Hikaru Utada

In 2002, she tied the knot with Kazuaki Kiriya, a photographer and film director. However, the marriage did not work and the two separated four and a half years later in March 2007.

Meanwhile, she was in a romantic relationship with someone which also did not work due to her busy schedules.

In February 2014, she announced her engagement to her fiancé Francesco, a bartender in London hotel, and the couple got married on May 23, 2014.

Hikaru Utada was born on January 19, 1983 to Teruzane, a Japanese record producer, and Junko Utada, an enka singer, in Manhattan, New York City, New York. She is the only child of the couple.

Both her parents had an everlasting influence on young Utada which shaped much of her life. Since a young age, she started recording songs with her mother and was a part of the U3 (Utada 3) band.

In 1996, she started her first solo project. ‘I’ll Be Stronger’ was the first song written by her. The song was released under the artist name ‘Cubic U’.

In 1997, she started her next project. She released her debut single ‘Close To You’ which was a cover of The Carpenter’s Song. This was followed by the release of her debut album, Precious.

In 1997, she moved to Japan where she attended the Seisen International School. Thereafter, she attended the American School in Japan.

Completing her studies, she decided to a make a career out of singing and songwriting. As such, she started working towards it and came up with her debut album, ‘First Love’, which included two successful million selling singles, ‘Automatic/Time Will Tell’ and ‘Movin’ On Without You’.

‘First Love’ went on to sell a total of ten million copies, with seven million copies in Japan and 3 million overseas, thus becoming the highest selling album in Japan’s history. The single ‘First Love’ peaked at number 2 on the charts and number 5 on Japanese radio station.

This popular Japanese pop singer of the album, ‘First Love’ fame is a self-proclaimed bookworm.