HIKARU UTADA & SAM SMITH 'STAY WITH ME'

 

 

 

HIKARU UTADA

COLLABORATES WITH SAM SMITH ON A NEW VERSION OF THEIR NUMBER 1 SINGLE ‘STAY WITH ME’

LISTEN HERE

THE NEW SINGLE WILL FEATURE ON ‘IN THE LONELY HOUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION’ CELEBRATING A DECADE

OF SAM SMITH’S GRAMMY AWARD WINNING DEBUT ALBUM ‘IN THE LONELY HOUR’

 

Pioneering J-pop artist and global icon, Hikaru Utada has today released their collaboration with British singer Sam Smith – a beautiful new version of Smith’s multi-platinum hit ‘Stay With Me’.

This reimagining of ‘Stay With Me’ marks a decade since the release of Sam Smith’s debut album “In The Lonely Hour” and the duet between Hikaru and Sam is the perfect moment to commemorate the anniversary of the award winning, platinum selling album.

Speaking about the collaboration, Hikaru said that “It’s such an honour to be a part of this rendition and celebration of “Stay With Me”— a song that has touched so many people with its vulnerability and yearning. Singing with Sam Smith’s original vocals and being recorded by the same engineer was an incredible experience. It felt like a wormhole opened up and we somehow connected for a brief moment.”

Sam added “I have such a deep connection with this song, and was overjoyed that it was met with such success in Japan – a country that I’ve always loved visiting and performing in. Hikaru and I have both come to terms with our gender identity over the past years, and it’s a privilege to collaborate with another artist who had the courage to come out. Hikaru’s legacy and records speak for themselves, and I’m honoured that one of the most successful artists in Japan ever has offered their voice to a new version of Stay With Me.”

 

 

Since their sensational debut, Hikaru Utada has consistently achieved remarkable milestones, establishing themselves as a global musical icon. Their journey began with the release of their debut single “Automatic/time will tell,” which sold over two million copies and skyrocketed them to stardom at just 15 years old and shortly after, their first album, “First Love,” broke Japanese CD sales records that remain unchallenged to this day. In 2022, Utada released their eighth studio album, “BAD MODE,” a critically acclaimed work that featured collaborations with prominent artists like Skrillex, A.G. Cook, and Floating Points. This album was hailed as the best of the year by Pitchfork, solidifying Utada’s status as a global music sensation.

Utada’s influence continued to grow as they made their festival debut in 2022 at the prestigious Coachella Festival, performing as part of 88rising’s electrifying showcase. Their cultural impact further extended with the Netflix series “First Love,” inspired by their iconic single, which captivated audiences across Japan and Asia. On 9 December 2023, they marked their 25th anniversary in the industry with the announcement of their first greatest hits album, “SCIENCE FICTION,” released in April 2024. Currently, Utada is enchanting fans once again with their first tour in six years, the “HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024,” which spans across Japan, Taipei, and Hong Kong, celebrating a career that continues to dazzle and inspire.

About Sam Smith

Sam Smith is one of the most celebrated musical artists to emerge in recent history. A portrait of the five-time GRAMMY® winner, created by Pierre et Gilles, was recently unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Sam holds two Guinness World Records– for the most consecutive weeks in the U.K .Top 10 Album Chart (for their 2014, “In The Lonely Hour”) and for having the first James Bond Theme to reach No.1 on the U.K. charts (for the Oscar and Golden Globe-winning “Writing’s on the Wall”). Sam has amassed over 49 million adjusted album sales, 300 million single sales and 84 billion career streams across their catalogue of critically acclaimed albums “In The Lonely Hour”, “The Thrill of It All”, “Love Goes” and “GLORIA”. Sam’s latest GRAMMY®-winning, platinum single “Unholy” feat. Kim Petras spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sam has sold out numerous headline tours worldwide and is currently touring the 2024 iteration of their GLORIA show with GLORIA – The.Blackout. 

Sam is also the host of ‘The Pink House’, an overarching new brand Sam has created, inspired by the home they grew up in.  Under the roof of ‘The Pink House’ they are in the process of building a charitable foundation intended to provide support for people within the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to this, they have released multiple episodes of their podcast, where in each we hear from Sam as they sit down with an amazing cast of friends and queer cultural icons, including Elliot Page, Laverne Cox, Gloria Estefan. ‘The Pink House’ in all its guises is designed to help build a better, safer world for all.  

This summer, Sam will be performing at many of Europe’s biggest festivals, view the full itinerary HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

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