Singer Utada Hikaru Reveals Nonbinary Identity, Wants More Discussions on LGBTQ Issues in Japan

June 29, 2021

Japanese American singer Utada Hikaru revealed their nonbinary identity during a recent livestream on Instagram.

The reveal: Over the weekend, the 38-year-old singer wished everyone a happy Pride Month and came out as nonbinary to their Instagram followers, according to Kotaku.

They also shared a post from a few weeks ago detailing how they are sick of being asked if they are “Miss or Missus” and having to choose between “Miss/Mrs./Ms.”
Utada discovered the title “Mx.” (usually pronounced as “mix”), which they hope “becomes more widely used.”

A Japanese news program reported on Utada’s coming-out moment, suggesting that it could promote more discussions on LGBTQ issues in Japan.

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Other details: Utada was born in New York City in 1983 to Japanese singer Keiko Fuji and Japanese music producer Teruzane Utada, according to Billboard.

Utada started writing songs at the age of 10. They wrote, recorded and released their first song, “Precious,” at the age of 15.
They eventually found success at 16 years old after releasing the 1998 Japanese-language album “First Love.”
They also sang the memorable theme songs of the Square Enix and Disney collaborative game series “Kingdom Hearts.”
The Japan Times described Utada as the “most influential artist of the decade” in 2009.

Featured Image via Getty

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