Utada Hikaru Releases ‘Simple & Clean’ Remix Package, Will Return for ‘Kingdom Hearts 3′ Theme
Following a nearly decade-long hiatus from the Japanese music scene, Utada Hikaru continues to dominate the charts in Japan with her 2016 studio album Fantôme, still hovering in the Top 3 on Oricon's Weekly Album Chart three months after its release. (Evidently, more than a few people are happy about her return.)
At the same time, Hikki and Square Enix have decided to fulfill some major gaming nerd fantasies with a shiny new remix package of her Kingdom Hearts classic, "Simple & Clean" ("Hikari") this week on iTunes worldwide — 15 years (!) after the first installment's release in 2002. The remixes also serve as the theme song(s) for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, due out for PlayStation 4 this week in Japan, and later this month worldwide.
For fans who've grown a little tired of the same song being recycled for yet another installment of the game, fear not: Utada's returning for the eternally awaited Kingdom Hearts III.
Right before Christmas, Utada's father Teruzane casually tweeted in response to a fan asking for confirmation of Utada's involvement in Kingdom Hearts III: "We'll do it. Actually we have already started. Sorry for keeping you waiting." So that settles it!
As for when the game's actually coming out? Director Tetsuya Nomura said today (Jan. 10) that there's "still some way to go." So, uh...you'll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, listen to the Ray of Hope and P remixes of "Simple & Clean" and "Hikari" below.
Meet the Reigning Queens of J-Pop: