i actually fell for this :scry

...and the wait STILL continues, lol. but i wonder what this big job is. recording PLEASE :weep

I think if it were recording, she would have stating that.

:rolleyes

Didn't even bother to look. I go to UtadaNet before AHS everyday.

I knew it was too good to be true :weep

It's not funny to some who felt for it


You're welcome everybody

Some people can't just take a joke X)

And anyhow I'm sure if it was an important job hikki may keep it a slight mystery. There's no fun in outright telling us

Didn't fall for it, but still, it ain't funny anymore.

What if she actually announces something, no one will believe it :laugh

^Exactly!!!!!

It's funny when people fall for it and get mad about it

If I were hikki I would start messing with my fans for my own personal amusement and because my fans would still love me
But she won't, sadly...I'd prefer that than waiting without anything

Only time will tell :yes


And maybe well get another entry. Soon. :yes

I didn't fall for it, and I still "got mad about it." It's just kind of irritating that I everyday there are a bunch of new posts here and it's either people trying to be funny and failing or people asking what everyone's favorite/least favorite this and that is. </*****>

You live in new york. go on...so does hikki. go find her address and stalk her until she writes a new song. maybe if you even molest her or kuma once or twice it'll inspire her to write something new.

I don't really care...it's the same as if I created a new thread in the ayu music news section about her new single.

Think what you what but if you do it again I'm reporting it.

as sick as this is..

i lol'd hard xD

Inspiring her to write the song "Prisoner of Fans", or "Flavor of Captivity".

:roflmao

On today's news 20 year old harasses Japanese singer demanding for a new album. Tonight at 11

LMAO :laugh ... Now hikki will be traumatized then and would write dark disturbing songs. Maybe shell finally move into rock genre. Lyrically make a song like Taion from the GazettE. But we don't want to do that to our little hikki, right?

@jackie: I could totally see that... :laugh ... I wonder has hikki ever had anyone obsessed enough to actually stalk her?

^I think I remember something about her going to check her fanmail one time and finding a box of stuff from "blacklisted" fans. o.o;

By the way.. I'm probably a really bad fan for even having to ask this, but.. is she really living in New York nowadays?

She isn't really, right? Because about a month or two ago (in Hikki language: a really short while ago) I translated these messages saying she was going to take a holliday to somewhere in Japan, and she was already in Japan (I guess Tokyo), and she was cooking all this Japanese food. And the supposed magazine shoot (which by now I don't believe ever took place) in Shibuya and all..

She's living in Tokyo, right?

^^erm...whaaaa?!

@Keiichi She goes back and forth, and usually unannounced. It definitely seemed like she's been in Tokyo during the majority of her newest blog entries though.

^you never know, she could be lying just to throw us off. lol

This is also really random but I just remember that ayu recorded two pvs in New York City. B&D, and Pride. I would laugh if you looked in the background of the videos to see hikki standing there staring at her. "This is my city D< you better get your ass back to japan!" [/random thought]

Thank god, I thought I was turning crazy with all those people saying she's living in NY lol.

Btw.. these are officially the most heart-breaking lines a song ever:

僕の世界消えるまで会えぬなら
君の側で眠らせて どんな場所でも結構
If I can't meet you before my world disappears
Let me sleep by your side, I don't care where
Utada Hikaru - Beautiful World

I don't know why, but the words sekai and kieru just hit a soft spot inside me or something, they're so meaningful. It's so romantic and dramatic, I love it. I'm probably just in a silly mood :)

@Picaflor: oh please... On a brighter note it wouldve been cool for hikki to be featured in B&D. Or the side story... If she were there...

@Keiichi: its hard for romantic lyrics to get to me as always as I'm still in a point in my life where I don't feel that way (well not all the time)
But those are still beautiful lyrics and really romantic. But I very much prefer other lyrics and lines from her. Many which I can barely recall
Sommething from teiku 5, dareka no, and blue...and a few other songs. Ultra Blue has songs with perfect lyrics that I feel like looking through now. Like poetry
But the line u mentioned is pretty anyhow :yes
I just love some touching lyrics from artists and bands as I cry easy and a few lines can bring me to tears.

