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| Photo Courtesy of Kenji Miura, Lightsome |
Celebrating their 25th anniversary last year, Hikaru Utada released their first best-of album, "SCIENCE FICTION," this past April. On July 13th, they launched their much-anticipated nationwide tour, "HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024," marking the J-pop superstar’s return to the stage after six years away. The opening performance took place at Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Debuting on 9th December 1998, Hikaru Utada has gone on to achieve a remarkable career with many milestones. Their first single "Automatic/Time will tell" went on to sell over two million copies, propelling them to stardom and Japan's top artist at just 15. Their first album, First Love impressively holds sale records that are still to be unbroken today. So legendary that it inspired 2022's Netflix series First Love exploring rekindled love.
Their return to the stage saw the event draw a sold-out crowd of approximately 10,000 fans, brimming with excitement and anticipation. Long lines formed for tour merchandise hours before the show started, underscoring the high demand for this tour. Utada's setlist featured 22 songs, including their re-recording of smash hit "traveling,” and newest song "Electricity." This selection offered fans a rich journey through Utada’s illustrious 25-year career while reminding the crowd that they remain focused on pushing forward with fresh musical ideas.
During the show, Utada addressed the audience, saying, "I was naturally nervous leading up to the first day, but I've worked hard with the tour members to put on a great show, so I'm delighted to be here today."
The "HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024" will continue across Japan, with performances in Nagoya, Saitama, Sendai, Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama. Additionally, the tour will feature their first solo performances in , with stops in Taipei and Hong Kong. See below for further tour dates:
Tour Information
HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024 Official Website: https://live.hikaruutada-tour-official.com/en