Hey! This is Utada, reporting to all english-speaking (or at least -reading) visitors of this website!

First of all... my sincere apology for keeping some of you waiting for so many months. Thank you for not losing interest in a NEVER updated artist message page. Your words and patience have meant a lot to me. I've been criminally lazy about writing both Japanese and English messages for a while now, but I hereby declare my new year's resolution to keep hitting the "post new message" button in my brain. (What the hell kind o' crazy expression was that? I have to keep writing more so that you can get used to my cryptic ways... :) ) And for those of you who have just recently begun checking my website: dude, you got good timing!

So. How are you? Wherever you are, I hope you are safe, and, at least while you're with me during these exchanges, not lonely.

The year 2004 ended with the shocking news of the tsunami. While the immediate worldwide reaction/aid for the calamity is a positive indication of how much we can accomplish together, that people all over the world DO care, there are always going to be natural disasters and issues of humanity deserving just as much attention. Like many of you, I donate money whenever something catches my attention... but for a long time I've been trying to figure out how I can, or more importantly, how I WANT to, change the world---not just by donating large sums of money via organizations or by using my publicity, but in a more personal, powerful way.

Well... I think I've found it! It's really just begun to BEGIN to begin, and it may take some time to materialize, but I just had to tell you about it now, because I am EXCITED. I don't even know yet how public I will make it, but you WILL hear news from me some day. This isn't work-related... just me as an individual.

Just had to get that out!

Stay tuned... (make that pretty pretty PLEASE stay tuned...) I'll be writing as often as I can from now on, answering questions, and sharing my cryptic thoughts. Sometimes they may be like diary entries. And once I get into the rhythm of it I shall dare myself to try the voice-message thingamajig...

Bye for now!

From Utada