This made me chuckle:

Utada said (Lost In Translation Taken Into Consideration): "A bug's life and a human's life, they don't make much difference . . . this morning just before I left my house I encounted a roach in the bathroom. I screamed around like "Aaaaaaaghh" "Awww" "Y, Yarrr!! I'm sorry! Sorry!!!" and killed him . . ."

I'm too afraid of insects to even kill them *shivers* groooosssss. Unless u have spray of course. From long distance...
Lol. Hikkis right though. Were all lives. Insects kill us and each other. We kill them and each other. Although I prefr our species. Quite a bit (a lot lot loooootttt) more
Hikki is so silly. And can still have intellect at the same time. What a woman :D

lol @ the roach. I stepped on one once... Then he crawled away. So I stepped on him again... He still lived... They're tough.
As they say; Kill a cocroach, and his whole family will attend the funeral... ^^

I just got back from eating ramen with Hikki.
She says hop off her pipe...she will release something eventually

Ugh!!! I am simply dying without new Hikki material...:(
and I hate most bugs!!!

^(I hate bugs too T.T so gross) and i always think fans would be okay without an artists new material if they are so obssessed with the artists music. The music the artist already made should be enough to suffice a lifetime if it is truly loved
This is how I have been working for An Cafe. They're on haitus but I have all their old albums to listen to so its like they're never even gone

I'm perfectly fine atm without hikki releasing. At least she's not on some infinite haitus.
I could do the same with ayu but she does release sooo yeah. Oh but I'm doing the same with my Eiko who has cancer and may never sing again. Buuut her old music suffices :)

My fellow hikki fans, well be fiiiiiine. Hikki will release eventually...

I'm good with you, hikki. Take your time, baby. ^____~

^Kremlin Dusk philosophy? ;)

Best song on Exodus, haha.

Best Utada song anyhow.

TITO is fun, but not as deep and amazing as Kremlin Dusk.

I agree that Kremlin Dusk is the best song of her US career. It doesnt even rank for me in her overall career though....her Japanese work blows everything else away.

@amorphose: wtf are u talking about? I...don't...get...it....help me here? *looks at u innocently*

--------

Anyhow kremlin is easily herr best english song and also ranks in my top 10 hikki songs overall. It is an amazing song. With lovely lyrics. And I mean. When u incorporate The Raven into anything. Like cmon. Its gotta be awesome. At least if hikki does it
The song is dark beautiful and she doesn't have any other like it. Its one of her few (if any other) english songs I can say is much better than a good majority of her disco. :yes

wow? I thought people hated Kremlin >.>

I love this song.

I disagree, I think Kremlin Dusk can easily join the top ranks of Hikkiness. But hey at least you love it too! :)

Are you silly, I've always loved Kremlin Dusk! :laugh (well.. that's just me, though. But it seems like most people here like it)

Haha, cause you said that you can play the songs over and over again like they never get old and I thought of "If you like this, will you remember my name? Will you play it again, if you like this?"

Kremlin Dusk is one of the best live songs too. She totally rocks out with it.

I don't like kremlin dusk, and it's not one of my favorite songs by her. but I definitely consider it one of her best songs. I love the lyrics, and I consider it be a milestone song in her career. She composed it well.

Ohhhhhhh~~ I listened to the song again and thought. Nah~ he must mean something else. :laugh I'm just a silly goose...
Thank you~ but yeah kremlin dusk philosophy. U can keep playing it~ over and over. If u like it XD
Gosh I feel so stupid now for asking. Merci~

@emiko: it is SO awesome live. I prefer the live version really. So passionate. Its same with the be my last performance from UU06. So much pure emotion :D

kremlin dusk live in NYC was <3 <3 <3

You mean the showcase, or In The Flesh?

If you mean ITF, yeah you're so right, I nearly died when she was performing it in London.

"Utada to release Single Collection Vol. 2 w/ 4-5 new tracks; Take break from music"
from u.blog http://blog.utada2.net/?p=1731

official website:

^please kick arashi ass hikki!!!

