Unseen interview with Utada Hikaru

[AlbertSiegel]

According to my contract, I am now able to release and make public an exclusive interview I had with Utada Hikaru two months ago. Please enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUETJQEOPdY

[yt]kUETJQEOPdY[/yt]

[canman]

Interesting answers. She seems fairly down to earth, while in the States. I guess when she is in Japan, things are very different. I was surprised she has a rather low voice, but when she sings, it is much higher.
Good job Albert, congrats on the interview.

[Mike Oxlong]

Thank you. Interesting. One minor point - the English questions that are printed before each answer need some spell checking.

[Mulboyne]

Thanks for sharing it, Albert. Well done on getting the gig.

[Sentakki Fried Chicken]

Great job Albert!
She was impressive. I hope she becomes huge in the States/worldwide.

[FG Lurker]

Thanks for sharing that Albert.

I think she came across really well in the interview. I wonder what his holiness KJ will have to say about it.


My only comment about the video itself is that I think it would have flowed more smoothly if your side of the conversation had been there as well as her answers.

[Number11]

I'm sorry, but I find the format of written questions with verbal answers to be uncomfortable. Do you have a speech impediment or some other reason for this format? She does seem down-to-earth, but I couldn't listen to the entire interview. Her California "up-speak" (everything statement sounds like a question) is unbearable after a while.

Let's see... anything else I can complain about today? The weather sucks!

[Samurai_Jerk]

Her California "up-speak" (everything statement sounds like a question) is unbearable after a while.

Yeah, I guess growing up in NYC had no effect on the way she speaks. She probably mostly hung out with other Asians since that does seems to be an Asian thing as much as it is a California thing.

[Mulboyne]

One reason for the written questions might be that Albert's actual questions were longer and more discursive so this format allows him to edit the interview to a manageable length for a YouTube clip.

[GuyJean]

One reason for the written questions might be that Albert's actual questions were longer and more discursive so this format allows him to edit the interview to a manageable length for a YouTube clip.

Or, there was only one mic available.

The main reason for the interview was an article, no? The video is extra.. I, personally, appreciate the extra effort.

GJ

[AlbertSiegel]

Actually... This was the format requested by the newspaper. I was told not to have my voice on the video. The other issue is the audio on my side was quite poor. Utada's people decided to hold the interview in a noisy hotel lobby and there was nothing I could do for me but I was able to use a good mic on her. It all worked out in the end.

(I will update the video with the spelling corrected... I don't know how I made such simple mistakes.. embarrassed now..)

[Greji]

[quote="GuyJean"]Or, there was only one mic available. ]

Whichever, great show Albert...

[Midwinter]

Dude, that was awesome. Thank you. Her comments about being a foreigner where ever she goes were indeed, touching.

[AlbertSiegel]

The video has been updated. I can't seem to edit my first post to reflect this. Only real change is the spelling errors. No need to watch again if you've seen this. This is the new location:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUETJQEOPdY

[yt]kUETJQEOPdY[/yt]

[Mulboyne]

The video has been updated. I can't seem to edit my first post to reflect this.

Your first post has your new video now.

[AssKissinger]

She's hot. I think she should join forces with t.A.T.u

[IkemenTommy]

Yeah, I guess growing up in NYC had no effect on the way she speaks. She probably mostly hung out with other Asians since that does seems to be an Asian thing as much as it is a California thing.

I noticed that as well. She always likes to stress (or brag) about being born and raised in NY but she sounds more like from California i.e. LA in particular. Either way, she discusses in the video that she considers herself as "being neither an American nor a Japanese" and that she has her own identity that way. In other words, she does not necessarily have to fit into some kind of cookie cutter identity or stereotype.

[IkemenTommy]

She's hot. I think she should join forces with t.A.T.u

Or Perfume. Hey, now there's an idea for "music"

[xenomorph42]

I noticed that as well. She always likes to stress (or brag) about being born and raised in NY but she sounds more like from California i.e. LA in particular. Either way, she discusses in the video that she considers herself as "being neither an American nor a Japanese" and that she has her own identity that way. In other words, she does not necessarily have to fit into some kind of cookie cutter identity or stereotype.

Well, hailing originally from L.A. and growing up around other Asian Americans, she does NOT sound like she's from L.A., NY or America. She sounds like she's from Japan. Having said that, her English is indeed great, but not native, that is not a bad thing, but let's be real for a moment. She does seem to live slightly on a cloud. Why does this girl have to boast? We all know she's rich as hell, so why is it that she has to emphasize that she shelled out 10 Grand for a Yogi the bear costume??
Also, having worked in the music and film industry in L.A. I know for a fact, the last album she worked on and released in the states failed miserably. She worked with the famous musician and producer "Terry Lewis" who]true legend[/I] the man has produced many star talents in the past, most noticeably: Janet Jackson. The problem is not really with Utada so much, the problem is that there has never really been a leading prominent Musician that is Asian or of Asian ancestry. Sure you had groups that had mild successes in the states, particularly in California. Pizzicato 5, Shonen Knife, Seiko Matsuda to name a few. Maybe now things are changing slowly, but stereotypes still exist (sorrily) and for many
people in the music industry as well as the consumer or general perception of Asians overall, historically seeing Asians sing R&B, Soul, Rock or Rap has never been truly accepted by the mainstream generally speaking. Perhaps this time she might have some limited success.

[Jack]

She is gorgeous and classy looking. I hope she becomes a mega star in the States.

[kusai Jijii]

She is gorgeous and classy looking.

Jack, your posts never cease to amaze me...

[kusai Jijii]

I wonder what his holiness KJ will have to say about it.

Sorry Lurk, I aint breaking out the tissues over this one.

[Greji]

Jack, your posts never cease to amaze me...

Not me Ji. At least not any more....

[kamome]

I was at the New York event she speaks of at the beginning of the interview, and it was indeed pretty insane. There were so many people on the sidewalk that they spilled over onto 5th Avenue and disrupted traffic. When Hikki stepped out of her limo, it was pretty chaotic. Quite a cool event!

[Mulboyne]

There's a lengthy review in a student magazine of a small gig Utada Hikaru played in Boston last week:

Megastar offers an intimate show in Boston

...The general makeup of the crowd was predictable, including nerds, anime lovers, gays and nerdy, anime-loving gays. Far and away, though, the makeup of the audience was largely Japanese. That fact would be later confirmed when Utada prompted the crowd three songs in with Nihongo no uta? (basically, "How about a Japanese song?"), which was met with a deafening cry of approval...The Japanese songs carried a large degree of nostalgia for me-and evidently the crowd, as well-as I watched dozens of people shriek with delight each time the opening notes of some of her bestselling classics began to play, including "First Love," the title track off of her first Japanese album. As soon as the first chords began to pluck at the piano, the entire audience all but lost their minds, including both myself and the small Japanese girl next to me, who began spasming, seizing and flailing against the banister in what I could only describe as a sort of J-Pop-induced exorcism. Between Utada's tender crooning and the crowd's loud singing, I'll admit that by the end I was a little teary-eyed from watching it all happen in front of me...more...