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Really? I still saw an angel...
But yeah, that interview was way more relaxed than her past promotional activities. I think it's because the organizers had a bit more of an idea on how to handle the arrangements. For instance, the tables. Maybe it's just me, but it seems that when there are seats people tend to be a bit more calm. I think sitting has a calming effect; when you're on your feet you feel compelled to be active and moving.

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I was already pretty sure Utada didn't want to make it big in the states. She's always seemed a bit more hesitant to me about the American media, and did you notice how she doesn't even pause to think about which fans are "crazier"? She used to say there wasn't a huge difference, but I think TITO promotion has really opened her eyes. I remember the LA event; everyone was loud and obnoxious (myself included). Whereas that probably wouldn't have phased an artist that had been working from the bottom up in America since the start, Utada never really had to do anything, even in Japan: because of how she blew up right from the get-go, her life as an artist has been slightly detached from the fans. Her appearances have always been minimal, and promotion is usually done through select television spots with studio audiences. If it weren't for her blog, I don't think we would have any clue if she was even alive a lot of the time (in fact, that's what's happening right now with this blog deficit).

But I do have to say that I don't think Utada gives us enough credit. It's easy to become star-struck and act dramatically stupid when you see someone you admire greatly for the first and possibly ONLY time in your life. Unlike her Japanese fans, we Americans don't even get to see Utada's television spots until they're posted on YouTube much of the time; so having her appear in person within a close proximity is very exciting- yes, it's blatant and irrational celebrity fanaticism, but it's also a very profound sort of affection that has been multiplied by a thousand times because of how long it has been bottled up. Just as an example, I can't express how much I enjoy Utada's work to the people around me because nine times out of ten they have no idea who she is, so when she came out through the doors in the Sephora in LA, I remember feeling a vast flurry of emotions that all came out at once in their own ways. Gratitude and deference and, sure, maybe a little bit of obsession; they were all there, and whereas from Utada's perspective it may have looked like just another screaming fanboy in a sea of screaming fans, I think that detracts from and ignores the reality of the inspiration which she instills in so many of her fans who never get to truly express it. So that's just my two cents on her opinion of Americans. Utada may think we're all crazy, but I disagree: I think we're simply deprived.

Moving on. As for her retirement plans, I know Utada has always said she wanted to retire earlier in her life, but I didn't hear her say anything explicitly about that in this interview. All she said was that she would consider having a concert in Hawaii before she retired; then she revised her statement to add that it could "possibly" take place in the near future. Seeing as she's expressed interest in collaborating with Kanye West and has said she's essentially working on a cover project, I don't think retirement is on her mind at the moment. Then again, you could be right, and I might simply be interpreting what she said differently.

Anyway, overall that was a good interview. It was nice and long and entertaining. The interviewer was a bit bold at times, but I like seeing Utada react to uncomfortable questions, because she doesn't get uncomfortable; she just laughs and kind of brushes it off. I also felt she provided a very astute perspective of the music industry and an honest opinion on why paying for music in the pirating age is important but not vital. I liked how she was given the room and time to speak her mind rather than only responding to bromidic one-track questions about her love life and whether or not she'll be touring in the states. :]

Shuri/Eli