Last night, I had a dream. I was waiting at the bus stop and an email showed up on my iPhone:

Dear David,
Come Back To Me.
Click here.
<3
Hikki

I looked up, surprised to see the bus arriving a minute early. When the doors opened, the bus driver smiled and said, “Hello!” Nobody tried to cut me in line. I paid my fare and it was only one dollar. Everything was moving in slow motion. Every person looked up and smiled at me as I walked into the bus. My favorite seat was open. I settled in and looked out the window. The bus drove thru the streets of Manhattan yet the bright lights of Shibuya were everywhere. I pulled out my phone and plugged in headphones. Looking at the message again, I took a deep breath and clicked on it. This is what I heard…

Yes, like a dream come true, Utada’s back!

Her new American single “Come Back to Me” is streaming from the Island Records website! (Island Records is Utada’s American record label. Toshiba EMI is her Japanese label.) If this is the sound of her new American album, then I just cannot wait! It’s Utada being Utada, not Utada trying to be super-American-friendly with that “you’re easy breezy, I’m Japanese-y” garbage. I could never get over that “America, please excuse me for being Japanese” style of her first American album “Exodus”. This new “Come Back to Me” Utada is the old Utada that I love. A nice rhythm in the background letting the whole song be carried by her beautiful voice.

I’ve heard the single gets released February 10, so get ready to call those radio requests in. This song was produced by Stargate who worked on Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable.” It sounds like they took the time to find out that Utada’s strength is Utada herself. Thank God! The new album comes out March 24, also tentatively titled “Come Back To Me”. I’ll have it in my hands as soon as humanly possible. You’ll be hearing more about it right here on Ningin!