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

[Zahara]

Originally Posted by bluegie

Sigh we should really stop the debate between hikki and ayu. It's getting worse...

No kidding.

Guuuuys Utada is back. Somebody must have taken Kuma away from her.

[orbitalaspect]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Lol, Utada sings about love quite a lot, and mostly romantic love, while someone must have a very limited view on what love is to believe Ayu is always singing about it.

Um... Like I said, she writes about intimate love far more often than any other subject, even going as far back as Secret. I'm not sure why you're pretending there was no context to the "love" songs I refer to, but make sure you read things word-for-word before throwing your opinion into things?

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Now, we get it. You don't like Ayu anymore, your message is crystal clear. This doesn't mean it's cool to see you bringing this to every single thread of the forum and calling people names when they disagree with you. People are not dumb or "assholes" because they don't agree with whatever you think it's good or bad.

Certainly didn't call anyone on this thread or any other thread "dumb". Certainly didn't call anyone on this thread an "asshole", and certainly not for disagreeing with me. I have not said anywhere that I don't like Ayu.

Look, I get that you don't like me. And I gotta be honest, I don't like you either. You think other people agreeing with you makes you more right, even if you're wrong in the details. And I attest to God you say things at times just to be a part of the popular opinion. If you've got opinions about me, what I say, and how I say it, you're free to dump your opinions on the table for all to see. No judgment here. However, making up shit is a different story.

You are welcome to search the entire AHS forum for every post I've made before charging me with "bringing this to every single thread of the forum." In fact, you can actually ask Koumori--one of two mods to toss out threads I've been in--exactly how many times I called anyone on this forum a name. I've called people's opinions or viewpoints stupid, dumb, or uninformed, but criticizing an opinion is not the same as criticizing a person's character. Opinions are choices, choices are debatable, and anything that's debatably good or bad comes down to being informed. And the only time I've ever been admonished for calling people names was when I joined a chorus of Maro-eats-grass-and-ass jokes.

The only times I have ever called someone an asshole, anywhere on this forum, are when groups of people deliberately gang up on another person for an opinion they don't like... kind of like you and a small group of other users who called another person's opinion "sexist" for criticizing Ayu's appearance in some of the La Perla photos. A few of us thought she looked like an AV model, and didn't think it tastefully reflected Ayu. Fair criticism for a pop singer who hasn't built her career on being a sex symbol. Rather than be the adult you think you exemplify, you contributed as much to that getting out of hand by dragging that into a roundtable talk on sexist opinions, as I did by calling you out. Your posts were trashed too, if you've forgot.

I get that, to you, criticism of someone's work or actions is no different than criticizing who they are as a person. Unfortunately, the rest of the world doesn't agree with you, and it's all because choices are debatable and identities are not. I can't debate the intelligence of your skin color or gender, but I can certainly debate the quality of a new song by the quality of an old one. If you've seen me posting this "in every single thread", shouldn't you be familiar with what I've posted? I don't know how you translate opinions like:

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

I'm sorry to inject a complete change in direction, but it's just struck me over these last few days that I think Ayu ruined how beautiful you are with the lyrics. There's something highly memorable for me about the instrumental version, which I think fits very well among Ayu's other ballads, but the lyrics and singing are the parts that ruin it for me.

Anyway, I've fallen in love with the instrumental cut of the song, which I think was done quite well in contrast to the track with vocals.

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

I'm sorry, but this is just a symptom of what I mentioned. I think Ayu needs to drop the yes-men around her, and get some people who aren't afraid to tell her that an idea isn't going to be a hit, or that she's putting too much attention on something that doesn't sound like the product of that much attention.

EDIT: Like The GIFT. The song sounds like it was written in 22 minutes, the production sounds like it was written in 10, and the PV looks like Ayu spent 6 days posing on a piano and in front of a window. That's just an example, but I think it's a really good example of Ayu pouring time and money into something that doesn't look or feel like it got that kind of time or money.

..into "I don't like Ayumi Hamasaki anymore." I know you don't tend to read things, more-so selectively skim them, but you need to get accurate with what you post about other people's activity. Like I said, you can not like me, but lying is only going to make you look bad.

[Solarblade]

OK OK, we said to move on, so move on and lets get this thread back on track and excited for Hikki's return

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by orbitalaspect

Um... Like I said, she writes about intimate love far more often than any other subject, even going as far back as Secret. I'm not sure why you're pretending there was no context to the "love" songs I refer to, but make sure you read things word-for-word before throwing your opinion into things?

Certainly didn't call anyone on this thread or any other thread "dumb". Certainly didn't call anyone on this thread an "asshole", and certainly not for disagreeing with me. I have not said anywhere that I don't like Ayu.

Look, I get that you don't like me. And I gotta be honest, I don't like you either. You think other people agreeing with you makes you more right, even if you're wrong in the details. And I attest to God you say things at times just to be a part of the popular opinion. If you've got opinions about me, what I say, and how I say it, you're free to dump your opinions on the table for all to see. No judgment here. However, making up shit is a different story.

You are welcome to search the entire AHS forum for every post I've made before charging me with "bringing this to every single thread of the forum." In fact, you can actually ask Koumori--one of two mods to toss out threads I've been in--exactly how many times I called anyone on this forum a name. I've called people's opinions or viewpoints stupid, dumb, or uninformed, but criticizing an opinion is not the same as criticizing a person's character. Opinions are choices, choices are debatable, and anything that's debatably good or bad comes down to being informed. And the only time I've ever been admonished for calling people names was when I joined a chorus of Maro-eats-grass-and-ass jokes.

The only times I have ever called someone an asshole, anywhere on this forum, are when groups of people deliberately gang up on another person for an opinion they don't like... kind of like you and a small group of other users who called another person's opinion "sexist" for criticizing Ayu's appearance in some of the La Perla photos. A few of us thought she looked like an AV model, and didn't think it tastefully reflected Ayu. Fair criticism for a pop singer who hasn't built her career on being a sex symbol. Rather than be the adult you think you exemplify, you contributed as much to that getting out of hand by dragging that into a roundtable talk on sexist opinions, as I did by calling you out. Your posts were trashed too, if you've forgot.

I get that, to you, criticism of someone's work or actions is no different than criticizing who they are as a person. Unfortunately, the rest of the world doesn't agree with you, and it's all because choices are debatable and identities are not. I can't debate the intelligence of your skin color or gender, but I can certainly debate the quality of a new song by the quality of an old one. If you've seen me posting this "in every single thread", shouldn't you be familiar with what I've posted? I don't know how you translate opinions like:

..into "I don't like Ayumi Hamasaki anymore." I know you don't tend to read things, more-so selectively skim them, but you need to get accurate with what you post about other people's activity. Like I said, you can not like me, but lying is only going to make you look bad.

Oh darling, we are here to discuss about Hikki's comeback, not to hear you bitching about Ayu not being yout spiritual animal anymore or to watch you give a (rather nice) example of what projection is when calling people "uninformed".

---

Hikki usually works years ahead of the market trends, and I'm really curious to see if she will do that this time again. I hope she had solved whatever issue she had with her voice during the streaming version of Wild Life... I was really worried about the health of her voice when I first watched it.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[kotora]

Originally Posted by JackieRos

Get over yourselves and be happy that she's releasing new music

Is Utada going to release single first or go the hell straight away to release a new album?

Any information?

[hayasaki]

Originally Posted by kotora

Is Utada going to release single first or go the hell straight away to release a new album?

Any information?

As of now there is still now news of a single or album release. Just the song info and the airing date of the tie-ins.

[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.

[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.

[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!