Sanctuary...

COLORS and Distance!

I got hooked when I first heard Automatic in 2001 when I first got the internet. I thought she had a pretty voice (I still think she does). I actually still like that song lol and I like her performance of the song from Utada United.

The first time I heard Utada song was in 1998/1999.. Automatic. I get hooked on the song (not on utada) when I bought a compilation album containing Automatic. I was repeat and repeat it that time. But now I don't really like that song.
The song that made me hooked into her may be Devil Inside or Uso Mitai na I Love You

Hikari as always :D

it seems like many fans discovered hikaru much later in her career. most discovered her thru kingdom hearts which is all good.

any old time fans out there?

The song that made me a fan was Sanctuary. I can't remember where I first heard it. (Not Kindgom Hearts II. I discovered it was on that game later)

Sanctuary was not my first song by her, however.
I had heard of her ages before that song was released; my first song was Sakura Drops.
I thought her voice was beautiful but I only found the song to be 'Okay.' I tried out First Love, but because I knew she was fifteen at the time, I couldn't take it seriously, and then I tried Simple and Clean which I hated. I tried out Traveling which I also hated.
So then I decided that while I liked her voice, I didn't like her music.

I hung out on a ton of J-pop forums during that time, and Utada was overwhelmingly popular. So overwhelming, that I eventually grew to hate her because I just got so sick of hearing about her SO much.
So for about five-ish years, I hated her. To the point where I even slammed her voice which I liked when I first heard it.

Then one day I heard Sanctuary and my immediate thought was: "Is this Utada? ... It CAN'T be Utada; this is WAY too great of a song to be Utada." and then, "It IS Utada. ... Does she have more songs like this?"

And from there I discovered Blue, Keep Trying, Making Love, and This is Love.
For a while I only listened to these five; but then I eventually grew to really like Deep River, including the songs mentioned above. I actually listen to Simple+Clean/Hikari and Traveling quite often. XD;

It's safe to say that she has gained many fans thanks to Simple & Clean. KH has really helped to increase her fanbase. It's such a popular song that it's easy to find LOTS of AMVs which use S&C.

I feel a bit stupid because when I first listened to Simple & Clean, I have not realised that Utada Hikaru was raised in NY. I was like.... how come this Japanese singer has such good english?
Then years after that, I finally found out why.

Simple and Clean for me... my cousin was playing Kingdom Hearts at his house and he got the soundtrack. My other cousin dled it to her ipod then gave it to me to listen. It got me hooked!

Then years after, my friend said Kingdom Hearts (this was 4-5 years after that so i forgot about hikki) and a spark went in my brain which got me listening to hikki again.

So in all, it was Simple and Clean for both...

when i first heard simple and clean i was hooked and well i dug for days finding all her songs to relize she was even better befor that song came out :D

and ive been obsessed ever since

i love you utada

<3