If you haven't already heard, Japanese pop superstar Utada Hikaru is making another attempt at crossing over into the U.S. music market, with a new album, This Is The One
, out this week. Really? Is this the one? The last try didn't go so well. But this time around, so far, things are looking pretty good.Now just going by "Utada," her digital album and first single "Come Back to Me" were released earlier this year, earning her the #2 spot in the iTunes Music Store's Pop Album Chart in March, just one day after its official release -- apparently the highest spot ever reached on the chart by a Japanese artist.
I just downloaded my copy of This Is The One from iTunes
, and I'm giving it a listen. I'm actually not very familiar with Utada's music, but so far, it's not bad. It's probably going to take a few more spins to grow on me.What's most intriguing to me about Utada is that while she's achieved massive fame in Japan, she's actually Japanese American. Born and raised in Manhattan and educated at Columbia University, she speaks fluent English, and grew up with strong family ties to the Japanese music industry.
By age 11, Utada had written and recorded her first song. By the time she graduated from junior high, she had signed onto a major record label and released her first Japanese album. Over the last ten years, Utada has become one of the most successful and acclaimed pop singers in Japanese music history.
Now, does any of that overseas success actually mean anything here to music fans in the U.S.? I'm curious to see if Utada can cut it as a singer in America, especially since language isn't much of a barrier for her. I guess we'll find out. Heck, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, for now. To learn more about Utada, visit her official website here.