*gasp* she's going to do something outside of music
yeah no surprise

new tracks I neeeeeeed this now!!!
BANG IS GOING TO BE BIIIIG!!!!

wow.she's going to take a break?oh gosh.i'll definitely will buy this collection cd T_T

i saved money just for Hikki's next album. i hope this pays off :X

she is taking a break.... oohhh

We spend all this time waiting for her to release something, anything, and then! she decides to go on break? like she hasn't been on one right now, long enough?

Also, this is a singles collection. so shouldn't the last 5 new songs be on singles first? I demand a singles clips collection vol. 5! D< (you know...while she's at it.)

I'm amazed she's releasing This is Love on it. It was just a digital single. But shouldn't that mean she should also release Fight the Blues too? I do love the ballad version of Flavor of Life, but I'd rather see the original version on the single's collection instead since that would be more proper.

I know it doesn't feel like it but Hikki has released at least one song every year since her debut. Or maybe it does feel like it. :innocent

Hikki going on a break isn't shocking news though. At least we get new tracks. I probably won't get excited until the CM comes out.

TRANSLATION!

source: http://hikki.blogspot.com/2010/08/fi...-in-while.html

I'm sad and happy at the same time lol. I'm looking forward to her brand new songs.

OH MY GOD.
Kind of tearing up.

I mean it's not a BIG change, considering she didn't release much anyway, but still!

I look forward to the new songs!

She says something about releasing for the rest of the year. Maybe after single collection vol.2 there will be a farewell single? Wow...this is big news.

OMG!!! I miss you Hikki, and looking forward to your new songs :heart

Why are they including This is love? That wasn't a single...
And UGHHH they could have just skipped over boku wa kuma...what a waste of a track lol

It was a digital single, but I think they should also include Fight the Blues since that was a digital single too.

It's "singles" collection. Boku wa kuma whether we like it or not is a single. This isn't "skip over the songs I don't like" collection.

The blog entry made me almost tear up too. I get fired today from my job, AND find out that my favorite artist in the whole world is going on a "going to find myself outside of music" hiatus that might take up to 5 years? This day officially sucks.

I have a horrible feeling that by then I'll have grown out of her. 5 years of waiting, I'll have graduated from college by then and moved out of my parents house. I just hope I don't completely lose interest in those years. It better just be 2 years. >> Or shorter.

^^I would have liked Fight the Blues on there too...but who knows, we didn't get an official tracklist yet.

5 new songs ftw!

Wow... I don't know if I'm more shocked of this long break coming up or that she's actually releasing something. xD I'm really happy about this single collection volume 2 and I'm really curious to see if she gets a Twitter, like she said. :D

Does anyone know who else is releasing albums on that day? I'd like to know her competition. I'm confident she can get number 1 no matter who she goes up against!!

This is really bittersweet though... thinking of no Hikki for 2-5 years... She's been a (somewhat xD) constant part of my life for the last 8 years... and now she's gonna be gone. *sigh* She deserves it though~

^^We do not have a confirmed release date yet...just sometime in the fall.

i thought she already take a long break since last year...LOL...

by the way, i hope eternally will make it into compilation album

Well, at least there is going to be 4-5 new tracks!!

Eternally (or the drama mix) wasn't a single...

I agree with my whole heart XD but unfortunately, it will be there :grumpy

Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro
BE MY LAST
Passion
Keep Tryin'
Boku Wa Kuma
Flavor Of Life
Beautiful World
Kiss & Cry
HEART STATION
Stay Gold
Prisoner Of Love
+ 5 new songs :heart

Well This is Love was confirmed on her website as well.

And it's 4-5 new songs... so probably 16-17 tracks total...not bad

^
^it's going to be the ballad version of fol, not the original mix. I don't get why though. She is obsessed with the ballad version over the original. the ballad one got a pv, was performed more on tv, and was featured on the album, the original was just slapped on at the end as a bonus track. I think if anything, the original should be on single collection vol. 2.

Anyways, it will look like this.

