[Utada Hikaru] How do you feel about the upcoming hiatus?

[amorphose]

Utada Hikaru's upcoming hiatus is obviously a very hot topic right now and it's pretty much the only thing being discussed in the Hikki thread at the moment. There's lots of mixed emotions from us fans... But I wanna know how the casual listeners and non-fans feel about the upcoming hiatus?

Just incase this is the first time you're hearing about it, Utada will release Single Collection Vol.2 this fall and it will contain 4-5 new songs. She also will be appearing in a new line of commercials and she mentioned "going full throttle" until the end of the year, although there's no official word if there will be anymore releases after Single Collection Vol.2. Starting in 2011, she'll take a 2-5 year hiatus. That means she won't be releasing anything until sometime between 2013 and 2016. It's quite a long time..

Now some people will say, so what? She takes long gaps of time in between releases anyway, but so far since her debut, she's released at least one single or album every year. So this is 2-5 years with NOTHING. Quite saddening, in my opinion. But I think she deserves it. She's cited wanting to pursue "human activities" instead of "artist activities" for the time period of the hiatus. The girl's been sucked up in the music industry since she was 13, so I really understand where she's coming from and wish her luck.

I'll anticipate her return greatly! She promised to come back! How about you?

[NintendoHTF1242]

She got me into J-Pop, so I'll always love her! I guess she does deserve this break, and I'll wait for her return. No matter how long it takes.

[mellody]

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242

She got me into J-Pop, so I'll always love her! I guess she does deserve this break, and I'll wait for her return. No matter how long it takes.

THIS.

Why some people keep thinking she didn't work hard?
She compose, arrange, write, and even produce her music, she already put so much efforts for almost of every release. Also, her last PV, directed by herself, it's just more than efforts for me.

Even this radio interview almost tell everything :

Spoiler:

Utada Hikaru showed up as a guest on “McDonald’s TOKIO HOT 100” (FM radio J-WAVE) recently, which was aired on November 21st. She talked about her hiatus, which she mentioned back in August, and said that she wanted to focus more on “human activity”.

According to Utada, “When you are active as an artist, it’s like you are protected by everybody around you. I did not even know the environment around myself. I want to go back to zero by stepping out from being an artist. To be as simple as possible, I didn’t want to be an old lady who can’t do anything without my manager when I get to my 50s. If I only do something I’m good at, I feel like I’m getting stupider, since I have nobody who scolds me, or instructs me. I want to work as a volunteer abroad, and deal with people. I also want to learn French.”

She also talked about when she would make her comeback, “If I decide when to a comeback, it’s the same thing as waiting for my next activity. I think I will be able to come back when I can see myself clearly after getting rid of everything unnecessary.”

She revealed one of the challenges on “human activity”, “It is said that there are many things you notice about your parents after they pass away, but I really want to know more about my parents while they are alive. We tend to not have important conversation, because we are too close to each other. I also want to change that I only see my father on the business scene.”

Utada ended with the comment, “It is very special to be ‘normal’.”

SOURCE

If she didn't work that hard and money oriented, what about her decision to tell the fans that the fans shouldn't buy the Utada The Best album? She doesn't want her fans putting down money for something that her heart isn't in.

[JackieRos]

being a fan for 10 years I actually feel indifferent because I'm used to her releases patterns so
I guess it was about time she officially told her fans that she was taking a break.

I would never stop loving Hikki, she was the first Japanese artist I heard.
Her songs will never get old.

[pommy48]

I kind of lost interest in her, so I'm fine with her hiatus.

I'll listen to her music again when she comes back anyways, so doesn't really matter to me

[RikkuChii]

Originally Posted by pommy48

I kind of lost interest in her, so I'm fine with her hiatus.

I'll listen to her music again when she comes back anyways, so doesn't really matter to me

This.

I'm actually a little surprised when I hear she's releasing something. She's worse than Namie.

But hey, I'm glad she's taking a break. We'll see if she comes back.

[GRACE]

This thread needs an option like JPM's "That ***** is never coming back" lol

[Mirrorcle Monster]

I think she's had enough time off already and I'm upset. (May or may not wait for her return.)

[love in music]

I think she's retiring and just letting her fans down easy. (Will be shocked if she returns at all.)

[dreamland2.0]

Well I'll wait, because I love her, but if she doesn't come back I'm okay because she has great timeless music

[Polyrhythm]

I will be waiting for my Jpop queen to return and show them all how it's done

Forever...and ever and ever and ever.

[ownsarai]

I have a feeling she will return, and when she does, she'll probably have another peak like Namie did when she returned, which would be great. I think she deserves time to just be herself. I will be waiting for her return, and hopefully she will come back stronger than ever!

[xLuna&1LOVE]

I agree with pommy48

[primavera♥]

Honestly I've barely been listening (if I do its only certain songs from only 3 albums) to her and I say I tie her with ayu as my top jpop artists for petty reasons just out of respect for her

It'll be like she never was gone...so I'm kinda indifferent I just hope whatever she releases next is lasting and amazing. Like UB and certain DR songs...HS was tiresome after a while. Not impactful enough. And TITO was whatever
So if she releases something impactful and amazing I'm sure the haitus will be better seeming
Hikki can have fun. At least she's choosing herself to go.

There's other artists/bands I'm more worried about and ill be more devastated without.

I just don't think ill miss her. But ill listen to her if she ever chooses to return.

Lost interest a long time ago. Nothing to do with her though. I hope she does come back for her fans sake.

[Chandrachan]

I'll be waiting for her return, no doubt

[Kanzaki]

First option.

She's not a music making machine. I can wait for a good album for a very long time, but if it never got out, I wouldn't be angry or anything. Sometimes things just doesn't swing your way. Then you need to let go. The long interval between her latest release and this announcement may frustrate most of her fans, and I understand that. But if you cant; you can't. Besides I have so many other musical interests, that losing this one for a while will not shake me as much, as it might do her bigger fans.

I don't quite understand how time can make people lose interest. Patience is one thing, but interest? I'd lose interest if Ayu started making country music only, but not if she started making an album only every 3-4 years.

[Yoake]

I lost interest in her so I don't really care.
I just hope that her come-back song will great!

[noisy_harmony]

I'll be waiting. I'm waiting for other artists/groups, why I can't wait for one more person?

[tenshi no hane]

I'm just glad she decided to inform us and leave us with a parting gift XD

I hope she'll find whatever she's looking for. And I will listen to her again if she ever really comes back.