[Utada Hikaru] Songs of Utada Hikaru | the 52nd thread

[bluegie]

Her voice was not the worse in Wild Life. It was actually much better compared to UNITED.

[Bigtop]

Man, Utada is back! I mean, I have to wonder what she has been up to since that marriage...

But yeah, we can't wait to hear her voice once again! I'm not sure how this translate in terms of Oricon numbers, but cannot wait nonetheless!

[bluegie]

I kinda doubt solo artists have much power in oricon nowadays. Of course I believe she can sell over 200K on the first week, but doubt 500K. I think people tend to buy digital music.

[Andrenekoi]

^But during United she actually had her allergies to blame, while durinh Wild Life she should be healthy... I love Hikki's voice and her tone is gorgeous, but girl needs that singing classes she has been postponing since her debut

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^But during United she actually had her allergies to blame, while durinh Wild Life she should be healthy... I love Hikki's voice and her tone is gorgeous, but girl needs that singing classes she has been postponing since her debut

The thing that happens is that Hikki doesn't do vocal warmups or have vocal lesson.

The only time in her life that she had a vocal coach was during Hikaru no 5.

I believe she thinks she doesn't need to take a proper care to her voice, unfortunately.

[Andrenekoi]

Yeap, I'm aware of that... But during Utada United she discovered she was alergic to cedar, I believe, and she discovered that by singing on a venue that used the material a lot, and that was the venue the dvd was recorded, or so she said on the blog at the time. It was too late to change venue (as the alergy attacked mid show) and it was the final dates, so it was also the last chance she had of recording ir anyway... That's why her voice got SO bad from half to the end of the concert it couldn't even be fixed on edition.

TBH Hikki always was a hit-and-miss vocalist with a too hard repertorie for her own skill level, but Wild Life was scary at some points... I was really afraid her voice could be hurt.

[bluegie]

Maybe that's the reason she doesn't like singing live? And I forgot who said it in this thread, but hikki always composed something that her voice is out of reach. I think she's more into emotional approach than vocal techniques.

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by bluegie

Maybe that's the reason she doesn't like singing live? And I forgot who said it in this thread, but hikki always composed something that her voice is out of reach. I think she's more into emotional approach than vocal techniques.

Hell yes! Both BLUE and DEEP RIVER are insanely hard to sing.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

Hell yes! Both BLUE and DEEP RIVER are insanely hard to sing.

Deep River is not hard for hikki I think. She can hit all the notes without problem at all. BLUE is indeed insanely hard to sing. Those extremely high notes, and the dynamic keys in the chorus made it one of the hardest songs she's ever made. She definitely couldn't reach those high notes during live, but the studio version is magical to me. And that BLUE represents her.

[Andrenekoi]

She is, and the amount of emotion she can put on her voice is huge! But proper singing technique isn't only for sounding good, but also to preserve your voice, and I want her to take care of it, because her tone is gorgeous and I want it to healthy xD. And she herself already said she doesn't think about her voice while composing, so she has no idea of how hard the song is until the recording sessions.

[JackieRos]

Yep all we know is that she's releasing with new music.
But I think it'll be a single or just a song for that tie in, I can't remember.

[PURIN]

I hope she has an album this year, been waiting foreverrrrrrr

[Maemi]

Can't wait! For those who missed it perhaps:

In January 2016, it was revealed that Utada would release a new song in the spring. The new song, titled "Hanataba wo Kimi ni"("Bouquet for You") will be a TV show (titled 'Toto Nee-Chan' (とと姉ちゃん?)) theme tune, which will begin airing on April 4, 2016. Details regarding an official release date for the song, or its composition have yet to be released. Later in February 2016, Utada announced another new song, also to be aired on April 4, 2016, to be the theme to a late-night TV station's news show, "NEWS ZERO".

Utada's website was also updated, with the announcement of a project titled "New-Turn", in which fans are encouraged to purchase Utada's music and to use the hashtag "#おかえりHIKKI" ("Welcome Back Hikki") on Twitter. The aim is to use proceeds from the music purchased to plant more cherry blossom trees in the tsunami-damaged areas of Japan after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. The website also confirms Utada's return to artistic activities, fronted by the Twitter campaign.

- wiki

[2016/03/10] Title of theme song of NHK morning drama "Toto Nē-chan" is announced!
The title of the theme song of the NHK morning drama “Toto Nē-chan,” to start airing on the morning of April 4, is “Hanataba wo Kimi ni” [A Bouquet for You].
The song will premier in the opening of the first episode on April 4. Stay tuned to hear this song!

<Drama’s website>
http://www.nhk.or.jp/totone-chan/

[2016/03/10] NEW-TURN Project launches to celebrate Utada Hikaru's comeback as an artist!
This project brings together Utada Hikaru’s record label, fans, and others who have long waited for Utada’s return, in order to celebrate her comeback as an artist.
By tweeting using the hashtag “#おかえりHIKKI”, or purchasing or downloading Utada products, the flowers of the sakura (cherry blossom) trees on the project’s website will gradually bloom. Through this project, the record label and fans will give momentum leading up to Utada’s return, with the goal of having the flowers in full bloom by April 4. We look forward to your cooperation.

A portion of the proceeds from this project will be donated to the NPO Sakura Namiki Network to deliver sakura trees to the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
DAIICHIKOSHO CO., LTD., the video streaming service GYAO!, and USEN CORPORATION support the purpose of this project, and will respectively make donations for the same purpose-GYAO! based on the number of plays of its featured Utada Hikaru videos, and USEN based on the requests made in connection with Utada Hikaru’s music.
DAIICHIKOSHO will set up a special web page. Based on the frequency at which Utada’s songs are sung, the flowers of the sakura trees on this web page will gradually bloom.
　
●NEW-TURN PROJECT website: http://utadahikaru.jp/sakura/
●GYAO! Utada Hikaru’s NEW-TURN PROJECT page: http://gyao.yahoo.co.jp/p/00101/v12282/
●USEN Music Broadcast’s official website: http://music.usen.com/
●NPO Sakura Namiki Network: http://sakuranamiki.jpn.org/cherry_project

[freedreamer]

Just a little more than a week and we'll hear her voice again!

[bluegie]

About 10 more days...

I'm patient.... yeah I am...

[Maemi]

Guys, what do you expect the new songs to sound like?

[Miduhyo]

^I'm hoping something amazing. I want something that has that beautiful, powerful dramatic build-up like Sakura Nagashi but, to be honest, I'll go with anything right about now xD that's my favorite thing about Hikki. You never really know or can guess what she's going to release.

[Maemi]

Originally Posted by Miduhyo

^I'm hoping something amazing. I want something that has that beautiful, powerful dramatic build-up like Sakura Nagashi but, to be honest, I'll go with anything right about now xD

Me too, I'm just so happy that she is finally back But to be honest, I'd love something fast and catchy like traveling

[bluegie]

The title 花束を君に gives me a soothe feeling, so I think it's not a powerful ballad. But knowing hikki, she does give surprises .

[Miduhyo]

Oh I don't think it'll be a powerful ballad either, but I really want it to be xD I hope we at least get a powerful ballad from her again somewhere with these new releases. I really do. She's one of my favorite power-ballad singers/songwriters