She says 4, maybe 5 songs. I demand 5! If this is going to be her last album for the next 2-5 years I want the most out of what we get. I am going to buy this album. I am also gonna make a pact with myself that if I buy this album, I will also buy vol. 1 while I'm at it. XD I can't pass up to the opportunity to miss out on her farewell (for now) album.

oh a Single Collection.. I think I'll buy it since I like most of the songs :)

That's great news!!
It's nice that she wants to do what she likes and I respect her for that.
I'm excited for this release!

I would prefer the original mix of Flavor of Life too!

It would be SO COOL if there was a first press limited edition CD+DVD

I'm surprised at the inclusion of Boku wa Kuma simply because it was released as "Utada Hikaru presents" and I figured that was their way of saying this IS a single but at the same time it's "separate."

And I'm confused~ I keep reading the release date is September 8th... or is that just people getting confused since this announcement was made on August 9th?

lol and what does she call the 'break' she's already been on for ages XD

Anyway, I respect her choice. Being an artist can open many doors but also close a lot of them.

And I'm happy she's at least giving us new stuff before taking her break ^__^

.....well we would've waited 2-5 years for another release from her anyway xD Bring on vol. 2. As a fan I'm a bit sad that she's going away for a while but I also feel happy that she'll.....be happy too lol. Tracklist looks promising....give us a DVD please? :D Probably not going to happen....

it would be cool if In The Flesh Tour would be included as a bonus DVD :)

LOL

I think a lot of people figured that she was already on a break but at least she made it official. XD Maybe she felt like her music was stuck and couldn't grow because she's been working all her life and hasn't experienced enough of real life? That's what it sounds like to me anyway... in any case, it's a very mature decision for her to make and I respect her for it. :yes Good luck finding yourself Hikki!

Hmm... being pretty casual with Hikki I can't honestly say how I feel about this Singles Collection or the tracklist lol but I'll probably buy it... but being a completest I'd feel weird getting vol 2 when I don't even have vol 1 (yeah I'm real anal about stuff like that) so I'll consider getting vol 1 first or buy them both together lol. XD

..i really feel like i'm gonna cry. utada hikaru is THE first japanese artist that i have listened to since i was like...12 or 13? and to not know when she'll be back scares me a bit. but i am relieved to know that she will come back, but i can't even imagine what i'll be like or what i'll be doing in the next 5 years. it's scary :(

i'm grateful to hear she's recording for a few new songs, and even a CM! i'd prefer a PV or two, but it's still good, lol. i'll miss utada so much, though. if only she made this break official earlier this year or something. combine this whole year with other non-music activity years to come.....it's gonna be a pretty long wait :vsad but i will wait! only for utada :heart

BTW. natalie.mu states that utada will open up a limited time only Twitter account! was this already posted? forgive me, i just found out :P

^She mentioned that she might do that in the blog. Not sure yet. Also, I feel just like you. I've been listening to her since I was 10, in the 4th grade and now I'm 18 going into my senior year. She's been such a constant in my life, I can't imagine not having her anymore.

But like we were talking about a few pages back, I'm sure the "Kremlin Dusk" philosophy can keep us happy for the next 2-5 years. It'll be tough, but Hikki deserves a chance to grow!!

^^utada herself stated that she was thinking about it, but nothing is for sure yet.

There is a God in heaven and he's answered my prayers!
I'm so thrilled that she's releasing her 2nd compilation album. Her decision to take time off to rest her spirit and mind sits fine with me. I believe it is important to never become too complacent with one's career. Good for her. Much love from ya girl!!!! smooches!!!!!

I will be purchasing Vol 2. as soon as CDJ has it available.

oh okay! i just thought that it was official already, so thanks for clarifying it! personally, i'd love to follow utada for a bit, but regardless it's not the biggest deal. the music is the big thing, not a twitter :P i'm also 18 and even going into college next month, so i know how you feel as well! life is going too fast :weep utada is not my main artist anymore, since i admit to not listening to her only cause i have such a big group of artists that i listen to, but i still follow her cause i never would have gotten to know about those other artists without her! i never would have had jpop, so i really am grateful for her music regardless of how much i listen to her. i think i'll definately cry my eyes out if she was actually retiring, though. at least we have some hope for a comeback in the next...10 years? :P

Cool! Even better! :cool I'm excited!!! :thud

I want a CD+DVD with all of the PVs ...that would be SO awesome.
Maybe even a PV or two for the new songs...haha

This isn't really that shocking ... Like I've said before, I'd rather she'd properly announce it than just keep us in the blue.

