Utada Hikaru’s amazing talent and hard work has paid off in the past, but her new release—Singles Collection V.1—leaves no doubt about her outstanding achievements in Japanese pop music. Her first album, First Love, is the #1 best-selling album of all time in Japan, and the music just kept getting better from there. Although Exodus, her English debut album, was a major disappointment to fans of her Japanese music, Singles Collection V.1 regained the grade of excellence that Exodus had so sadly damaged.

After three J-pop albums—First Love, Distance, and Deep River—it makes sense that Hikki would produce an album with a collection of all fifteen of her hit singles. This album stays strong and entertaining from the first single—time will tell—to the last—COLORS. As the songs progress, it’s easy to note the musical and vocal development through time. For example, First Love shows off Hikaru’s amazing piano skills, but, at sixteen, her vocals don’t shine nearly as much as they do in Hikari—one of her newest singles.

Since the songs are combined from all three albums—plus COLORS, which is not yet part of an album—there is a lot of variety, and you won’t get bored as the songs change! From the high-energy pop hit Wait & See ~Risuku~ to the poetic and other-worldly Sakura Droppusu, these songs will keep you guessing. There are playful and cute songs—such as Movin’ on without you, Addicted to You (UP-IN-HEAVEN-MIX), and traveling. There are smooth, sad piano ballads—such as First Love and FINAL DISTANCE. Throw in a laid-back lounge sound (For You, Time Limit) and some coy playfulness (Can You Keep a Secret?), and you have a good idea of what this album is like.

Those of you who have listened to Exodus should take another look at Hikki music. The shallow, materialistic, and sex-related lyrics are nowhere to be found in Singles Collection V.1. Instead, the poetic, deep, and insightful lyrics in many of the songs (especially First Love, FINAL DISTANCE, Hikari, Sakura Droppusu, and COLORS) are a breath of fresh air in a music industry seemingly run by physical attributes and materialism. Although there are some childish, boy-girl related lyrics (Addicted to You (UP-IN-HEAVEN-MIX), Can You Keep a Secret?, Letters), they lyrics are more creatively written than lyrics that American pop artists can ever hope to sing. Also, with the exception of Letters which has the “h-word” in it twice, there is no profanity found in these songs.

There is a definite western-style touch to Hikaru’s music. Not western as in “country,” but a definable American sound. Since Hikki lives in both America and Japan (she goes/went to college in New York), this is to be expected. However, the Japanese genre is not lost—not at all. Instead, the mixing of American and Japanese styles—as well as languages—has changed the way that many people view J-pop. Many Americans are joining in the craze—although there are not, as of yet, any American J-pop singers. Hikaru has done an excellent job in merging the two genres, and her work shines in this album.

After fifteen singles, Utada Hikaru is still as amazing as ever—which is more than can be said for most long-time artists. She has proven that her paintbrush is not yet bone-dry, and we can expect more great things from her in the future.

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