So Hikki will release a digital single on iTunes 1/11 "Hikari ~Ray of Hope MIX~"

1. Hikari (Ray of Hope MIX)
2. Simple and Clean (Ray of Hope MIX)
3. Hikari (P's CLUB MIX)
4. Simple and Clean (P's CLUB MIX)

Sweet, I see a new remix on there too.

I'm glad there's a new one included. Ray of Hope doesn't do it for me. Gotta set my alarm for tomorrow morning.

Too bad it won't be a physical single release.:no

Excellent news - I look forward to buying this already!

Well, it's a club remix, so I think the new remixes are just going to be longer versions of the Ray of Light mixes

The preshow is now on!

EDIT : Boukyaku was awesome ... she sounds great ... but only 2 Songs ... :(

I watched the live stream. She performed Boukyaku and Ningyo.

Maaaaaaan, the event felt so short!

After answering fan questions she just went to change her clothes (?!) so we were left staring at the piano on mute for like 15 minutes. That "break" made noooo sense! Then she finally came back, performed the 2 songs and that's it.

I didn't watch it because it was around 4ish am at my time. But I heard they had technical issues with the 3D or something like that? That's why the show was shorten...

FANTOME is the #1 album of the year according to BILLBOARD!

Hot Albums
This chart combines physical album sales tracked by SoundScan Japan, digital download sales tracked by Nielsen Music, and the amount of desktop lookups on computers tracked by Gracenote Media.
1. Utada Hikaru – Fantôme
2. RADWIMPS – Kimi no Na wa.
3. Sandaime J Soul Brothers – THE JSB LEGACY
4. Arashi – Are You Happy?
5. back number – Chandelier
6. Hoshino Gen – YELLOW DANCER
7. Nishino Kana – Just LOVE
8. Oda Kazumasa – Ano Hi Ano Toki
9. Various Artists – HiGH & LOW ORIGINAL BEST ALBUM
10. BUMP OF CHICKEN – Butterflies
How did Utada Hikaru’s “Fantôme” top the year end chart even though it was 3rd in physical album sales? Due to the fact that it was 1st in downloads and 4th in desktop lookups. And how did RADWIMPS’s “Kimi no Na wa.” end up in 2nd even though it was 7th in physical album sales? Because it was 2nd in downloads and 3rd in desktop lookups. But another thing both of these albums had over albums that sold more physically is that they had much more longevity, staying at #1 and/or in the top 10 for longer periods of time.

She also scored 2 songs on the Top 10 Radio Songs chart

Radio Songs
1. RADWIMPS – Zen Zen Zense
2. Hoshino Gen – Koi
3. Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop the Feeling!
4. Utada Hikaru – Michi
5. DNCE – Cake By The Ocean
6. Perfume – FLASH
7. Coldplay – Adventure Of A Lifetime
8. Hoshino Gen – SUN
9. Kygo – Stay feat. Maty Noyes
10. Utada Hikaru – Hanataba wo Kimi ni

These charts are more accurate than ORICON (imo). They represent more than just physical sales.

You complete me.

Strange and off-topic:

I got a loaner phone while mine is in the shop.
It's an Alcatel onetouch.
There is a ringtone on it called "Night Wish", and it uses the vocal adlib line from the end of "Wings" in it.

So, was that line a sample she bought from somewhere? Or did they buy it from her? Or did they just lift it?

It's a loop sample fromthe music program Ableton (or Fruity Loops, I don't remember). It comes with the software. Basically, it's freeware and anyone can use it.

This CM for Dell's Nickelodeon laptop also features the sample in the end:

^thanks! thats kinda nuts, because it sounds so much like her!

Fantome Instrumetal Album

Instructions to get all instrumental songs on this thread

(You can also request other songs not included on Fantome album)

It comes from a VST called Stylus RMX, iirc. It's somewhere in my 160GB of instruments and samples.

Poll of acts people are most excited to see @ NHK Kouhaku Utagassen. Hikki is #1 w/ 21.3% (2nd place is 9.4%)

https://news.nifty.com/article/item/...09032/#article


1位　「宇多田ヒカル」　21.3％
2位　「桐谷健太」　9.4％
3位　「PUFFY」　8.0％
4位　「大竹しのぶ」　6.7％
5位　「KinKi Kids」　5.8％
6位　「THE YELLOW MONKEY」　5.2％
7位　「RADIO FISH」　3.5％

U.Blog

^PUFFY still has a fanbase going on
nice!

