Fantôme (album)

Fantôme
Studio album by Utada Hikaru
Released September 28, 2016 (Japan)
September 30, 2016 (Taiwan)
Recorded 2012–2016
Genre
Length 49:45
Label
Producer
Utada Hikaru chronology
Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2
(2010)		 Fantôme
(2016)
Singles from Fantôme
  1. "Sakura Nagashi"
    Released: November 17, 2012 (digital download)
  2. "Hanataba wo Kimi ni"
    Released: April 15, 2016 (digital download)
  3. "Manatsu no Tōriame"
    Released: April 15, 2016 (digital download)
  4. "Michi"
    Released: September 13, 2016 (digital download)
  5. "Nijikan dake no Vacance"
    Released: September 13, 2016 (digital download)

Fantôme is the sixth Japanese studio album (ninth overall) by Japanese–American recording artist, Utada Hikaru. It was released physically in Japan, and digitally worldwide on September 28, 2016 by Virgin Records and Universal Music Japan, her first record to do so since EMI Music Japan was merged to Universal Music Japan in 2013. The album was released in two formats: a physical SHM-CD and a digital download. Although Utada announced an indefinite hiatus from the public eye in August 2010, she continued writing and composing material with the help of her father, Teruzane Utada, and long-term collaborator, Miyake Akira. Musically, Fantôme is a collection of tracks that emphasize acoustic and stripped-down instrumentation, alongside influences of pop, electronic, and R&B music. The lyrical content delves into themes of grief, sadness, love, and death, mostly influenced by the death of her mother, singer Keiko Fuji, her second marriage, and the birth of her son in 2015.

Commercially, Fantôme experienced success in Japan, reaching atop the Weekly Oricon Albums Chart with sales of 253,000 units, becoming her eighth consecutive Japanese-language album to top the said chart. Successful throughout digital outlets, the record also managed to enter record charts in the United States and France, her first Japanese release to do so. In order to promote it, the album's singles: "Sakura Nagashi", "Hanataba wo Kimi ni", and "Manatsu no Tōriame" were released prior the albums announcement, whilst "Michi" and "Nijikan dake no Vacance" were distributed through digital retails.

Background and recording

In July 2015, Utada announced on her blog that she had given birth to a baby boy and was working on a new album during the pregnancy.[2] In March, it was revealed by her team that she had returned from her five-year hiatus with two new digital singles, "Hanataba wo Kimini" and "Manatsu no Tooriame", and a campaign called "New-Turn", with songs downloaded by Japanese fans via digital music services having part of their sales donated to planting cherry trees in areas damaged by the by 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.[3][4][5] On July 12, 2016, Utada has posted on her Instagram account that she had finished recording for the album.[6] On August 8, 2016, the cover and track listing were revealed on Utada's website. For the first time, Utada used Japanese titles for all the songs on the album.[1][7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
ABS-CBN9.5/10[8]
JpopAsia9.5/10[9]
MuuMuse(positive)[10]
Unrecorded.mu70/100[11]

Upon its release, Fantôme received critical acclaim. Ryo Miyauchi of Unrecorded.mu rated the album with 70 points out of 100, commending the singer's songwriting and vulnerability, especially highlighted in the album tracks: "Ningyo", "Tomodachi", and "Kōya no Ōkami". Miyauchi carried on saying that he believed the record's sound was similar to her previous albums, but noted "Though Fantôme shows no sign from Utada of being nostalgic for who she once was, the album still sounds undoubtedly her. Fantôme creates an odd sense of time where it has one foot in the past and another slightly pointed to what’s next."[11]

Karen Flores, writing for ABS-CBN news, selected "Boukyaku", "Nijikan Dake no Vacance", and "Michi" as the record's best tracks, and described it as her "best album to date." However, she believed the material was not as "approachable" as her previous albums Deep River (2002) and This Is The One (2009).[8]

