[chocopockymaster]

Ayumi Hamasaki Will Contribute to Hikaru Utada Cover Album - The Pop Princesses’ Miraculous Collaboration

A cover album of Hikaru Utada’s (31; currently on hiatus) greatest hits is due to be released on December 9th, the same day as her debut. Titled “Hikaru Utada’s Songs”, it will feature 13 artists coming together in celebration of her 15th anniversary. Production is ramping up in advance of the CD’s release, and the latest news is that Ayumi Hamasaki (36), who faced off against Utada in the “Battle of the Pop Princesses”, will also be participating in the project.

According to Universal Music, who is producing the album, Hamasaki has already finished recording her track. The name of the song she covered has not been made public at this time, but is being referred to as “one of Utada’s well-known songs that was recut for a single.” Initially, Universal had planned for Hamasaki to cover another song, but she proposed that she record a different track.

Utada’s producer, Sachiko Kumagai, said the following: “They were two artists of the same generation that were involved in this ‘battle’ that shook up the musical world. We were a little worried that she wouldn’t be receptive to our proposal that she participate in recording a cover for the album, but we were thrilled that she immediately said yes.” Additionally, it seems that Hamasaki’s approach to her vocal techniques on this track is different from those she uses when singing her own songs.

Reports have stated in the past that when Utada and Hamasaki appear on music variety shows together, they can often be seen chatting backstage.

In March 2001, they both released albums on the same date, accounting for over 5 million units sold between the two of them. Utada’s “Distance” beat out Hamasaki’s “A BEST” in the immediate competition, but Hamasaki’s releases from that calendar year pulled in more revenue. It is now largely referred to as the “Battle of the Pop Princesses”, but given the upcoming release we may need to start calling it the “Collab of the Pop Princesses.”

Translation of the Sanspo article from earlier.