Have questions for Utada Hikaru?

[AlbertSiegel]

I just finished my interview with Utada Hikaru and will be posting some text in the next two days. The video will go online next week. I'll update you once I have been able to go over the audio. I need a rest as it's been a very long and busy day plus it's late for me. I'll get to work on this first thing tomorrow with answers to some questions asked here.

[Typhoon]

I think Mrs. Nomura (Sachi?) claimed to be a Columbia grad but at most she might have just sat in some classes there. Not that it's important or anything.

Is Hikaru making a fishy claim?

How about a fishy clam.

[Typhoon]

I just finished my interview with Utada Hikaru and will be posting some text in the next two days. The video will go online next week. I'll update you once I have been able to go over the audio. I need a rest as it's been a very long and busy day plus it's late for me. I'll get to work on this first thing tomorrow with answers to some questions asked here.

Sounds interesting - looking forward to viewing the vid.

[IkemenTommy]

Wasn't she just in the US whoring.. I mean touring.. to promote her new CD?

[Taro Toporific]

Utada cracks top 20 list on iTunes
apan times Saturday, March 28, 2009
After a humiliating setback in the United States, a Japanese diva has staged a comeback.
Hikaru Utada's latest album, "This is The One," has grabbed 19th place overall and second in the pop music genre in the U.S. for downloads at the iTunes store, Universal Music International's Japan unit said Friday.
The achievement, the best by a Japanese musician, may help kick-start Utada's second attempt to break into the U.S. music market after her meek debut five years ago...
...Utada, one of the most popular singers and songwriters in Japan, was born and raised in Manhattan and is perfectly bilingual...more...

[AlbertSiegel]

Hi everyone, I've uploaded my interview with Utada Hikaru. It's a private video on youtube at the moment and I can only show it to a few people. Those of you who asked serious questions, are fans, or really want to see an English interview of her, please PM me with your youtube name and I will invite you to watch the video.

Keep in mind that I can only show a few of you this video as I must keep it private for the next two weeks due to my contract and thus I will not be able to invite more than 15 of you to watch it. I will make it public after my two week requirement.

Thank you all for your interest.

-albert

[Midwinter]

Hi everyone, I've uploaded my interview with Utada Hikaru. It's a private video on youtube at the moment and I can only show it to a few people. Those of you who asked serious questions, are fans, or really want to see an English interview of her, please PM me with your youtube name and I will invite you to watch the video.

Keep in mind that I can only show a few of you this video as I must keep it private for the next two weeks due to my contract and thus I will not be able to invite more than 15 of you to watch it. I will make it public after my two week requirement.

Thank you all for your interest.

-albert

I'd love to see it Albert but I don't have a Youtube account nor the desire to sign up for one. Once this two week requirement is up however, could you please post a link to the full interview? Would love to see what she has to say

[kusai Jijii]

Would love to see what she has to say

Why? Seriously. Why would you love to see what she has to say?
Thanks in advance.

[FG Lurker]

Why? Seriously. Why would you love to see what she has to say?

WTF is your problem? Utada is one of the very few Japanese singers who has made *any* progress outside Japan. You might not like her music but that doesn't make what she has done any less interesting or unusual.

I'm curious, what have you accomplished in your life? I bet you're about double her age but haven't made a tenth the progress in your chosen field that she has in hers. The highlight of your career seems to have been a brief stint working at Nova.

[Midwinter]

Why? Seriously. Why would you love to see what she has to say?
Thanks in advance.

As FGL has said, Utada is one of the few Jpop mainstays that seems to have any real talent and/or grit. In an industry as vapid as this one, Utada has done remarkably well promoting herself both domestically and internationally. Interview-wise she's bound to be far more interesting than any Morning Musume candy coated wanna-be, and quite honestly, I want to see her succeed. I may not be a fan of her music but the woman has the right idea and I admire her struggle to break into the American market. Is that so wrong? Does she really offend you THAT much?

[kusai Jijii]

As FGL has said, Utada is one of the few Jpop mainstays that seems to have any real talent and/or grit. In an industry as vapid as this one, Utada has done remarkably well promoting herself both domestically and internationally. Interview-wise she's bound to be far more interesting than any Morning Musume candy coated wanna-be, and quite honestly, I want to see her succeed. I may not be a fan of her music but the woman has the right idea and I admire her struggle to break into the American market. Is that so wrong? Does she really offend you THAT much?

Mid,
thanks for your reply. I take your point. its not so wrong. She does not offend me THAT much.

Lurk,
Yes, Im about double her age. My brief stint at Nova was definately the highlight of my life. You are spot on.

[Samurai_Jerk]

KJ,

What is your beef with Utada?

[Catoneinutica]

Anyone see the review in the Japan Times?

[INDENT]While "Exodus" included some terrible lyrics [catone: I think we all know one in particular] (and some that were truly inspired), "This is the One" is practically X-rated at times. On "Dirty Desire," Utada sings, "During my 9 to 5, I'm thinking six and nine"; and on "Automatic Part II" (a nod to her hit debut single, "Automatic"), she sings, "Contraceptive, when I'm on it, it's automatic."[/INDENT]

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20090410l2.html

- catone
- "During my 9 to 5, I'm thinking six and nine." THE FUCK?

[kusai Jijii]

KJ,

What is your beef with Utada?