Commercial performance

Japan and Asia

In Japan, Fantôme debuted at number one on the Daily Oricon Albums Chart, selling 87,088 units.[12] For its first week on the Weekly Oricon Albums Chart, it entered atop the chart with over 252,581 copies sold; It sold more copies than its competitor of the week, Exile's greatest hits album Extreme Best (2016).[13] Fantôme became her ninth number one album, her first studio album since Heart Station (2008) to debut at the top position, but also resulted in becoming her lowest first week sales for one of her Japanese-language albums.[14] In its second week, it stayed at number 1 with 103,854 physical units sold, again outselling the nearest competitor by a wide margin.[15] The next week, it stayed at number one, selling 63,207 units, thus becoming her only studio album besides her debut First Love to chart at the pole position for more than two weeks, and then further extending this feat by one more week.[16][17] Likewise, Fantôme debuted at the top spot on the Japan Hot Albums and the Top Albums Sales charts, both hosted by Billboard Japan.[18][19] Alongside this, Utada's digital single, "Michi", placed atop of the Radio Songs chart during the week of October 10, 2016.[20] On November 9, Oricon revealed its new weekly Digital Albums Chart.[21] Fantôme ranked at number one on the chart, selling 6,537 digital downloads.[22] It topped the chart a second week, shifting an additional 3,993 downloads.[23]

Other territories

Upon its overseas release on the iTunes Store, Fantôme debuted at number one in Japan, Finland, Slovenia and 7 other Asian territories. It reached the top ten in the United States, Australia, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand and a further 6 countries. Additionally, it entered the top 20 in the United Kingdom and 5 further countries. According to online publications, it was labelled as her most successful release internationally, and had beaten previous positions that her English records: Exodus (2004) and This Is The One (2009) experienced.[24][25][26]

Fantôme made its international charting debut in France, marking it Utada's first release in her career to achieve a position outside of Asian territories and the United States;[upper-alpha 1] although it failed to enter the top 200, it placed at number 64 on the Digital Albums Chart.[29] The album opened at number two on the US Billboard World Albums chart, with the top spot occupied by Flight Log: Turbulence (2016) by South Korean band, Got7. It marked her first record to enter the World Albums chart, her first Japanese release to enter the US charts, and her first album to obtain a position in the US since This Is The One in 2009; it sold approximately 1,992 units in its first two days of sale.[30] The following week, it reached number one and had sold over 3,500 units.[31] The album debuted at #1 at United World Chart with 265,000 copies sold in the first week.[32]

Promotion

Utada's website listed a schedule of magazine reviews and interviews about the album, internet interviews and TV appearances with performances with songs from the album, on shows like Music Station (where she performed Sakura Nagashi for the first time live), NHK's SONGS (where she performed Michi, Tomodachi and Hanataba wo Kimi ni), CX's Love Music and NTV's News Zero.[33][34]

An internet stream event is scheduled to happen in December 9, 2016, called Sanjudai wa Hodo-Hodo, where Utada will answer fan questions and perform live. Two guests were announced, the rapper KOHH and the DJ PUNPEE.[35]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Michi (道, Road)"  Utada Hikaru 3:36
2. "Ore no Kanojo (俺の彼女, My Girlfriend)"  Utada Hikaru 5:04
3. "Hanataba o Kimi ni (花束を君に, A Bouquet of Flowers for You)"  Utada Hikaru 4:38
4. "Nijikan Dake no Vacance (二時間だけのバカンス, A Two Hour Vacation)" (featuring Sheena Ringo)Utada Hikaru 4:42
5. "Ningyo (人魚, Mermaid)"  Utada Hikaru 4:16
6. "Tomodachi (ともだち, Friend)" (with Nariaki Obukuro)Utada Hikaru 4:22
7. "Manatsu no Tōriame (真夏の通り雨, Midsummer Showers)"  Utada Hikaru 5:38
8. "Kōya no Ōkami (荒野の狼, Wolf in the Wilderness)"  Utada Hikaru 4:34
9. "Bōkyaku (忘却, Forgotten)" (featuring KOHH)Utada Hikaru, KOHH 5:05
10. "Jinsei Saikō no Hi (人生最高の日, The Best Day of My Life)"  Utada Hikaru 3:10
11. "Sakura Nagashi (桜流し, Flowing Cherry Blossoms)"  Utada Hikaru, Paul Carter 4:40

Charts and sales

Album charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[29] 64
Japanese Albums (Billboard)[18] 1
Japan Top Albums Sales (Billboard)[19] 1
Japanese Daily Albums Chart (Oricon)[12] 1
Japanese Weekly Albums Chart (Oricon)[14] 1
Japanese Weekly Digital Albums Chart (Oricon)[22] 1
Japan Monthly (Oricon)[36] 2
South Korean Weekly (Gaon)[37] 47
South Korean International Weekly (Gaon)[38] 5
US World Albums (Billboard)[30] 1

Sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Japan (RIAJ) 2x Platinum[39] 550,841 (physical)
Japan (RIAJ) 17,220 (digital)**

(** 1/11-27/11, Oricon new chart)

South Korea — 447[40]
United States (RIAA) — 3,500[31]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Notes

