There was a curious rumbling throughout Yokohama’s K-Arena as 18,000 concertgoers filled the sold-out venue for the final night of Hikaru Utada’s Science Fiction tour on Sept. 1.
Maybe it was from the excited fans, who had descended upon Yokohama undaunted by heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings to see the J-pop superstar perform their first tour in six years. Some arrived hours before doors opened to queue for tour merchandise such as T-shirts, glow-up wristbands, wormhole keychains and drinkware.
The singer (who is nonbinary and prefers they/them pronouns) embarked on their Science Fiction tour this summer to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut. The nostalgia-laden 18-show tour, which drew 258,000 attendees in total, kicked off in Fukuoka on July 13 and hit seven cities in Japan, as well as Taipei and Hong Kong for two sold-out solo concerts. In addition to the tour, Utada released a greatest hits album, also titled “Science Fiction,” featuring two discs with 26 tracks, including three new songs: "Gold (Mata Au Hi Made)," "Naniiro Demo Nai Hana" and "Electricity."
A few minutes after 4 p.m., the arena darkened and flashing white lights timed to the delicate plinking of piano notes filled the room. Then, Utada appeared on stage in a flowy white suit, drawing a roar from the crowd as the singer launched into a rendition of “time will tell,” the companion track to their 1998 debut single and megahit, "Automatic."
Utada first burst on to the J-pop scene at age 15 with “First Love,” an album full of teenage yearning, the first blooms of romance and heartbreak. “First Love” became the highest-selling Japanese album (a record it still holds today), and in the years since, Utada’s music has become a defining sound of the late 1990s. Eight studio albums and four tours later, Utada is one of the most artistically and commercially successful J-pop artists of all time.
While their earlier albums charted the highs and lows of adolescent romance, Utada’s subsequent releases have been more introspective and melancholy — signs of an artist evolving and maturing as they go through adult milestones such as the death of a parent, becoming a mother and going through a divorce. The longevity of Utada’s career is a testament to their ability to put their own spin on pop and R&B while tapping into universal emotions.
It wasn’t lost on Utada, now 41, that they and the fans assembled had grown up together. "I didn't want (the tour’s) focus to be on celebrating my 25 years alone,” they said to the audience, “but on looking back and celebrating the 25 years we've shared together and taking a moment to say 'well done.' I'm so grateful that we could all come together and feel this way."
The connection between Utada and their fans was apparent as attendees cried out “Hikki,” the singer’s nickname, throughout the show and waved glowing wristbands in unison when prompted by the singer. In an endearing moment that felt unrehearsed, Utada took a few minutes to bring out a set of opera glasses and gaze back at all the faces in the audience. “I see you!” they said to the delight of the fans.
Seeming confident and joyful, Utada ran through early hits such as “In My Room,” “traveling” and “Colors” during the first part of the show. For the second set, which featured songs from more recent albums “Hatsukoi” and “Bad Mode,” Utada refreshed their look with a resplendent rainbow dress with structured ruffles. The futuristic outfit, designed and created by Yoshiyuki Miyamae and his team at A-Poc Able Issey Miyake, was one of the more obvious representations of the tour’s Science Fiction theme.
It was during the concert’s final set where Utada seemed most at ease. After leaving the stage long enough to have some wondering if the night was over, the singer returned, dressed down in a simple tank top and gray pants, for an encore that featured multiple surprises. The first was the appearance of dance duo Aoi Tsuki and saxophonist Melraw, who joined Utada to perform their latest track, “Electricity.” Utada then asked the crowd, "Tonight’s not over yet. Can you stay with me a little longer?" before launching into a bonus performance of "Stay Gold."
The highlight of the evening, however, came at the very end — it wouldn’t be a greatest hits concert without a performance of the hit that started it all. As the first beats of “Automatic” thumped throughout the arena and the audience cheered, Utada appeared in a beam of light accompanied by a visual Easter egg for long-time fans: a yellow armchair like the one in the “Automatic” music video.
With that jubilant final performance, Utada drew their anniversary tour to a close with deep bows of gratitude, a feeling that was mutual for the audience. For those whose coming-of-age was soundtracked by Utada’s music, this quarter-century celebration of self-discovery made us feel a little older, sure, but that much wiser, too.
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