So glad she's releasing another singles collection, though! WITH new tracks, how great is that? (one more single would've been nice, though...)

Also, I really hope it'll be another million seller. Nackar loves him some million sellers < 3

She must be exhausted after releasing a lot of music every year, going on tour around Japan each year since her career began and promoting her songs on TV and radio like crazy LOL (sarcasm mode).

There are artists like Seiko Matsuda who has been in the bussiness for 30 years and they keep singing and giving concerts because of their fans!! Ayu has also been in the industry since 1998 and she's still giving her all. I don't mind hiatus like the one YUI went on after the release of My Short Stories but taking a 2~5 years break imo it's just too much...

I like Utada's music but I cannot understand the way she takes her music career. If I were a true loyal fan I would be very pissed off after hearing these news

I'm confident it'll sell a million easy. She didn't struggle with ULTRA BLUE or HEART STATION, and the Japanese love compilations so I think it's safe to say it'll sell a million. The decline in physical sales don't matter!! ;)

@Diego-kun Hikki's always been more of a musician than the other pop stars of the times. She's always been more low key with appearances and concerts and when you become a devoted fan you learn to realize and appreciate that. She didn't really have a normal childhood. Back and forth from NYC to Tokyo because of her mom and dad both being absorbed in the business too and then from the time she was 15 until now she's been making music every year. Maybe she doesn't promote and release as often as others, but she has still devoted a lot of her time to that and I'm sure when she wasn't releasing she was thinking "I've got to get something out soon.." which is why we've gotten at least one release from her every year until now.

Basically, in my opinion she deserves some time to go and experience life without having to worry about putting out music or going on a tour. I'm a huge, huge fan and I have been for 8 years, which is almost my entire adolescence and teenage years so Hikki's music has always been with me when I went through something bad or when I needed to be inspired. She's helped me and probably countless of her other fans grow a lot. Now it's her turn and as a fan, I respect that and welcome it with open arms.

I've never really thought she was lazy. Sure, I say that a lot, but just teasing. I don't need every artist I listen to to be as hectic as Ayu is with her schedule. If Ayu can be happy and do that, more power to her, but Hikki is a different person than Ayu or Seiko and obviously can't be happy like that. Give the girl a chance to go find herself.

Sorry for the rant~ No hostility intended!

^Ahaha million seller indeed! She is Utada Hikaru after all. Show them 3-compilations-in-3-years-avex-cashcows how its done! :P

....and then show them off again on the comeback! JK....but I'm still kind of sad.

*Troll be gone please

:rolleyes

Chances are, none of us will ever know or understand the in's and out's of being an entertainer. That being said we cannot simply ignore or disregard her reasons for a leave of absence. And comparing her to the likes of other artists is very nonsensical and irrelevant. She IS Hikaru Utada, not Seiko Matsuda or Ayumi Hamasaki in case you forgot.

In my honest opinion a so called "loyal fan" would accept her decision and wish she finds true contentment during her leave instead of feeling embittered. If she needs 2-5 years to find herself then so damn be it. Who are we to say otherwise and who are we to judge?

If u r not even a fan why are u complaining to begin with? The girl is working with music non-stop since she was 15 (or even younger if u consider her pre-fame releases), she for sure deserves to take her time to grow up, see the world and live like a normal person...

I don't like artists that think on their fans, we are not their family, we are not part of their personal lives, we don't know them and most of us never will... there is no reason on the world they should care about us at all... I like artists that put out good pieces of art, not artists that put their fans in priority over their own creation and lifes

There are people releasing 2 albums a year on Japan, those for sure really care about their fans... Go listen to them

1. Utada has never released an album in CD+DVD format.
2. after every album, she releases clip collections, which is a dvd of all the pvs from one album. (UH1 had all the pvs from her First Love album, UH2 had all the pvs from her Distance album, so and and so forth)

Based on that, I think it's safe to say that this album will not be in CD+DVD format. Although she has yet to release UH5 containing all of her pvs from Heart Station, she has already released UH4, and considering this singles collection only spans 2 albums, she wouldn't have many pvs to put on it if she does release it in CD+DVD format.