  1. ↑ Fantôme is Utada's first Japanese release (single or album) to achieve a charting position outside of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States territories (see Utada Hikaru discography for positions). However, her two English-language albums: Exodus and This Is the One both charted on the US Billboard 200 but are not counted as they were independently distributed towards North America.[27][28]

References

  1. 1 2 "Utada Hikaru Releases Her 6th Original Full Album, First in 8 Years, on Sep. 28!!". Utada Hikaru Official Website. Utada Hikaru Official Website. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ Hikaru Utada (July 3, 2015). "ファンのみんなにお知らせ" (in Japanese). U3 Music. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  3. ↑ "宇多田 ヒカル NEW-turn Project". Utadahikaru.jp. Universal Music. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  4. ↑ Stern, Bradley. "Welcome Back Hikki: Utada Hikaru Officially Resumes Artist Activities". Pop Crush. Pop Crush. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  5. ↑ Natalie. "Hikaru Utada Launches 'New-Turn Project' to Mark Her Return to Music". Anime News Network. Anime News Network. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BHwzY15jw2t/
  7. ↑ Stern, Bradley. "Utada Hikaru Reveals Cover, Track Listing for Upcoming Album, "Fantome"". Pop Crush. Pop Crush. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Flores, Karen (October 5, 2016). "Review: 'Fantome' is Utada Hikaru's best album yet". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  9. ↑ Gatmaitan, James (September 28, 2016). "[Album Review] Utada Hikaru's "Fantôme"". JpopAsia. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Stern, Bradley (September 28, 2016). "'Fantome': Utada Hikaru Returns from Her Hiatus Heartbroken, But Hopeful (Album Review)". MuuMuse. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Miyauchi, Ryo (October 6, 2016). "Utada Hikaru – Fantôme". Unrecorded. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Oricon Daily Albums Chart". Oricon Style. 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  13. ↑ "【オリコン】宇多田ヒカル、8年半ぶり新作"貫禄"1位 通常盤1形態で". Oricon Style. October 4, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "宇多田ヒカル、『Fantôme』がオリコン1位獲得！". Rockin' On. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "週間　CDアルバムランキング". Oricon Style. October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  16. ↑ "週間　CDアルバムランキング". Oricon Style. October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  17. ↑ "週間　CDアルバムランキング". Oricon Style. October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Japan Hot Albums Chart" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Japan Top Albums Sales Chart" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Japan Top Radio Songs CHart" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  21. ↑ "ja:オリコン 新ランキング発表 アルバムDL数を集計…初回首位は宇多田ヒカル". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "ja:オリコン週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2016年10月31日～2016年11月06日". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  23. ↑ "ja:オリコン週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2016年11月07日～2016年11月13日". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  24. ↑ "全米6位！ 宇多田ヒカル『Fantome』日本人女性ソロアーティストとして初の快挙". Yahoo! Japan. 29 September 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  25. ↑ Arama! Japan Staff (30 September 2016). "Utada is shook Fantôme is charting better in the US than her English albums ever did". Arama! Japan. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  26. ↑ Anime News Network Staff (30 September 2016). "Hikaru Utada's New Fantôme Album Debuts at #6 on U.S. iTunes Chart". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Utada – Exodus". Discogs.com. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "Utada – This Is the One". Discogs.com. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  29. 1 2 "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes - SNEP (Week 39, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Billboard World Albums (October 22, 2016)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  31. 1 2 Benjamin, Jeff (October 11, 2016). "Japanese Megastar Utada Hikaru Returns to the Charts as 'Fantome' Tops World Albums". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  32. ↑ United World Chart (October 12, 2016). "Album Chart: week 41 / 2016 - October 15". Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  33. ↑ "[2016/09/23] 雑誌/WEB掲載情報". Utada Hikaru Official Website. Utada Hikaru Official Website. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  34. ↑ "[2016/09/05] メディア出演情報". Utada Hikaru Official Website. Utada Hikaru Official Website. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  35. ↑ "30 Dai wa Hodo-Hodo". Utada Hikaru Official Website. Utada Hikaru Official Website. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Oricon Monthly CD Albums Chart (October 2016)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  37. ↑ http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?termGbn=week&hitYear=2016&targetTime=41&nationGbn=T
  38. ↑ http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?termGbn=week&hitYear=2016&targetTime=41&nationGbn=E
  39. ↑ ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2016年9月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (September 2016)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. September 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  40. ↑ http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?termGbn=month&hitYear=2016&targetTime=10&nationGbn=E

External links

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