[Utada Hikaru] The New Album 「Fantôme」 on Sep 28, 2016! ʕ•̫͡•ʔ the 54th thread

[ShiraJemJem]

I really love this album. Very different from her previous albums. This album is easy to listen but deep and emotional at the same time. I love Ore no Kanojo the most.

[Maemi]

I've finally got into the Wolf song I'm really enjoying it now!

[pheonixflame15]

Guys...number 5 on US iTunes

[bluegie]

I still haven't. Guess I don't actually love wolf as much as I thought lol.

[Mirrorcle Monster]

I feel like half of the album is about her dealing with her mother's death, and the other half is about her discovering her sexuality

The tracks about her mother are:

1. Michi
"An undying star shines in my heart"
"Inside my heart you're there always"

3. Hanataba wo Kimi Ni
"Your smile was my sun"
"Even if I can't get all that acorss to you now"

5. Ningyo
"I saw a mermaid heading toward the open sea"

7. Manatsu no Tooriame
"Teach me the proper way to say farewell"

9. Boukyaku
"Call me by that dear, old name"

11. Sakura Nagashi
"If only you could see me now
i wonder what you'd think
Of me living without you"

And the songs about her discovering her sexuality

2. My girlfriend
"I want someone to come inside
Someone to find my truth"

4. Nijikan Dake no Vacance
"Once in a while, let's just take a breather, and make it a flashy one"

6. Tomodachi
"If only I had revealed my inner self... No wait, actually, that's impossible"

8. Kouya no Ookami
"I'll never accept living with a collar around my neck"

10. Jinsei Saikou no Hi
"A turn of events that would shock Shakespeare
That's life"
"I've got an open mind, no preconcibed notions"

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by Mirrorcle Monster

I feel like half of the album is about her dealing with her mother's death, and the other half is about her discovering her sexuality

The tracks about her mother are:

1. Michi
"An undying star shines in my heart"
"Inside my heart you're there always"

3. Hanataba wo Kimi Ni
"Your smile was my sun"
"Even if I can't get all that acorss to you now"

5. Ningyo
"I saw a mermaid heading toward the open sea"

7. Manatsu no Tooriame
"Teach me the proper way to say farewell"

9. Boukyaku
"Call me by that dear, old name"

11. Sakura Nagashi
"If only you could see me now
i wonder what you'd think
Of me living without you"

And the songs about her discovering her sexuality

2. My girlfriend
"I want someone to come inside
Someone to find my truth"

4. Nijikan Dake no Vacance
"Once in a while, let's just take a breather, and make it a flashy one"

6. Tomodachi
"If only I had revealed my inner self... No wait, actually, that's impossible"

8. Kouya no Ookami
"I'll never accept living with a collar around my neck"

10. Jinsei Saikou no Hi
"A turn of events that would shock Shakespeare
That's life"
"I've got an open mind, no preconcibed notions"

I think that's interpretative. I can't really see those last songs as sexuality discovering pieces.

And Sakura Nagashi was released one year before her mother died. She wrote it related to the earthquake that hit Japan back then (as well as Evangelion).

[terra]

^I was wondering what the even tracks are about, I knew about her 'coming out' but I didn't really think of those until you pointed it out lol

That's why I really enjoy the album's contents lmao, I like sad music but at the same time I'm also not completely came out yet

[Marcelo]

49 728 today, Exile 18 053!

[DeepRiver]

Second Day ... Fantôme #1 - 49.728



Exile sold nearly 18.000 albums in their 3rd Day.

Ah i See. Marcelo was faster

[bluegie]

Fantôme: 87,088 + 49728 = 136,816
EXILE: 79271 + 41258 + 18053 = 138,852

So, seems like Hikki may win . Unless EXILE decides to put concert tickets to boost album sales .

And right now it sits at no. 6 on US iTunes chart, but about an hour ago it was no. 5 .

Edit: Cracking in top 10 on Canada iTunes as well!!!!!! YES!

[ayu-fan]

I wonder why she managed to break top 5 in North America?? I mean she's known for KH for sure but that's about it.

[DeepRiver]

Originally Posted by ayu-fan

I wonder why she managed to break top 5 in North America?? I mean she's known for KH for sure but that's about it.

Because she's Godtada!
That's all we need to know

[pedronekoi]

Originally Posted by ayu-fan

I wonder why she managed to break top 5 in North America?? I mean she's known for KH for sure but that's about it.

I'm assuming that she have a big fanbase worldwide but back in the day there were no download charts and now in 2016 we can see her fame around the world thru the numbers. Just a theory that I came up with haha

I'm really impressed with the iTunes chart! History is being made, you guys!

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by ayu-fan

I wonder why she managed to break top 5 in North America?? I mean she's known for KH for sure but that's about it.

I've seen many press coverage on Utada's new album.

At least for my country, many facebook pages including an anime TV channel had covered her comeback.

The coverage content is poor and regular people should think she IS the only singer Japan or something and end buying the tracks on iTunes because they would like to be introduced to japanese music (Theory).

[EndOfTheWorld]

To be honest I can't really explain how the heck Utada managed to crack the top 10 in the US. I think timing could have something to do with it. There isn't any BIG release out right now, so there isn't too much competition going on in the charts. I am almost positive it will sink quickly.
Utada is the most well known Japanese singer here, Kyary is probably the second. She has a small but highly devoted fanbase so what I think happened was even though she has a small cult following, a lot of the fans actually bought the album, allowing it to chart high briefly. It actually happens a lot here. Some lesser known album will randomly appear and then in a day or too disappear because all the die hard fans bought it day one and then it stops selling because the mainstream doesn't care.
I won't even say anything about the KH/Utada fans here, simple and clean and passion on repeat for the rest of their life.
But I would say there is a strong chance she will return for the new game. The demand here is very strong. I mean she even did Sakura Nagashi while on hiatus just to honor the Neon Genesis film series.

[ayu-fan]

Originally Posted by visionfactory

I've seen many press coverage on Utada's new album.

At least for my country, many facebook pages including an anime TV channel had covered her comeback.

The coverage content is poor and regular people should think she IS the only singer Japan or something and end buying the tracks on iTunes because they would like to be introduced to japanese music (Theory).

In my country (Indonesia) she's cracking top ten yesterday (now it's on 16) and there's no promotion like at all. And she's the only Japanese artist on the chart lol. Maybe it has to do with her First Love song which was a pretty big hit here (and KH too).

[bluegie]

This is a mystery. Same as why she could break in top 10 in Bahrain, Spain, Canada, etc. And top 20 in Sweden, Norway, Australia, etc. JPop isn't even that popular worldwide.

Let's assume that because she's Godtada...

[Baco__]

Maybe the north american fans are in a larger number than we think they are? I don't know, but I'm living lol

I doubt American fan reviews or mouth to mouth propaganda could result in her cracking top 10 in two of three North American countries.

There are fans out there asking if she could sell 1m. Like, talk about being delusional haha why do people stick so much to sales' numbers of almost 10 years ago it's beyond me.

[taskinillusion]

Maybe we in NA are hoping that by her doing well here she will agree to make a new theme song for KH3. A looooot of people know her from KH (it's how I discovered Jpop too), and there's a lot of anticipation surrounding KH3. Plus, a new remix of Hikari was just released for the new game that's coming out in January (Final Chapter Prologue.)

[DeepRiver]

#3 ??? Omg !!!