As expected, she'll sing 花束を君 (hanatabi wo kimi ni) on Kouhaku. (source)

^Oh my :(

I was sooo rooting for a performance of Ore No Kanojo...

Hanataba wo Kimini was the most listened to song by Japanese seniors in 2016. So i think it's a perfect choice! :yes

http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/201...020007-n1.html

Hikki is set to appear on Oda Kazumasa's "Christmas no Yakusoku 2016" airing 12/23

https://o.twimg.com/2/proxy.jpg?t=HB...hotcMWTqoxUSeU

The best Thing ... she will perform Automatic! YES !!!! :love

U.Blog / Sanspo

I don't mind her singing Hanataba wo kimi ni again, as it is one of my favourite songs from the album :P (even though she's already sung it in NHK Songs). I hope she'll sing Can't Wait Till Christmas in the upcoming "Christmas no Yakusoku 2016"

12.12: No. 4
12.13: No. 20
12.14: No. 13
12.15: No. 8
12.16: No. 8
12.17: No. 8
12.18: No. 5
Week 12 sales: 7,890
Total reported sales: 577,853

She will likely pass 600K in about 3 - 6 weeks, depending on if there's any boost from Kouhaku :P

Hikki is doing the next Kingdom Hearts Theme Song! Her Father confirmed it on Twitter! They already started working on it!

Didn't her site say the Hikari remix is the KH song?

Don't toy with my heart!

[2016/12/09] "Simple And Clean -Ray Of Hope MIX-" (Remixed by PUNPEE) Set for Release on January 11, 2017!
The KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue game software will be launched on January 12, 2017 in Japan and on January 24, 2017 worldwide. The opening of the international version features Utada Hikaru's "Simple And Clean -Ray Of Hope MIX-" remixed by PUNPEE, the sound engineer producing sounds for numerous artists from hip hop and other styles of music.

From official English site.

The Japanese posting replaces S&C with Hikari, basically.

Her dad is a shady bitch and I don't trust shady bitches

So is this true or not then? Basically on his latest tweet, everything has started already...

The first post is 3 years old! The Remix is for this Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Game and there will be a new Song for KH3!

Yeah, like DeepRiver said: the remix = KH2.8, new song = KH3.

KH3 is still in production.

I wouldn't worry. I always knew she was going to do the new theme song so to me it isn't even news.:laugh
I can't say I am looking forward to the new Kingdom Hearts, I am curious what Utada will release though.:thumbsup

This Kingdom Hearts Thing is also in the News here in Germany on many Gamesites ...

Gameftont:

Freitag, 23.12.16




Kingdom Hearts III: Hikaru Utada steuert Musik bei

23.12.16 - Die amerikanisch-japanische Sängerin Hikaru Utada wird erneut einen Song für die Kingdom Hearts-Serie komponieren und arbeitet an einem Titelsong für Kingdom Hearts III (PS4, Xbox One). Das bestätigte ihr Vater und Manager Teruzane Utada auf Twitter.

Hikaru Utada hatte in der Vergangenheit bereits zwei Titelsongs für die Square Enix-Serie entworfen: Für Kingdom Hearts (PS2, 2002) sang sie "Simple and Clean", für Kingdom Hearts II (PS2, 2005) ""Sanctuary". Release: TBA (Europa)

Games.ch /Games.de

HIKARU UTADA ARBEITET AN DER MUSIK VON KINGDOM HEARTS 3
FREUT EUCH AUF IHRE STIMME
NEWS 23. DEZ / 07:50 MICHAEL SOSINKA VORLESEN
Fans werden die Musik und die Stimme von Hikaru Utada auch im kommenden "Kingdom Hearts 3" hören, wie bekannt gegeben wurde.

Screenshot

Teruzane Utada, der Vater und Manager von Hikaru Utada, hat jetzt bestätigt, dass seine Tochter wieder an der Musik von "Kingdom Hearts 3" mitwirkt. "Wir machen es," so Teruzane Utada auf die Twitter-Frage eines Fans, der wissen wollte, ob Hikaru Utada an "Kingdom Hearts 3" beteiligt ist.

Teruzane Utada ergänzte: "Wir haben bereits damit begonnen. Sorry, dass wir euch so lange warten liessen." Hikaru Utada hat schon die Theme-Songs von "Kingdom Hearts" und "Kingdom Hearts 2" gesungen. "Kingdom Hearts 3" wird für die Xbox One und die PlayStation 4 erscheinen. Leider liegt noch kein Termin vor.

etc.

