Utada Hikaru to Return with First Japanese Album in 8 Years This Fall
Nearly one decade after the release of her last Japanese studio album, Utada Hikaru confirmed today (July 7) via her official website that she will return with her sixth Japanese studio album on September 28.
Utada resumed her musical activities following a six year extended hiatus with the NEW-TURN PROJECT earlier in 2016, a fan-driven initiative to welcome the record-breaking singer back to the music scene.
On April 15, she released two theme songs: "Hanataba wo Kimi ni" ("A Bouquet For You") for Japanese drama Toto Neechan, and "Manatsu no Tooriame" ("Midsummer Shower") for NTV's News Zero.
According to today's news update, Hikki's "Sakura Nagashi" — the theme song for Evangelion: 3.0 released in 2012 during her hiatus — will also be included on the album.
The upcoming, still untitled album will be her first original Japanese studio album since 2008's Heart Station.
"誰もいない世界へ 私を連れて行って," the post begins — a lyric from Heart Station's "Niji-iro Basu." (English translation, roughly: "Take me to a world where no one else is.")
Utada Hikaru's debut album, First Love, remains the best-selling album in Japanese history. In the West, Kingdom Hearts fans might know her best for her two soundtrack songs for the video game — "Simple & Clean" and "Passion."
Welcome back, Hikki. We've missed you.