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[Updated] Utada Hikaru officially announces her return to music, new album to be released on September 28th

https://www.kh13.com/news/utada-hikaru-officially-announces-her-return-to-music/

By Toominator

· 32,244 views

Update 1: On April, 3rd 2016, a new theme song for a Japanese TV show called Toto Nee-chan was uploaded to YouTube. This theme song, titled "Hanataba o Kimi ni", was performed by Utada Hikaru, thus officially putting Hikaru back on the music scene! You can view the video and hear the song below thanks to YouTube user halkichi sakamoto:

 

 

Update 2: Utada Hikaru has officially updated her YouTube channel with two songs, Manatsu no Toriame and Hanataba wo kimi ni. None of the songs are related to Kingdom Hearts. You can listen to both songs below:

 

 

Manatsu no Toriame

 

 

Hanataba wo kimi ni

 

 

Update 3: On July 8th 2016, Hikaru's website was updated with news of the release date for her new album set for September 28th of this year. This is her first original full album since her last Japanese-language album Heart Station released 8 years ago. The new album, title unannounced, will include previously-released tracks such as "Hanataba o Kimi ni","Manatsu no Toriame", and "Sakura Nagashi."

 

The original article follows.

 

 

<3 <3 <3

Utada Hikaru, known for performing the opening songs "Simple and Clean" and "Sanctuary" for the Kingdom Hearts series, has officially announced her return to music. Hikaru has been on a 5-year hiatus that is now officially over. Via Hikaru's website, she is currently working on two projects: The first song she announced is the opening song titled "Hantaba wo Kibi ni" for the NHK drama Toto Nee-chan and the second is going to serve as the ending song for NTV's news program News Zero. This song's title will be released later on. Both of these songs are scheduled to be used by April 4th, so look forward to hearing Hikaru's new songs then.

 

In celebration of the musician's return, she has launched a new website that features an animated Cherry Blossom tree. As fans use a special hashtag on Twitter (#おかえりHIKKI or #WelcomebackHIKKI) or as fans buy her new songs, the animated tree will grow more and more flowers. This is a charity event called the "New-Turn" project. Money raised as part of this project will go toward planting cherry blossom trees in areas affected by the 2011 Tohaku earthquake and tsunami.

 

Of course, this does not confirm Hikaru's involvement in Kingdom Hearts III, but her official return to music is certainly a good sign. Now that Utada Hikaru has officially returned to music, what are your hopes for her involvement in Kingdom Hearts III? Would you like to see her return, or would you rather have someone else? Let us know in the comments below!

https://www.kh13.com/news/utada-hikaru-officially-announces-her-return-to-music/

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

Rising Star

Eternalsleep

Member

This is great news. Personally it just wouldn't feel right if someone else did the opening. Not that it would be bad or anything, im just used to her voice for the series. They can find someone else after the Xehanort saga though.

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    • Experienced

    TheEightMelodies

    Member

    This is great! I personally really enjoy her music and would love her to come back for KH3.

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    • Grand Master

    Aqua7KH

    Member

    firetruck YES

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    I know this doesn't mean that Utada is going to be doing KH3 but PLEASE

    ITS DESTINY

    MEANT TO BE

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    • Grand Master

    Moochieh32

    Member

    What's funny is that last night, I watched a video of her performing Simple and Clean in a concert :P

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    • Proficient

    Serife Isik

    Member

    welcom back utada hikaru your song is good

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    • Community Regular

    RuDoe Ry

    Member

    Shes gotta do the opening song to kh3. She just has too! Hit it out the park!

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    • Mentor

    Komali

    Member

    It's like she has paused with the KH series together just to return for this moment, when KH3 will be released.

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    • Collaborator

    Lubellamy

    Member

    It wouldn't be the same if she doesn't come back

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    • Grand Master

    Hero of Light XIV

    Member

    Sweet, I hope this leads to her creating a new single for KH3! Honestly if KH3 is the last KH game she writes and performs a song for, I will be satisfied. It just only feels right that way. Please Utada, make our dreams come true... <3

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    • Grand Master

    Kingdomhe

    Member
    (edited)

    COME ON COME ON COME ON:

    Edited by Keyblade master26

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    • Grand Master

    Rob

    Member

    Great news. Aside from a few things that factors into Utada's decision...hope Disney can pay up now.

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    • Grand Master

    KairiKeybasH

    Member
    (edited)

    Well good to hear, it's good that she took a break, now what would could expect of her now???

    Edited by MarieltheKeybasHGirl

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    • Grand Master

    KingdomHearts3

    Member

    I hope she does a new song for KH3. I don't expect, but I hope.

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    • Grand Master

    The Transcendent Key

    Member
    (edited)

    Oh my God, this is all too good!  I mean, come on guys, don't you see all this steady stream of news we're getting slowly but surely!?  First, Nomura says that KHIII is in an important stage of development, then, we get word on three voice actors who are working or will start working on Kingdom Hearts III, and now this!  I mean, okay, sure, this doesn't mean Utada's gonna write a song for Kingdom Hearts III, but given the factors present, everything just seems too good to be true!  Nomura's planning something big behind the scenes, I can feel it!  Utada might just be another clue to the overall jigsaw puzzle!  And we are the befuddled audience, unaware that big things are being planned behind the scenes...

     

    All the pieces are coming together...

     

    GAHHHH, UTADA, WE LOVE YOU!  PLEASE WRITE A NEW SONG FOR KINGDOM HEARTS III! :D

     

    As always, thank you for the news, Toom! :D

    Edited by The Transcendent Key

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    • Veteran

    Soul_Seeker

    Member

    Welp, if she returns to KH, I'm prepared for the next insanely catchy song I won't get out of my head for the next several years.

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    • Grand Master

    KeybladeMasterBalo

    Member

    "The timing is too perfect... too calculated. Utada must feel a change in the forces of Videogames music... a change like KH3"... :D

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    • Mentor

    King_Graham

    Member

    Very cool

     

    Didn't know she was on hiatus

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    • Explorer

    velvetlovetts

    Member

    I want her to come back and sing the best song she ever sang for KH3!!!

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    • Collaborator

    Raynaninja

    Member

    I really hope she returns to do a song for KH3! :biggrin:

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