Posted by Elfangor on 2004/6/7 9:50:20

Well I came across the new paper today so decide to post the whole article here. Hopefully they are useful but I don't think so.

"Will she shine in Hollywood?"

By: Miharu Chang
THENEWPAPER/Monday, June 7, 2004

In more ways than one, Hikaru Utada has been a miracle in Japan's music scene.

To date, the 21-year-old singer and songerwriter still holds the record for Japan's all-time top-selling album - her 1999 debut, First Love, which has sold a phenomenal 10 million copies worldwide.

Not once has her popularity dipped since, despite her one-year hiatus to recuperate from an overian tumour operation, and her suprise marriage to director Kazaki Kiriya, in 2002.

While the stars of other celebrities usually dim after marriage, Hikki (as she is nicknamed) has never shone brighter.

She released all but one single, Colors, last year, yet she miraculously made it to No 4 on the top 10 top-earning singers chart, having paid over 170 million yen (S$2.6m) in income tax.

Just two months ago, she made a smashing comeback with a new compilation album, Single Collection Vol.1.

It has sold over three million copies worldwide, including almost 10,000 copies in Singapore.

Even her hubby's indie film, Casshern, benefitted from her Midas touch - she sang the theme song, Dareka No Negai Ga Kanau Koro (When somebody's Wish Comes True).

Sicne its release several weeks ago, the movie has made a killiing at the box office, raking in 1.5 billion yen(S$22.9m).

Mind you, critics had earlier slammed it, calling it "a story with no ending" and "an extended Hikaru Utada music Video music video".

But thousands of fans still flocked to the cinema to see it, as well as to record stores to snap up their idol's new single, which is the movie's theme song.

Next stop for Hikki is Hollywood.

She said she has finished recording her English album, which is slated for release in the secord half of the year.

Hopes are high for Hikki, who was born and raised in New York, to churn out the next Billboard chart-topper after Kyu Sakamoto's Sukiyaki in 1963.

The past five years have been nothing short of "wonderful" for her, she said in a promotional video, which she recently released to the media.

"If I were to just go to school and not do this job, I don't think I'd be who I am, emotionally or intellectually," she said.

"It has been a very educational process for me, learning lots of different things. I think I'm getting closer to where I want to be."

If it's Hollywood she is aiming for, we hope she will create yet another miracle.

Posted by Q on 2004/6/7 23:54:36

Whoo...
awsome elf ...thanks for the article :D
...was this from a singapore newspaper?

Posted by Elfangor on 2004/6/8 2:47:55

Erm, yeah the newspaper is called "thenewpaper" lol...

It's kinda rare to have Hikki's news in Singapore, So I'm tempted to post one if there's one.

I kinda glad Hikki is getting popular in Singapore.

Posted by chcho5 on 2004/6/8 6:19:07

The newspaper elfagor is referring to is "The New Paper". It costs 60 cents per copy and contain the latest news in Singapore (printed everyday)... ^_^...

I believe Hikki has been popular in Singapore since her debut album "First Love". But I wonder if her album sales has anything to do with the large number of Japanese expatriates in Singapore. (Just a thought)...

Anyway, I really hope she can release her English album as soon as possible.

Posted by Elfangor on 2004/6/8 8:55:01

Quote:

I beg to differ, Siongaporeans are just dumb dumbs who stick to the "most popular" stars in the media. Meaning advertising. Sometimes I get so fastrutated at people who call themselves hardcore jap-fan who are crazy over Ayumi and stars like that. When you ask them about Hikki, they go " ?????, who the **** is that?" Yup, Hikki's album didn't advertise that much on TV as other jap stars. Singaporeans should know that... Unless you have a starhub TV to access taiwan's channel, of course.

Posted by LuvHikki on 2004/6/9 7:25:51

That's an awwesome article!! Thanks so much!
60 cents, omg I wanna buy 100 copies of it
um, can anyone plz scan it?
Thanks for the article!

Posted by chcho5 on 2004/6/10 7:07:06

Quote:

I beg to differ on some of those points...

First point : spelling mistake, Singaporeans and not Siongaporeans, hahaha

I agree with what you said, Singaporeans sticking to the most popular artistes... however, I believe Hikki has also quite a following in Singapore (not that she isnt popular), as her album sales (and quality) has always been consistently good (for all her albums) and her best singles collection are getting a sufficient amount of time on local tv (and there is the Internet as well, I believe the majority of young Singaporeans are web-savvy, except me of course) ...

For your information, I do have starhub as well, so I could view Chinese channels (in both China and Taiwan)...

Posted by maybe_certainly on 2004/6/10 16:03:36

Thank you very much for posting the article on the forum. That was awesome

Posted by Hakushi on 2004/6/19 17:21:00

I agree with chcho5 with that, unless hardcore jpop fanz who surf net or watch cable, they wouldn't know new artist other than those who have ads all over the place.