Hikaru Utada was born in New York City to Japanese parents with roots in the Japanese music industry. Her father, Teruzane Utada, was a record producer while her mother, Junko Utada, was an enka singer, performing under the stage name "Keiko Fuji." Junko Utada’s mother, and Hikaru’s grandmother, was a blind shamisen player (ごぜ, or goze). Utada made her first professional recording at the age of twelve. She did her recordings with her mother, releasing songs under a band named “U3” (also known as Utada 3) until 1996 when she started her first solo project, "I'll be Stronger." The "Cookin' With Moses Vocal" from this project was called the "Cookin' With Gas Vocal" on the promotional release.
"I’ll Be Stronger" was the first song Utada wrote. It was released under the artist name "Cubic U," a mathematical reference to her being the third Utada 'power,' which was Hikaru's pseudonym before becoming a superstar in Japan. The song failed to release in the United States, and in 1997, she started her next project, though at first she was hesitant. Cubic U released her debut single "Close to You," which was a cover of The Carpenters' song. She then released her debut album Precious, but it failed to be released in the United States due to restructuring issues at her then record label Capitol Records.
She released Precious in Japan on January 28, 1998, and then later re-released it on March 31, 1999 to much better success. It has sold 702,060 copies to date in Japan, making it a significant hit for an all-English album in that market.
On September 7, 2002 Utada married Kazuaki Kiriya, a photographer and film director who was fifteen years her senior and who had directed several of her music videos. After four and a half years of marriage, the couple announced their divorce (which became official on March 2, 2007), citing personal changes, different viewpoints on the future of their marriage, and lack of communication due to the nature of their jobs.
Background information
Birth name Hikaru Utada
Also known as Utada, Hikki, Cubic U
Born January 19, 1983, New York City, New York, United States
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genre(s) J-Pop, Pop, Ethereal Wave, R&B, Experimental, Rock, Dance, Funk, & Hip-Hop
Occupation(s) Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Composer, Arranger
Instrument(s) Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 1993–present
Label(s) EMI, Universal, Island
Associated acts Keiko Fuji, Teruzane Utada, Ne-Yo, Timbaland, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream
Utada Hikaru
Robert Sylvester Kelly
Born January 8, 1967 better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and record producer. Debuting in 1992 with the group Public Announcement, Kelly went solo within a year for a successful solo career starting with the album, 12 Play (1993). Kelly has been known for a collection of hit singles including "Bump n' Grind", "I Believe I Can Fly", "Ignition" and the hip-hopera "Trapped in the Closet", "The World's Greatest".
Detail Info
Birth name Robert Sylvester Kelly
Born January 8, 1967, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genre(s) R&B, soul
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, record executive, multi-instrumentalist, music video director, Actor
Years active 1989–present
Label(s) Jive
Website www.r-kelly.com