[Utada Hikaru] ☆ Utada Hikaru: The 46th Thread ☆

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

Her English work is strange; musically its very unique but lyrically, often its seems like she's just trying too hard. I too agree that her English work seems to be missing the "soul" her Japanese work has. And I don't know if anyone else will agree, but I think Devil inside was pretty darn generic, and maybe that's why it was popular on the dance charts. Maybe if poppin' was a single it would've been popular in the clubs too?

Do you really find Poppin' to be generic? Must people on her fanbase seens to dislike it by finding it overly weird (and sexual, as Utada will die a virgin as much as Ayu if this decision is up to her fans)

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Do you really find Poppin' to be generic? Must people on her fanbase seens to dislike it by finding it overly weird (and sexual, as Utada will die a virgin as much as Ayu if this decision is up to her fans)

The music isn't really super innovative but the lyrics are hilarious. It definitely stand out on the album lol You already know she pours all of her sexual frustration into her english stuff. But I think you'll agree that Dirty Desire is much more generic and maybe thats why it was chosen as the second single and I think it also charted on the dance charts. Personally I would die of embarrassment if I ever had to sing that song infront of anyone, but obviously she has no such reservations

My point is that no matter how innovative her music writing skills maybe, when you choose generic songs to promote yourself, your fans will start to question how you want to be perceived in this new market

[Andrenekoi]

^Considering some of her biggest hits on the jpop market, I would say picking the generic stuff to promote wasn't really new to her... Her first 2 albums singles, Traveling and them Flavor of Life and Prisioner of Love from Heart Station and Goodbye Happiness are anything but innovative. Actually, most pop musicians tend to use the most generic stuff to promote, even those who are usually seen as very innovative...

[Delicious n Bold]

All this hooplah about Utada's English albums is the reason why I stick with my Deep River

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^Considering some of her biggest hits on the jpop market, I would say picking the generic stuff to promote wasn't really new to her... Her first 2 albums singles, Traveling and them Flavor of Life and Prisioner of Love from Heart Station and Goodbye Happiness are anything but innovative. Actually, most pop musicians tend to use the most generic stuff to promote, even those who are usually seen as very innovative...

but those songs = / = her generic english songs. They might all be generic....but very different generic lol


I'm happy she has a sense of humor, but at the same time, I don't want to listen to amateur crap like Poppin.

[Polyrhythm]

Exodus and TiTO were both embarrassing attempts to be "American." TiTO was more mellow of course, but poorly pulled off. Exodus was more innovative (in sound) but the lyrics are contrived and downright retarded.

If you have a proper command of the English language, there's just no way you won't burst out laughing, or feel second-hand embarrassment to a degree while listening to either of those albums.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

OMFG. I cannot believe she is back. FINALLLLLLLLY!!!!!!!!!!

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by emi♡

but those songs = / = her generic english songs. They might all be generic....but very different generic lol


I'm happy she has a sense of humor, but at the same time, I don't want to listen to amateur crap like Poppin.

So, the problem is jpop fandom being otakuland, what makes everything that sounds western bad and english a cursed language, right? I get it now

Originally Posted by Polyrhythm

Exodus and TiTO were both embarrassing attempts to be "American." TiTO was more mellow of course, but poorly pulled off. Exodus was more innovative (in sound) but the lyrics are contrived and downright retarded.

If you have a proper command of the English language, there's just no way you won't burst out laughing, or feel second-hand embarrassment to a degree while listening to either of those albums.

Well... people like Elton John were vocal about liking Exodus... as one of western top pop musicians of all time, I guess he has a proper command of English. Also, the overall reviews to that album, made by professional music reviewers who happened to be native english speakers (but not jpop fans) were also pretty good... Exodus was overall very well received by the western critics.

I guess the main problem was people expecting something deep, and magical, and ethereal and getting Hikki's quirk sense of humour and sexual innuendo instead^^

[emi♡]

uh I dont know lol But I do agree with yumsushi and polyrhythm that the songs are a little embarrassing.

her exodus lyrics are weird too, but maybe the music makes up for it? Some things came at me completely from left field though...like why is Tippy Toes about what it's about


And you know, personally, I'd give Exodus and TITO a good review, but that doesn't mean I don't have issues with them.

And it also doesn't mean that, if she went and performed some of the songs, that regular people wouldn't laugh or think "wtf" at her lol But who knows, maybe she can become known for her freaky lyrics and people will be receptive cause it's funny.

[Andrenekoi]

But the whole point WAS being funny! She was for sure not trying to do a deeper statement about human sould while recording stuff like The Workout, Easy Breezy, Turn the Table, Tippy Toe, Me Muero, Poppin'...

Even songs like Come Back to me and FYI have hints of humour...

[emi♡]

lol well I guess if she wanted to be taken as a joke then she got exactly what she wanted.