It's quit funny and i've never seen that before ... It's only the Fucking Theme Song ... Not the Release Date of KH3, a new Trailer or something really important ...

they posted at arama that Hikki's father confirmed she is workin on the new KH theme via twitter

Automatic

https://youtu.be/dnCGwgzVmI0

Hanataba wo Kimini

https://youtu.be/cadVesI-Nls

Tashikanakoto

https://youtu.be/juLKnlB3Kvw

OMG Automatic is awesome ... Her best performance of this song yet!

^Not diggin this Automatic performance :S

The best one of this song is still the one from MTV Unplugged.

anyway, her father, the shady bitch, posted on his twitter that, once again, he misunderstood the situation and nothing is confirmed regarding the theme song for KH3.

^ have to disagree on that. In my opinion, this is a good performance. I dig the rearrangement too.

Thanks for posting, DeepRiver!

I like Automatic's performance too. Although I think it would sound better if she lowered the pitch (or whatever you call it) a little. But hey, this is Utada we're talking about lol. Ain't gonna happen.

*sigh*

To be honest, I was annoyed at the negativity towards her father just because he made one misinterpreted tweet years ago (everyone can make mistakes), but it seems he hasn't learned a thing :laugh

Sorry for adding to the confusion guys!

Haven't been on here for a while, but like everyone else, I'm living for this album. It's such a quiet storm in the state J-pop is in.

Fantome sold 11,245 physical copies in its 13th week (#11 on Oricon's weekly album chart), for total sales now of 589,098 !!! 600 k next week :)

Her first appearance in Kouhaku was a bit... underwhelming, especially I watched live and saw the artist before her (Kiyoshi Hikawa) performed the song in the restricted area of a place in Japan after Earthquake recently. He was at a torn down palace sorta thing while she was in a studio. If I didn't see his part, I wouldn't be disappointed (I admit I'm a bit disappointed).

Edit: I don't really understand... I thought White would win cuz they won the first two votes, then they threw yellow balls out and turned out that red team won (Yes Hikki is safu hahaha). So the first two votes didn't really count at all??
Edit: Oh now I get it. During live audience vote and tv viewer vote, white team both won, so they got 4 extra balls (that's why the mascot put some yellow balls into white team's bucket before the final count). But in the end red still won by 9:5 (so without the first two votes, it would be 9:1).

No, it was 9 to 6, there were 11 judges (two voted for white).

Also realized she was in London at the time of the Kouhaku... :o

Yeap she was in London at that time. Though I thought she would do something more spectacular (like, singing at a famous scenery in London), and she ended up in a studio....

no link to watch the performance? I also want to watch the whole kohaku show

I wonder what ever happened to the new music video she was supposed to be making..

^ I was actually thinking about that the other day. Didn't her father mention that there were going to be at least two new music videos for Fantôme (including Nijikan)? I guess it sold so much they didn't think the album needed any more promotion :laugh

I'd have hope for a third PV until the end of February... Considering she's in London now, and her baby is really young, maybe the shooting will take place later

I'm still waiting for the rest of the music videos to come out fromThis is the One.:roflmao

Her father mentioned (back in October or so) about filming the third pv in December right? Hikki was in Japan in early December, so probably they did make a new pv during that period (hopefully...).

The Ray of Hope Remix of Hikari is currently the #1 Song and Album on iTunes Japan! Fantome is No 4!

And it is still No. 19 in the US! The Top Spot was #2

Fantome was #7 this week on Oricon's Weekly Album Chart with 11.457 units for a 15 week total of 612,694 physical copies sold in total ...

Today she is back on #8!

Amazing sales for Fantome!! So happy for her!
and Hikari [Ray Of Hope MIX] sounds amazing as well!

612,694 is fantastic!

I had the TV on last night and suddenly I heard 'Michi' -- looked over and it was Hikki doing a bottled water commercial lol. Can't remember the brand (I think it was one of Suntory's) but I really liked the CM and she looked amazing! Lots of footage of her hiking and climbing a mountain lol

Hikki co-produced / co-wrote and co-arranged + provides backing vocals + piano on THE BACK HORN's new single "Anata ga matteru," out 02/22 ...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C2WEoRvUUAAZUjd.jpg

https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000137123

I look forward to hearing the song! I loved Yume no Hana which was used in Casshern.

She looks amazing! Curious to hear the song

Tommorow (on her Birthday) there will be a new MV according to her Staff's twitter account ... :blove

I just read ublog. A person said that it is 忘却.

