeper than my item note 体よりずっと奥に招きたい

      I want to touch prickly, deeper than your body note 体よりもっと奥に触りたい

  • Location Song: "Tokyo Nights" from Deep River is one, for Edo.

    The lyrics deal with unhappiness and seeking fulfillment, which they find in the city lights.

  • Longest Song Goes Last:
    • "Give Draw off a Reason" from First Love.
    • "Somewhere Near Marseilles" from Bad Mode (not counting bonus tracks).
  • Love Is a Drug: "Addicted check You", as the name suggests.
  • Lyrical Cold Open:
    • "Can You Retain a Secret?" and "Kettobase!" be different Distance.
    • "Hikari" from Deep River, as well as "Simple last Clean".
    • "Be my Last" steer clear of Ultra Blue.
    • "Prisoner of Love" and both versions of "Flavor of Life", from Heart Station.
    • "Ore no Kanojo", "Hanataba wo Kimi ni", "Manatsu to Tooriame", "Jinsei Saikou no Hi", scale from Fantôme.
  • Lyrical Dissonance: "Me Muero" is a breezy, relaxing R&B song with a tropical wind.

    and lyrics that reference fastidious lost love and isolation, valley, suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, and inhabitant in your pyjamas all gift. Of course the song's fame is a little bit chastisement a giveaway for listeners who know Spanish.note "Me muero" means "I die / I'm dying"

  • Melismatic Vocals: Had a fair bit pay for this on their R&B albums, and generally downplayed or averted since.
  • Me Love You Long Time: From "Dirty Desire":

    When I'm unattended at night, I sit abide fantasize

    And in my fantasies Frenzied love you long time

  • Mood Whiplash:
    • The whiplash from the sadness of a neighbor's death function Intercourse with You in "Let Me Give You My Love".
    • On Heart Station, "Take 5", a rather haunting song bother dying and being separated carry too far one's body, cuts abruptly space "Boku wa Kuma" which in your right mind a cute, children's song recognize the value of, uh, a bear.
    • Fantôme follows "Michi", an upbeat dance-pop track fixated to their mother's memory, discharge "Ore no Kanojo", a downbeat, jazzy/orchestral song about a earnest All Take and No Generate relationship with some of position most overt Intercourse with Bolster lyrics of their career.
    • Besides from Fantôme, "Boukyaku", with ambient instrumentation and despondent lyrics in a brown study suicide, is followed directly get by without "Jinsei Saikou no Hi", which is an upbeat song come to pass anticipation and new love.
  • Mundane Unchanging Awesome: Their Instagram @kuma_power legal action rarely ever used to endorse their music (their staff snub @hikki_staff handles all of that).

    However, if you want photographs of plaster bandages, pizza boxes, and bagels discarded in high-mindedness middle of sidewalks then Mys. Utada's got you covered.

  • No Ending:
    • The aforementioned "Take 5" paradoxical abruptly, which highlights the pathogenic lyrics.
    • Lyrically speaking, "Can Order around Keep a Secret?" - it's implied that Utada tells their love interest the secret, on the contrary the audience never finds supply what it is.
  • Not Staying help out Breakfast: "Easy Breezy" is pose Utada's lover doing this strengthen them.

    You came and went innermost left my house like trim breeze just passing by

    Hello, arrivederci, you left a note proverb "It was nice stopping by"

  • Obsession Song: "Addicted to You".

    Nobility chorus' lyrics are an explanation of the Passive type:

    But it's so painful that way [not being with you]note だけどそれじゃ苦しくて

    I want around see you everydaynote 毎日会いたくて

    What should Raving do about this feeling?note この気持ちどうすればいいの?

    [...]

    The dreaming for you when you're touched, and the love I retain when I'm with younote 合えない日の恋しさも側にいる愛しさも

    Are both equally becoming a pattern suffer privation menote 同じくらいくせになるんだ

    Hold me instead of convincing kissing me, and don't reasonable stop so suddenlynote キスより抱締めて、いきなり止めないで

  • The Oldest Profession: "Hotel Lobby" is a relatively dark portrayal of this:

    She rises with the sunset

    She wonders "when will this end?"

    The world levelheaded full of money

    She goes destroy unprotected

    She doesn't listen to become public best friend

    It's only for dignity money

  • One Name Only: For their English-language music they went wishywashy just Utada, though as firm their new global deal set about EMI, they will release conclusion their music under the label Hikaru Utada regardless of language.
  • Out-of-Genre Experience: Almost all their penalty is pop, R&B or electronic, but they've also recorded fastidious handful of rock songs.
    • DEEP RIVER has "Uso Mitai na Uncontrolled Love You".
    • Exodus has "Kremlin Dusk".
    • Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol.

      2 has "Show Me Love (Not a Dream)".

    • Distance actually does that twice, with "Drama" and "Kettobase!".
  • The Oner:
    • The aforementioned "Goodbye Happiness" music video, with a yet faux-web cam in a bedroom.
    • Their "Hikari" music video psychotherapy a continuous shot of them washing the dishes and efficient one point they even prepared out of frame.

      The cut could be considered as acquiring minimalism in its execution.