I really don't want or need deeper music. I mean, I just like good songs. If I wanted someone to forego making cool music in order to be funny, I'd go listen to a comedian's album.

It's just like ayu. I'm happy she's experimenting and being herself, and I appreciate that beyond understanding. Just know it's not really gonna go anywhere lol and I'm personally not going to listen to it, nor will I recommend it to other people looking for music that's meant to be listened to, and not laughed at.

[Andrenekoi]

People take things way too seriously... and underrate the power of well crafted humour...

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^Considering some of her biggest hits on the jpop market, I would say picking the generic stuff to promote wasn't really new to her... Her first 2 albums singles, Traveling and them Flavor of Life and Prisioner of Love from Heart Station and Goodbye Happiness are anything but innovative. Actually, most pop musicians tend to use the most generic stuff to promote, even those who are usually seen as very innovative...

You've purposely picked some generic sounding stuff and I only agree that goodbye happiness or Hear Station is such. The rest is not at all and no were other singles like Sakura drops, Colors, Be my last, Passion, keep tryin etc etc

And just because Elton John liked it doesn't mean that it is infallible; really half the reviews criticized the ridiculously lame and try-hard lyrics and said that she sold out to appeal to a new audience

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

People take things way too seriously... and underrate the power of well crafted humour...

Honestly I don't think she meant it to be funny at all, unless you can provide a source where she said that her English stuff was all a joke. Like I said before, I think she just pours all of her sexual frustration into the songs and it just comes out awkward but she somehow thinks its cool

[Andrenekoi]

^1. I didn't take "some singles", as I said, all of her first two albums singles, that happens to be her best selling albums, traveling, Flavor of Life, Prisioner of Love and Goodbye Happiness. This is 11 of her 27 japanese singles, almost half. If we take Heart Station (that I myself don't find generic, but you do), Final Distance and Boku wa kuma we have 14 easy listening, radio friendly, low risk singles. This makes her any worst of an artist? Nops... it's just one of the oldest promotional strategies ever on the music industry. She is a pop musician, her music is meant to have heavy airplay, so, obviously, she will promote herself trough the most comercial stuff.

2 . You are mistaking Exodus reviews (mostly done by people with no knowlegment about her japanese work other than the fact that she was big in Japan) with TITO reviews (done mainly by people who reviews mainly japanese entertaiment and were expecting Deep River in english)

3. She actually said Exodus was infused with her quirk sense of humour... I can find the interviews, but it will take me some time (as I read them 8 years ago ). I think I remember saying something about that during TITO promotiong too. I also don't think Hikki is sexually frustrated at all, she actually seens to be pretty... kinky by some of her personal blog posts and english interviews...

[emi♡]

maybe she should try being a lesbian after all Just because she's kinky doesn't mean she isn't frustrated


and well, her well crafted humor went nowhere so, maybe next time hikki.

You know, I never thought about it before, but maybe it's no wonder why Island Def Jam didn't want to promote the album.


Anyway, I like fun music, I like things that make me laugh...but I like music music better, so. I remember her talking about her sense of humor for exodus. Like the japaneasy thing. I think it probably just reflects how she really doesn't care about the market here...but sometimes I wish she did.

[Andrenekoi]

^I don't get what makes a humorous aproach less as effort as a dramatic aproach... Maybe it's the fact this is an Ayu forum after all...

And if she didn't lied during Exodus interviews, Hikki had her share of girl on girl action

[emi♡]

lol no, not because it's an ayu forum.

[Not Fade Away]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

OMFG. I cannot believe she is back. FINALLLLLLLLY!!!!!!!!!!

You got me really excited for nothing......

In regard to her English music, I just think the majority of her problem is that she doesn't really know what direction she wants to go in. I feel like the first effort was an experiment for her (since she can't really experiment too far off the charts in Japan, otherwise she'll lose her fan base), and the second effort was her trying to break into the main stream market by creating lyrics that were a 'little' more what the American market would be used to hearing.

I think - for the most part - if she had kept doing tracks that had a similar sound to FYI and On and On, like upbeat dance tracks, combined with lyrics that were even more mainstream, she could have had a top 40 hit on her hands.

My hopes are that now that she's under EMI she will have a better shot promotion-wise. Also, I think she just needs to suck it up and do a cover that doesn't feature her face looking sickly (IE: TITO, Heart Station). Put some make-up on, grow the hair out, and get an innovative shoot going and then finally she should have a hit.

[Zahara]

Did you guys ever think that she was just fufilling her contract obligations with TiTO? She has a pretty wicked sense of humor and I think that she was just messing around with that album. Yes, it would have been nice to have broken into the US market, but it's clearly no skin off her back.

[Andrenekoi]

^She hired top hitmaker producers to TITO, I doubt she would spend that money just to fullfill contract obligations