Hikari (Utada Hikaru song) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Hikari"
Single by Utada Hikaru
from the album Deep River
Released	March 20, 2002
Recorded	2001 (Bunkamura Studios, Shibuya, Tokyo)
Genre	Pop folk electronica
Length	5:02
Label	Toshiba EMI
Songwriter(s)	Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)	Utada Teruzane Utada Miyake Akira
Utada Hikaru singles chronology
"Traveling" (2001) "Hikari" (2002) "Sakura Drops" / "Letters" (2002)

"Hikari" (Japanese: 光, "light") is a song by Japanese-American singer Utada Hikaru. It was released on March 20, 2002, as the third single from her album Deep River. Utada wrote and composed the song herself. Her father, Teruzane Utada, and Miyake Akira helped produce it.

"Hikari" is famous for being the main theme song for the popular video game Kingdom Hearts. It's a pop folk song with electronic sounds. The lyrics are about life's mysteries and human actions. When it came out, many music critics loved "Hikari". They praised Utada's singing and songwriting. The song was a big hit in Japan, reaching number one on the music charts. It sold over 500,000 copies!

Utada also made an English version of the song called "Simple & Clean". This version was used for the international releases of Kingdom Hearts. It also became very popular. Both "Hikari" and "Simple & Clean" are still loved by fans today.

Creating the Song

How "Hikari" Was Made

In 2000, a Japanese video game designer named Tetsuya Nomura started working on a new game called Kingdom Hearts. He really wanted Utada Hikaru to create the theme song for his game. He reached out to her, and she agreed! Nomura said that Utada's music touched millions of fans. He was thrilled she would be part of his project. He felt her music could connect people across different countries and languages.

Utada wrote and composed "Hikari" herself. Her father, Teruzane Utada, and Miyake Akira helped produce the song. The music uses keyboards, synthesizers, and an acoustic guitar. The song was recorded in 2001 in Tokyo, Japan.

Release and Different Versions

"Hikari" was first released as a single from Utada's album Deep River. It has been re-released a few times since then. You could buy "Hikari" as a CD single in Japan and Taiwan. These CDs included the original song, two different remixes, and an instrumental version. The cover art for the CD single shows Utada in a grey living room.

What the Song Sounds Like

Music Style and Meaning

"Hikari" is a pop folk song. It mixes acoustic sounds with electronic elements. Critics have said the acoustic guitar and synth sounds create a gentle and pleasant harmony. This helps Utada's voice stand out. Some described the acoustic guitar as "melancholy" but impactful. One editor noted that the acoustic instruments were a new style for Utada.

The song's lyrics talk about mysteries in life and everyday actions. Utada herself said that writing the song was hard. She felt the story of Kingdom Hearts didn't inspire her at first. But she got more information about the game's characters. This helped her make "Hikari" fit the game's world.

Song's Success

How Well "Hikari" Sold

"Hikari" was very successful in Japan. It was Utada's seventh song to reach number one on the Oricon Singles Chart. It sold over 270,000 copies in its first week! The song stayed on the chart for 13 weeks. By the end of 2002, it was the 10th best-selling song of the year in Japan, with nearly 600,000 copies sold.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) gave "Hikari" a platinum award. This means it shipped over 500,000 copies. It also hit number one on the Tokyo Broadcasting System's (TBS) chart. Even though it didn't chart digitally at first, it later received a gold award for 100,000 cell phone downloads.

Music Video

The Dishwashing Video

Utada's husband at the time, Kazuaki Kiriya, directed the music video for "Hikari". Originally, the idea for the video was much more complicated. However, due to scheduling problems, Kiriya couldn't make the original idea happen.

So, Utada decided on a simpler idea: she would just wash dishes! She said she found washing dishes enjoyable. The entire video, which is over four minutes long, shows Utada washing dishes in her kitchen. Sometimes she drinks water or walks away from the camera. Utada said no extra editing was needed, and the video was filmed in one take.

Critics liked the video. One writer praised how different it was from Utada's usual fancy videos. Another noted how well Utada could adapt to different roles, even doing a "mundane" activity like washing dishes.

Live Performances

Singing "Hikari" on Stage

Utada has performed "Hikari" on several of her concert tours. She had to stop promoting the song in 2002-2003 because she had a health issue, which was later treated.

Her first performance of "Hikari" was in 2004 during her Bokuhan concert tour. It was the first song she sang. It was also part of her first English concert tour, Utada United, where it was the closing song. In 2010, she performed "Hikari" again during her Wild Life concert series. The song has also appeared on some of her greatest hits albums.

"Simple & Clean"

To promote Kingdom Hearts around the world, Utada recorded an English version of "Hikari" called "Simple & Clean". Both the original and a remix of "Simple & Clean" were used as the international theme songs for the game. This song was included on her 2009 English album This Is the One. It was also released as a special single with her song "Colors" in 2003. Critics generally gave it good reviews.

Making "Simple & Clean"

The way "Simple & Clean" was made is very similar to "Hikari". Utada wrote and composed it, and her father and Miyake Akira helped produce it. The song uses keyboards, synthesizers, and acoustic guitar. It was recorded in Tokyo in 2001.

Utada said that writing "Simple & Clean" was also difficult. She explained that when you change the language of a song, the same melodies don't always work. She had to change the melodies for "Simple & Clean" to fit the English words. She found this frustrating as a songwriter.

Performing "Simple & Clean" Live

Utada has performed "Simple & Clean" at her concerts too. She first sang it at a special event for her 20th birthday in Japan in 2003. She played the acoustic guitar while singing. When Kingdom Hearts came out in North America, Utada performed the song there. This was one of her first performances outside of Japan. Her most recent performance of "Simple & Clean" was in 2010 during her Utada: In the Flesh 2010 tour.

How Well "Simple & Clean" Sold

A remix version of "Simple & Clean" called "Ray Of Hope Mix" was released in 2017. It became number one on iTunes in 9 countries! It also reached number two on the US iTunes Store, which was a big achievement for a Japanese artist. In 2019, "Simple & Clean" also appeared on the US Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart.

Song's Impact

A Video Game Classic

When "Hikari" and "Simple & Clean" were released with Kingdom Hearts, they became a "hot topic" in the music world. The songs helped Kingdom Hearts become a huge success, selling over 4.78 million copies worldwide. This made it one of the best-selling PlayStation 2 games.

Because the songs were so popular, they were also included in other Kingdom Hearts games like Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. The success of these songs led Utada to record another song for the game's sequel, Kingdom Hearts II. That song was "Passion" in Japanese, which became "Sanctuary" in English. Many fans outside of Japan know Utada best for "Simple & Clean".

Critics often call "Hikari" and "Simple & Clean" "one of the best video game songs in recent history." One critic said the orchestral version of "Hikari" (played during the game's credits) was amazing. He felt it captured the themes of friendship, teamwork, and adventure in Kingdom Hearts.

Awards and Recognition

"Hikari" has won several awards. In 2008, the Guinness World Records listed "Hikari" as the best-selling video game single in Japan. This was Utada's first time being included in the Gamer's Edition book!

At the 17th Japan Gold Disc Awards in 2003, Utada won the Song of the Year award for "Hikari". She also won the same award for two other songs that year. She also received an award from the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC). In 2015, fans voted "Hikari" as one of their favorite Utada songs, ranking it number three in a poll.

Awards for "Hikari"

Song Versions

Who Made the Song

Credits and people who worked on "Hikari" and "Colors" from the CD notes.

Chart Success and Awards

Certifications