on an unrelated note
NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In Fall 2004, 21-year-old singer/songwriter Utada will introduce the U.S. to her enigmatic fusion of alternative, pop, dance and funk grooves with EXODUS, her U.S. debut on Island Records. The stylish young star composes, writes and arranges all her songs, infusing her music with seductive, witty lyrics and well-crafted melodies. She is joined on her debut album by some outstanding special guests that reflect her varied tastes: drummer Jon Theodore from Mars Volta delivers an infectious groove on "Kremlin Dusk," and master producer Timbaland, who adds his funky touch to "Exodus '04," "Wonder 'Bout" and "Let Me Give You My Love."
Raised in New York in a musical family (her father is a musician/producer and her mom was a beloved traditional-style Japanese singer in Japan), Utada was fed a diverse musical diet of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, The Police, and Dr. Dre, all of whom left their mark on Utada's musical style. At age 13, she was approached by Toshiba EMI to write several Japanese pop songs, resulting shortly thereafter in her first major album for the label in 1999. The release sold over 10 million copies in Japan, catapulting Utada to superstar status at just 15 years of age. So watch out U.S. ... Utada fever is one the way this fall!