There is always the hope that she will release a cd/dvd version, and put all the videos on but that is unlikely. I doubt any of the new songs will have pvs too. To date, DEEP RIVER is the only song in her discography to have a pv and not be a single.

How can you people complain about Boku wa kuma making it to the new album??

Her blog message left me in tears! She is such a very special person, I love her so much, there are a million things I wanna say to her right now and she'd better make that Twitter account soon because I wanna tell her how freaking much I love her and how much her music has done for me.

I know this isn't her retirement but it feels like it, after this AMAZING single collection I'm completely looking forward to, we'll have to miss her for quite a while.

I'm upset, but also very happy. Hikki.. she truly is a goddess.

edit: I was a bit upset but I calmed down now, I completely agree with what Amorphose just said. I've also been a fan since I was like 14, so her music has helped me through some difficult times. God I love her, I'm happy being her fan and she deserves a break.

( T o T ) ~~ This is the worst news ever.
Here, I've been checking every day to see if there is news on a new single.
Only to find my Hikki is going to leave me.
:< This is a sad day indeed.


But, she isn't a robot. She isn't plastic.
As long as she wants it, and she feels that it will help her grow,
I'll accept it without being angry.

I'm still very sad though.

New wallpaper! Already using it

http://www.emimusic.jp/hikki/download/

cool wallpaper, thanks :) it reminds me of that PV where she's driving with a hovering motorcycle through the city..

People are really complaining about the tracklist? lol wow.

I'm sad to see her go, but, this is Hikki, and I've always respected her decisions to do what she needs to do and be herself. If she wasn't this way, I probably wouldn't love her so much.

I hope she will find what she is looking for, and that she will discover deeper the meaning behind using music as an art and form of expression. Don't get me wrong, she's already deeper than most...but I think she's still searching a bit. Maybe this is just what she needs. A bit of soul searching.

In any case, I have enough Hikki music to last me forever, even if this isn't a retirement thing lol I think I can cope without her releasing something new for a little while longer...Koda is totally killin right now lol Keepin me occupied.

I am excited about new tracks though. And 5? That's like releasing a whole new album for some other pop artists :laugh

Thanks, I guess it's time to update my wallpapers post.

Using the new wallpaper. I lovee her. :heart

Cute picture <3

Since I don't want this to go to waste. I took my "all official wallpapers and screen savers" post that was in the last thread and made a new thread for it in the downloads section. I don't want it to get trashed after I put so much work into it. I updated it with the very latest utada wallpapers. Enjoy!

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103034 (you can also click on the link in my signature)

I was reading the comments on U.Blog about all this and I saw one and started chuckling cause I was thinking the exact same thing when I read Hikki's message. It feels like a really close friend is going away for a long time hearing about this... Anyone else feel that way?

Yeah, it feels exactly that way. I truly feel sad about it. It feels strange.

I am so excited for Single Collection Vol. 2 now! Those 4 or 5 new tracks will complete the discography we'll have to live on for the years to come.

After reading that she was going away for a long time I really wanted to start listening to her music, but then I realized, I don't want to overplay anything and get sick of it. I have 5 years at most to deal with the same songs over again. I'm already a bit tired of her old music from playing it so much. How will I cope for the next 5 years? XD lol I hope she comes back as soon as possible. Did she ever graduate from Columbia University? if so, with what degree? Maybe one of the things she is going to do on her time off is go back to college?

I'm sure they'll be AMAZING. She never mentioned anything like a "bang" before to the best of my knowledge... So Utada's idea of a "bang" has to be something mind-blowing. haha

I'm so excited for them. If Show Me Love is one of the songs... I have a feeling it'll be a bittersweet song now. The title makes me sense now than before if you think about the hiatus. It's like "sorry I'm leaving, but please wait for me!"

[edit]
haha That'd be so cool if she went back to college! I'll be entering college in 2011 as well. xD