JudgeJamster wrote:
Quote:

a_kikoo wrote:

I don't think being Japanese really has to do anything... being Japanese is fine. A lot of people dig that.

I think its more of that people aren't really open to new & various things. They stick to whats popular and pretty much what sounds the same. Well, thats their loss... more Hikki for meee & the rest of us fans

Sukiyaki is a rather old song. People back then knew what music was.

I agree 100%. Although personally I do think that being Japanese has a little to do with it....many people I have mentioned Utada to got turned off the moment I mention either her name, or the fact that she is Japanese. I once had my Aunt listen to "This One" trying to get her interested, and she responds with, "That's pretty good, it doesn't sound like her usual anime stuff."

I cringed when I heard that, because that is the idea that people over here have about Asian singers. Is that all they do is anime themes and bubbly pop music. If these people knew how varied Hikaru's music is....how amazing and different each of her songs is, they would take that back and at least respect her as an artist.

Alex0821 wrote:
I'm sorry, but after electing someone with the name Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States, you can't use the "she's too different" excuse.

It has less to do with that and more to do with the fact that America can only concentrate on so many celebrities at one time. Think about it: how many people BECAME famous in 2009? Lady Gaga, Ke$ha... I can't even think of any others. Americans (speaking as one) are very stubborn about paying attention to new people, that's why so many women have to resort to overt sexuality just to get noticed around here. I'm not saying this is a good thing, but it's true.

And for what it's worth, TITO isn't nearly as mainstream as you think it is - half of those songs could not do well on American radio.

ramenbox wrote:
LoBFCanti, you just said what I wanted to said. Yes, it's because she cares about music. Don't wanna sound naff but I can just feel so much intelligence oozing from her music? (lol) It's very true that Tito has many great tracks which are better than the usual pop, rnb or hip hop stuff that they play on radio like Gaga, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, etc. Not like I have something against them but it's really annoying how the dj-s keep playing their stuff incessantly. I'm like, c'mon, play something new and nice. I'm not much of a radio person because I don't really listen to pop except for Utada but ever since I've gotten into her music, I've been listening to the radio whenever I'm in the car (in hope that the dj-s will play her music). In my country, only a few stations play her music, not on a frequent basis but RARELY. Once in a blue moon. Played Come Back to Me for a few months then FYI for a few months. It's like her music doesn't exist. It's infuriating! Perhaps Utada needs dumb down her lyrics and tunes so that people will feel like "oh, I can relate to this, this is familiar"! And yes, people can be so xenophobic sometimes. Just because they've been playing or listening to the usual western music, they refuse to try western music made by a fine Japanese lady.

Ultra_Red wrote:
I think there are 2 reasons why Utada will never make it in America no matter how great her music is:

1.Japanese people in America make up such a small segment of the population that she doesn't garner enough support from them to propel her into the mainstream like a other minority groups(blacks and latinos)