It aint Utada specifically, its J-pops in general. Granted, she has actually made some inroads into the American market, which make her distinctive from many in the Japanese music scene. On the whole, however, I personally (as in the me, myself, not trying to speak for anyone else meaning of 'I') find J-pops to be complete and utter shit. If others like that genre of music, then fine. But I dont.
When I asked (seriously) why Mid would "like to see what [she] might have to say", its because I have a preconceived notion of how interviews with J-pop 'talents' are usually formulated and the subject matter they often contain. (Philip Brasor's article in this morning's Japan Times kinda says it all really).
I'm happy to go on the record and oppologise to Albert for my 'if you took you job seriously...' comment. It was an off-the-cuff quib, but in hindsight I can see how it could have caused him offense. I hope he does well with his interview.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It aint Utada specifically, its J-pops in general. Granted, she has actually made some inroads into the American market, which make her distinctive from many in the Japanese music scene. On the whole, however, I personally (as in the me, myself, not trying to speak for anyone else meaning of 'I') find J-pops to be complete and utter shit. If others like that genre of music, then fine. But I dont.
When I asked (seriously) why Mid would "like to see what [she] might have to say", its because I have a preconceived notion of how interviews with J-pop 'talents' are usually formulated and the subject matter they often contain. (Philip Brasor's article in this morning's Japan Times kinda says it all really).
I'm happy to go on the record and oppologise to Albert for my 'if you took you job seriously...' comment. It was an off-the-cuff quib, but in hindsight I can see how it could have caused him offense. I hope he does well with his interview.

I'm not a fan of J-Pop but I can't stand the American version like Britney or the Backstreet Boys either. What makes J-Pop particularly annoying though is the fact that the artists are often talentless. They can't sing, they can't dance, and they have zero presence on stage. On the other hand, though I might not like Christina Aguilera or Justin Timberlake's music, there is no denying they're talented performers who can actually sing.

However, Hikki has had a couple of songs that weren't bad and she's definitely better than a lot of the other J-Pop stars. Add to the that the fact that she was raised in NY and she's been trying to crack the US market and I can see why her story or an interview of her conducted by an American in English would be of interest to some who post on a forum full of English speakers who have some connection to Japan. I was curious just because I've never heard her speak at length in English before and wanted to see if she would come across the same way she does in Japanese.

The other point is that whether or not Albert likes someone's music means nothing if he has a job to do. I hate Michael Bay movies but if I was a film critic it'd be tough to skip 'Transformers 2' this summer when I'm pretty sure it's going to be a big hit and people will want to read my review. Even if Albert hate's Hikki's music, if interviewing her is relevant to whatever it is that he does and will further his career then why wouldn't he?

[kusai Jijii]

SJ,
I dont disagree with anything you wrote above.
KJ.

[American Oyaji]

(Philip Brasor's article in this morning's Japan Times kinda says it all really).

Don't you mean Daniel Robson?:confused:

[kusai Jijii]

Don't you mean Daniel Robson?:confused:

No. I mean Philip Brasor, page 9. But my point remains, there's a generic 'annoyingness' to articles such as these.

[American Oyaji]

No. I mean Philip Brasor, page 9. But my point remains, there's a generic 'annoyingness' to articles such as these.

Ah ok, you mean the actual paper, not the webpage. Thnx.

[kamome]

I saw Hikki when she came to New York to promote her album a few weeks ago. Went over to 5th Avenue and stood with the rest of the huge J-crowd while we waited for her to pull up in her limo. The entire sidewalk was clogged with people trying to get a glimpse of her. It was a hoot, but I only got to see her for two seconds. There were just too many people.

[kusai Jijii]

It was a hoot, but I only got to see her for two seconds.

What a lucky bird you are! Did you have tissues?

[Greji]

but I only got to see her for two seconds

That's long enough! Did you have on your trench coat and argyles?

[Bucky]

It aint Utada specifically, its J-pops in general. Granted, she has actually made some inroads into the American market, which make her distinctive from many in the Japanese music scene. . . .

We just received a box of flyers for an appearance by Utada in Seattle. I guess she will be appearing at a record store in a shopping mall here on May 15 to sign her record. We'll be inserting the flyers in our Japanese newspaper here in Seattle

[Samurai_Jerk]

We'll be inserting the flyers in our Japanese newspaper here in Seattle

Soy Source?

[Bucky]

yup

[Behan]

We just received a box of flyers for an appearance by Utada in Seattle. I guess she will be appearing at a record store in a shopping mall here on May 15 to sign her record. We'll be inserting the flyers in our Japanese newspaper here in Seattle

Will you get to meet her?

[Bucky]

Will you get to meet her?

We have requested to interview her, but it sounds like her handlers only trot her out for serious media, not a "chihou shinbun" like our little rag.

I guess if I went down there, bought her record and waited in line for her to sign it, I might get to meet her. However, we have heard that in LA when she was there about a month ago that fans started lining up at 10 am for a signing that started at 5 pm.

I did notice on her website -- utada.com -- that she has a grueling schedule.

5/12 New York
5/13 LA
5/14 SF
5/15 Seattle
5/16 Honolulu

The NY-LA and Seattle-Honolulu legs must be redeyes in order for her to get to the venues in time -- I can see her flying in a private jet on the mainland but I would think she might have to fly commercial to Hawaii.

[yt]UHUhjL-R-ek[/yt]

I think the guy in this video may be Take-chan

[Behan]

Being rich you would assume she could just take her time and not need to rush.

[Samurai_Jerk]

[yt]UHUhjL-R-ek[/yt]

The title of that video is a little misleading.


Anyhow, the sad part about the title of Seattle's Japanese language newspaper, "Soy Source", is that most of the target audience doesn't get the play on words. Most Japanese I talked to in Seattle just thought the name of the paper was "Soy Sauce".

[Behan]