Hikaru Utada is embracing the in-between.
After teasing the track with some Ayataka green tea about two months ago, the Exodus Japanese pop icon – and still the record holder for the best-selling album in Japanese history – returned on Thursday (May 1) with a brand new song, called “Mine or Yours.”
True to Hikaru’s signature poetic writing style, the chill and laidback production sees Hikki painting vivid pictures of (seemingly) mundane everyday life while simultaneously zooming out and expressing bigger feelings about existence: contemplating which path in life to choose while picking out where to get food, reflecting on the person they were yesterday while boiling water, contemplating freedom, finding love and going the distance (“I want to be with you forever, but every day might be too much”) – and questioning Japanese marital system reform (“fūfubessei”) between sips of green tea.
And, being the Drag Race diehard they are, perhaps a little Ru-inspired wisdom thrown in for good measure: “We can’t protect anything until we learn to take care of ourselves.”
Sonically, the song has elements of Hatsukoi‘s gorgeous instrumentation, and the let’s-just-lay-here-together vibe of “BAD Mode,” and perhaps a brighter “Not in the Mood” too. Hikki wrote it, and co-produced the track with Henry Bowers-Broadbent, who has just a few engineer credits elsewhere…including Gabriella Cilmi‘s records, of all people. (“On a Mission” forever.)
Along with the song, Hikaru also made another appearance on The Zane Lowe Show, digging deep into the writing process, fame at a young age, and maintaining the balance. It’s a thoughtful and charming listen, and often unintentionally funny, as Hikki drops blunt truth bombs along the way. (Why didn’t you tour more? “There was no need to.”)
In another great moment, Hikaru addresses why they’re never too concerned with how the songwriting is perceived by people.
“I’m aware of others when I’m crafting something, because there is a message in it, right? But I don’t think of it as an embarrassing thing. Like now, if I said something embarrassing, I would feel very embarrassed. But I think that’s the safety of making a song, or anything that’s creative. You can say whatever you want or be whoever you are, make whatever you want…and you’re right. You don’t have to make any excuses for it, or get someone’s permission.”
During the conversation, Hikaru also spoke about what led to writing “Mine or Yours.”
“It was about paradoxes, and how to deal with them,” they explained.
“When I do Instagram Live talks, and I ask people to send me questions, so many of them are about making tough life choices…I don’t know why they ask me. I don’t think I have the model life, if you look at my personal life. That’s what a lot of people spend time thinking about.”
“We all have decisions in the back of our mind we want to make,” Hikaru went on.
“So I found myself a bit stuck. Do I go that way or that way? Do I choose A or do I choose B? Or if I choose B, then what happens after that? Decisions that don’t involve just myself, but other people in my life. It just felt really complicated. And then I got to a point where I realized…I don’t have to pick A or B. It can be both, or it can be A sometimes, or B sometimes. So instead of trying to get rid of these options or paradoxes, because they can’t both exist, they can exist together and that’s we’re supposed to be doing in life.”
Rejecting binaries? A likely thing for Hikaru to do.
And, in what is a long-awaited dream come true, Hikaru also finally took part in The First Take, the Japanese one-take web series, delivering a spot-on rendition of the new single.
Naturally, the fans in the comments section are thirsty for more from the back catalog – and that split-second ending seemingly teases that there could be more in the future. At least an obvious one, like “First Love” or “Automatic,” perhaps? Please?
“Mine or Yours” is the first new release from Hikaru since SCIENCE FICTION, their 2024 best-of album, as well as a string of “Electricity” remixes with some very cool names including Arca, with whom they made a surprise appearance at Coachella just a few weeks ago.
There’s also an “Electricity” remix vinyl coming out on July 9, featuring mixes from Karen Nyame KG, Arca and salute.
Whether this is the official introduction for a new era or a standalone moment, only time will tell. Whichever path they choose will take us home.
Read the lyrics and translation of “Mine or Yours”…
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