So today I met Japanese SUPERSTAR Utada Hikaru!
I was on my way to Belsize Park riding the Northern line when at either Angel or Kings Cross a small Japanese lady got on the tube a few feet away from me.
I looked at her and I thought to myself “LOL she looks like Utada” and was laughing to myself-some Taiwanese dudes to the left of me started laughing at ME because they obviously thought I was crazy or something.
Anyway as the train becomes emptier (after Camden Town) I get a better view of the woman sitting down and thats when I’m like, “Wait that could be Utada!” But then I was like nah, “Why would she be in London?” plus she looks almost EXACTLY like she did on the ‘Ultra Blue’ cover with the same bob cut…like here
So I decided to gas myself up and played ‘Sakura Drops’ and imagined what I’d say to her if I met her.
Curiosity really got the better of me so I stood up when the tube was near Belsize (so I could get a better look) and when I looked directly at the woman I was damn near sure it was her.
So I went up to her and said “Excuse me are you Utada Hikaru?” and she had her earphones on so she asked me to repeat what I said and when I did a bashful grin spread across her face and she said, “Yes I am”.
Luckily there was an empty seat next to her so I sat down and shook her hand and started chatting with her. I showed her that I was listening to ‘Sakura Drops’ and she was very shocked at that.
I asked her why she was here and she said she was just visiting a friend and was a bit disappointed with how the weather changed-she’s been here for over a week so far and staying around the Camden area (I won’t say where exactly).
I told her how she was the first Japanese artist I ever heard (apart from Ryu Sakamoto) and she was like “Wow Really?”
She asked ME how I even found out about her and I explained that from loving Chinese music and being on forums (like JPM which I told her about a bit) that people talked about the ‘First Love’ cd and her song for Kingdom Hearts-LOL that part of the conversation made me laugh because there I was, listing Hikki’s discography to her as if she didn’t know her own music-I’m so lame.
I told her that I went to the show in Islington (if you never went you missed a great show!) and she thanked me for that and I asked her if she’s ever going to do another one. She said it’s all up in the air and that she was on a break (I told her how pressed everyone got when she did that and she laughed!). But she said that she’s currently working on a few projects that she couldn’t really talk about but new stuff is coming soon!
I did ask for a photo but she said she’s not really taking photos right now-and I could see that she felt bad for having to say that, but I was like “No that’s fine, it’s just great to finally meet you!”
After her stop came up (YES I missed my stop just to keep talking to her LOL) we got off together and walked and talked till I realised I was going to be late for my meeting so I thanked her for the music and she said it was nice to meet me and shook my hand again and went off on her way!
?She is TINY under 5 foot and she was wearing pink converse and animal print skinny jeans and she still rocks the short bowl cut from way back when!
?She looks EXACTLY like the photos and she hasn’t aged at all.
?All in all was a GREAT night! If you’re in London and you see a woman that looks like Hikki, don’t chance it, go up to her and say hi!
