Passion (Utada Hikaru song) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Passion" |
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| Single by Utada Hikaru | ||||
| from the album Ultra Blue | ||||
| Released | December 14, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | 2005; Westlake Audios Studios (California, United States) Bunkamura Studios (Tokyo, Japan) |
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| Length | 4:44 (Album version) 4:27 (Opening version) 5:58 (After the Battle) |
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| Songwriter(s) | Utada | |||
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| Utada Hikaru singles chronology | ||||
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"Passion" is a song by Japanese singer Utada Hikaru. It was released as the fourth single from her album Ultra Blue in December 2005. The song "Passion" and its English version, "Sanctuary", became the main theme songs for the popular video game Kingdom Hearts II. This game was made by Square Enix. These songs followed "Hikari", which was the theme for the first Kingdom Hearts game.
Music experts have described "Passion" as a mix of different music styles. It includes elements of alternative rock, ambient, and "dreamy" music. The lyrics of the song talk about looking back at old memories and thinking about the past, present, and future.
When "Passion" was released, critics really liked it. They praised Utada's new musical direction and how much her singing and music production had improved. The song was also very successful in Japan. It reached the top ten on the Oricon Singles Chart and the TBS's Count Down TV chart. "Passion" was certified Gold in three different categories by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).
A music video for "Passion" was filmed in China by Utada's husband at the time, Kazuaki Kiriya. The video shows Utada in a dream-like world with animated clouds, figures, and a big cathedral. The video was inspired by anime movies and the feeling of Kingdom Hearts II.
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Creating the Song
The creator of the Kingdom Hearts games, Tetsuya Nomura, really wanted to work with Utada Hikaru again. He felt she was a big part of the game series. He also hoped her music would become popular in other countries.
Utada had already written "Passion" and "Sanctuary" before the game came out. She changed some parts of the songs to fit the game's story and look. Utada felt that making music for Kingdom Hearts II was a better experience than for the first game. She found it easier to get ideas from the characters' personalities.
Utada explained that "Passion" connects the end of the first Kingdom Hearts game to the new one. She said that if "Hikari" felt like "dawn" (the beginning of the day), then "Passion" felt like "dusk" (the end of the day). She wanted the song to share many different ideas.
Utada wrote the lyrics for "Sanctuary" (the English version) first because she found it easier than writing in Japanese. She later said that both "Passion" and "Sanctuary" had some of her favorite lyrics she had ever written.
What the Song Sounds Like
"Passion" is a song that blends different music styles. It has parts of alternative rock, ambient sounds, and a dreamy, "ethereal" feel. One music critic said it was Utada's "most complex" song, noting its strong drumming and atmospheric sounds. Another critic compared it to both a classic Disney song and the band Nine Inch Nails.
The song uses drums, keyboards, electric guitars, and synthesizers. It's known for having a lot of echoing sounds. Critics also noticed that Utada's voice sometimes overlaps, and some parts of her singing are even played backward to create hidden messages.
The lyrics of "Passion" are about feeling nostalgic, which means looking back fondly at past memories. It talks about the past, present, and future. Utada felt these themes connected well with the characters in the video game. The song also explores childhood memories and introduces the idea of a "new world."
How the Song Was Released
"Passion" was first released on December 14, 2005. It came out as a CD single and was also available to download digitally. The song was included on the Kingdom Hearts II soundtrack, which came out a week later. The video game itself was released on December 22, 2005.
The CD single was released worldwide later in December. There was also a DVD version that included the "Passion" music video. The cover art for the single shows Utada in a big corn field, which is a scene from the end of the music video.
The English version, "Sanctuary," was released in North America in March 2006, along with the video game. It was later released as a promotional single in Japan through iTunes Store in 2009. Both "Passion" and "Sanctuary" have appeared on Utada's greatest hits albums.
Song Success
"Passion" was very successful in Japan. It reached number three on the daily Oricon Singles Chart and number four on the weekly chart. It sold over 112,000 copies in Japan and was certified Gold for digital and cellphone sales of 100,000 units each. This means many people downloaded the song to their phones and computers.
The Music Video
Making the Video
The music video for "Passion" was directed by Utada's former husband, Kazuaki Kiriya. It was filmed in Beijing, China. The video starts with an animated part created by Kōji Morimoto. The rest of the video uses CGI (computer-generated images) to create a fantasy world.
Workers built parts of the scenery by hand, like the grand hall and a cathedral. A blue screen was used to make these structures look even bigger. Utada said that the dancers and drummers in the video practiced a lot before filming.
For the final scene, horse riders led a group of horses through a corn field. After that, Utada wore a special long dress and sang in the same field. A special camera on a small helicopter was used to get an amazing aerial shot of Utada in the corn field.
Utada said the animated girl at the beginning of the video represents her. She also said the video was inspired by the 1997 anime film Princess Mononoke. She joked that the video might bring her more female fans!
Performing and Other Uses
Utada Hikaru has performed "Passion" on many TV shows and concert tours. She first sang it on Japan's Music Station in December 2005. She also performed it on Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ and other music shows. For Christmas 2005, Utada hosted a special where she sang a piano version of the song.
"Passion" was the opening song for her "United 2006" concert tour. She also performed it on her "Utada: In the Flesh 2010" tour, where she combined both "Passion" and "Sanctuary," singing in both Japanese and English. Her most recent performance was at her "Wild Life" concert in 2011.
"Passion" and "Sanctuary" have also been used by other musicians. Parts of the songs have been "sampled" (used in new songs) by various rappers and electronic artists. For example, American rapper XV sampled "Sanctuary" for his song "When We're Done." In 2014, famous producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and singer Peabo Bryson covered "Sanctuary" for a tribute album celebrating Utada's career.
Why the Song is Important
Just like "Hikari," both "Passion" and "Sanctuary" became very popular around the world. This was mainly because of their connection to the successful Kingdom Hearts II video game. Many people say these songs helped Utada gain a lot of fans outside of Japan.
Music critics and fans often list "Passion" and "Sanctuary" as some of Utada's best work. They are also considered some of the best video game theme songs ever. One poll ranked "Passion" / "Sanctuary" as number four on a list of top Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts songs. Another website listed "Sanctuary" as one of the "7 Ingenious Songs Based on Video Games."
Even though "Passion" was very successful, it didn't sell as many physical copies as "Hikari." However, when you include digital and cellphone sales, it sold over 350,000 units. In 2013, there was talk about Utada possibly creating a song for the next game, Kingdom Hearts III. Her father, Teruzane Utada, first said yes on Twitter, which caused a lot of excitement. But he later clarified that they were still "undecided."
Track listing and formats
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Charts and certifications
Weekly and daily charts
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Year-end chart
Certifications and sales
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