And here is the source:
http://www.m-on.jp/artist/id/735/

It's midight in Japan ... So Happy Birthday to the Queen!

I think it's a great choice if it's true ... :)

Wow! New video and new feature! I can say that I'm happy. :D

I can't wait to watch the video and I have liked The Back Horn ever since Casshern came out also, so I'm pumped to hear their new single!

I want a PV for "michi" but "Boukyaku" is going to be epic.

happy birthday Hikki!

can't wait to see Boukyaku!

You can watch the new MV on her YouTube Channel ... :blove

It's so beautiful. :heart Made me like the song a lot more.

Dude, your selfie > Utada new MV.

lololololol

It is so simple ... but i really really like It. Much better that this Hanataba o Kimi ni Clip.

@ kotora - :roflmao

The MV was pretty much what I expected.

I thought that, worst case scenario, we'd get an MV like "Sakura Nagashi" with no Utada in it.

^I don't particularly think that a MV is bad without the artist.

The PV for Manatsu no Tooriame is amazing <3

I like they can illustrate the concept of the song with just dark background and some lights. Simple but powerful.

Now please do Tomodachi, then all three collabs will have pv :D.

This was beautiful

I find that really beautiful.

Can't stop thinking if Ayu did something like that her fans would tear her apart :P

To be honest, ayu could give spectacular pvs like that if she can tone down her exaggerated acting a bit. It's obvious that Boukyaku's pv is on pretty low budget (a dark room with some light tubes I assume), but the execution is really good. This reminds me recent ayu pvs (low budget as well). She was only in the hotel room in flower. I thought the pv was good until, well, she cut her hair with exaggerated expressions. For me she totally ruined the pv.

Anywayz, I should stop here cuz I don't wanna bring another ayu vs hikki thing :no.

Imo Mad World is very simple yet so beautiful...

I think the new PV is good.. the b&w PV gives a great feeling.

You don't need to spend lots of money for a good PV.

if I would compare this pv with an Ayu one would be Last Minute. Even because I can't really see Hikki properly executing an one-shot pv like Flower (and let's just agree to disagree about Ayu's execution).

Most of the complains about Ayu when she releases a simpler, low budget pv are people saying she didn't had money to record an expensive one.

^THE PV for Last minute is really boring, oh my, even though I like the way they use lights there

^hmm how old are you if I may ask? Without offending you, Last Minute is a pretty amazing PV. "Boring" is a really unspecific critic younger people tend to use for things that "don't have much going on". I'd say Last minute captures the essence of the song and does not overshadow the actual thing - music and lyrics - and is very well executed. Same goes for this new Utada MV.

Oh I love the silliness of Goodbye Happiness :D (and it's directed by Utada Hikaru lol).

She should be a youtuber.

So was Hikari. In Goodbye Happiness she remaided sit for most of the video, and was out of camera for the whole bridge of the song. She also had people helping her through the video. For sure it's not easy, but it's also not as hard.

Not saying it was a bad video, I actually love it.

^no

I'm 22, I'm not offended don't worry. If you want, I can write a pretty lenghty post about why I think Last minute is a very uninteresting PV. Considering this is Hikki's thread, and I don't care much about Ayu, I felt free to label it as "boring" and not extent myself on the subject, but I could've used many other adjetives.

The fact that a video doesn't have "a lot going on" does not necessarily mean that it will be boring or bad. Dogville is an amazing movie that one could describe as "not having much going on" and "incredibly slow paced".

Best of luck for Ayu in her future PVs.

It was also only her on a much larger space, what makes it easier to go wrong

But initially I was mostly comparing fandoms. Hikki's is willing to try understanding what was her intention (if it's japanese), Ayu's tend to bash her at first sight.

I thought the last minute music video was pretty powerful and was done nicely. The song itself saves it from being boring alone.:laugh
I thought Utada's new video was so nice. It feels kind of weird seeing her so grown up and mature, it really reminds me just how long she has been gone.
If I had to make a complaint I guess it would be the beginning with all the colorful fluid moving around. It fits the song sure but I found myself impatient for when something new would happen. It also reminds me a little bit of a Bjork video but only slightly.

The new PV is a damn snoozefest:no

Can we expect another PV?

I want a PV for "Ningyo" or "Michi" so bad.

I don't think so ... Her Father tweeted month ago about the "third PV" that will be done in December and i think this ist the final PV! The Album allready has 4 Music Videos ... 4 more than i expected :yes

That's a pity :( It's just that this is probably the last thing we'll get from her for some time so...

^I think we will get a new album in 2 years top.