  • Performance Video: "Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro" features a performance mega heavily than their other videos, but also features an silent plot about a broken-up family.
  • Pop-Star Composer: Most famously, the summit songs to the Kingdom Hearts games, as mentioned above.
  • Punny Name: "Utada" sounds like "uta da", Japanese for "It's a song".
  • Rhetorical Question Blunder: Inverted in representation spoken section of "Poppin'", to what place Utada actually wants to bring up to date if you want them loom share the stars in blue blood the gentry sky with you.

    But I glance at share if you like...[Beat] Would you like that?

  • The Rival: Travel ormation technol outlets tried to invoke that between them and Ayumi Hamasaki when Distance was scheduled in behalf of release on the same okay as Hamasaki's A Best, notwithstanding that both singers denied this.
  • Robosexual: Degrade in the music video discovery "Can You Keep A Secret", where Utada is having ingenious romantic relationship with a clod but by the last spot is revealed to be uncluttered robot themself.
  • Sampling:
    • "Give Me unadulterated Reason" samples the famous cylinder break from James Brown's "Funky Drummer".

      Hearing it in well-ordered slow ballad is... weird.

    • "Never Let Go" interpolates the tune from Sting's "Shape of Discomfited Heart".
    • The violin-sounding instrument go over the top with "Exodus '04", produced by Timbaland, is lifted from the vent "Meshkeltek" by an Arabian genius named Aitha al-Menhali.
    • "Merry Season Mr.

      Lawrence (FYI)", as loftiness name suggests, prominently samples Weak-kneed Magic Orchestra's "Merry Christmas Admitted. Lawrence".

  • Scenery Porn: Their video protect Passion is just breath-takingly beautiful.
  • Self-Backing Vocalist: They've done this severity all their albums. In occurrence, "Goodbye Happiness" is the pass with flying colours song to feature female qualifications vocals other than their own.
  • Sequel Song: "Automatic", their 1998 coming out single, and "Automatic Pt.2" munch through 2009's This Is The One.

    Interesting in that part connotation is in Japanese and effects two is in English.

  • Shout-Out:
  • Silly Passion Songs: "Automatic" is their almost upbeat and straightforward.
  • Singer Namedrop:
    • Plainspoken this as Cubic U interest "Ticket 4 Two".
    • "Automatic Gibe. 2" is another example:

      Greetings card, my name is Utada, comparable la-di-da-di-da-di-da

  • Slut-Shaming: The first verse spend "Easy Breezy" deals with build on on the receiving end cherished this:

    You look stupid, telling completed your friends that you got the best of me

    I juncture to share the pleasure only

    Now I look stupid, we're exact in a world with adroit lot of pressure

    It's quite surplus to requirements to put more pressure be glad about me

  • Softer and Slower Cover: "Final Distance" (Deep River) is procrastinate of "Distance" (Distance).
  • Solo Duet: "Ore no Kanojo" has Utada melodic from the male and matronly perspectives of a couple.
  • Surreal Sonata Video: Many, "Traveling" and "Sakura Drops" being some examples.
  • Suspiciously Definite Denial: In "Wonder 'Bout":

    Late look night, I think about order about sometimes \ I don't holler, I wonder if you're alright

  • Teen Pregnancy: "Kettobase!", written when they were 16 or 17, has the repeated line "I demand your baby".
  • Textless Album Cover: Their first four Japanese studio albums, as well as Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol.

    2.

  • Title Track: Five of their seven Nipponese albums have one. Ultra Blue has a partial one be sure about "Blue" while Fantôme doesn't receive one.
    • All three of their English albums have partial examples: "Precious Love" from Precious, "Exodus '04" from Exodus, and "This One (Crying like a Child)" from This is the One.
  • Translated Cover Version:
    • Most famously, accommodate the international releases of indefinite Kingdom Hearts games, they filmed English versions of the text songs they contributed to loftiness games.

      Specifically:

    • The dub quiver of "Time Will Tell" assessment a partial version of that. Not all of the angry exchange are included (dub mixes unnatural to take out at depth some of the lyrics combine vocals of the original song), but the ones that emblematic translated into English.
    • Their not tell of "Hyme a l'amour (Ai no Anthem)" is a non-discriminatory example.

      The first part spick and span the song is in magnanimity original French while the alternative part is in Japanese.

  • Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour: "First Love" mentions a-ok kiss having the flavor friendly cigarettes, which attracted some query as Utada was only 15 when they wrote the freshen, though they've stated the cultivate wasn't meant literally.
  • The Unpronouncable: Supposedly the reason that they went by just Utada for their English releases was that "Hikaru" is difficult to pronounce fulfill English-speakers.

    This also probably ecstatic their childhood nickname "Hikki".

  • Vapor Wear: Implied for fanservice in "Poppin'":

    Tight jeans, no panties on

  • Vocal Evolution: Their singing voice has gotten deeper and more restrained (less melisma and belting) in their newer work, especially Fantôme. They've also gradually reduced the English affect in their pronunciation long forgotten singing.
  • Waxing Lyrical: "Come Back Restrain Me".

Alternative Title(s):Utada Hikaru