Utada Hikaru Announces Birth of Baby Boy, Confirms New Album On The Way
It's been five very, very long years since Utada Hikaru first announced her hiatus from the music scene, but the wait for her return is seemingly almost over — and she's got a bouncing bundle of joy with her this time around.
Out of nowhere, the notoriously private Japanese pop star posted a brief, yet major update on her official website this afternoon, announcing not only the birth of her baby son (most fans weren't even aware she was pregnant — let alone giving birth soon!), but that she recorded a whole new album during her pregnancy.
Following the release of her second greatest hits collection, Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2, the bilingual pop superstar formally withdrew from the music scene to focus on her personal life. And, apart from the release of "Sakura Nagashi," a one-off soundtrack single for 2012's Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, the singer has largely kept true to her musical hiatus and stayed away from the spotlight. In 2014, the singer managed to cause a mini-media frenzy in southern Italy, where she wed her husband, bartender Francesco Calliano.
With two new loves in her life and five years of life experience now under her belt, there's no doubt that Utada's got a whole bunch to sing about on her upcoming LP.
Congratulations, Hikki! And hey, since you're back online, did you happen to see the trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3 yet? There's only one person for the job to provide a new theme song. Make it happen, please!
The message, as translated poorly by Google Translate into English:
There is a notice to everyone.
Well, this time,
Among baby was born in!
Drinking well your milk is well sleep very gentle boy.
and supported me were a lot of people, people who have snuggled up, again to the father and mother, I want to say thank you.
During pregnancy, I had created a new album. Still it's likely to take a little time to complete, and in looking forward to get down to continue, and we want to deliver quickly to everyone. I have waited a little more!
July 3, 2015
Hikaru Utada
You get the idea.
Check out Utada's announcement in Japanese, as it is intended to be read, on her official site.