Hikaru Utada performs “Bad Mode” for the first time on Japanese television

So, it’s basically Halloween already, and Hikaru Utada is still out here promoting Bad Mode, which released in January. I want this to be a regular promo timeline for albums in Japan for those who don’t tour. And I don’t want record labels chalking it up to Hikaru Utada being the outlier, as Namie Amuro was, and as Beyoncé currently is in the US. What Hikaru is doing with this lengthily promo period for their album is something many artists in Japan could and should do.

HENNYWAY.

Enough of Japan and its raggedy album release timelines and promo scheduling. Let us get into what is only the second time that Hikaru Utada has ever performed the song “Bad Mode”, yet the first time they have ever performed the song live on TV.

Hikaru really stood on Japanese national television to sing about depression, drugs, and then said the word ‘Fuck’. It was so weird for the show to not censor the audio, yet not show the lyrics for that part.

Hikaru Utada performing “Bad Mode” | NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

One thing non-chart format Japanese TV shows will do is give you a good-as stage to perform on. And the common factor seems to be NHK, whose show Songs also has a great set. Fans will recall Hikaru Utada had performed on the fly-ass NHK Songs set to debut the “Tomodachi” sway.

A GIF of Hikaru Utada’s 2016 NHK Songs performance of “Tomodachi”

Hikaru Utada performing “Tomodachi” (2016) | NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

NHK generally go an amazing job shooting performances for Live Yell and Songs. But it really added to this performance of Hikaru’s because good sets, lighting and cinematography are things which I feel are synonymous with Hikaru Utada’s performances, especially their own. The Live Air Studio session was beautifully lit and shot. As was Laughter in the Dark, and then Wild Life before it.

Hikaru Utada performing “Bad Mode” | NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation)

Hikaru Utada is such a nervous looking performer. A bitch gave me anxiety just watching her take deep breaths before the song started.

“Bad Mode” is a song with a lot of space in it, and Hikaru didn’t have their band, any dancers, or the comfort of a more intimate setting to help fill it, and you could see that Hikaru was feeling all of that. Yet, they still made it through the performance, sounded good and captivated for the whole thing. And Hikaru’s visible nervousness adds a level of charm, and reminds us that they’re still just a person like the rest of us who gets nervous about shit. Even when that shit is something that’s part of their job, that they do for a living.

Hikaru has always been somewhat of a reluctant pop star, so it really does amaze me that they’re still doing all of this shit. Part of me was not expecting them to return to music when they announced their hiatus way back. And part of me was also not expecting to get anything after Fantome. So to see Hikaru still out here doing it because they want to... *Looks towards the camera with the bottom lip quivering* Yes bitch.

Hopefully we’ll get more random performances from Hikaru throughout the year. I’m still holding out that Hikaru will get a clip in ponytail and whip it to “Find Love”.

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Hikaru Utada performs “Bad Mode” for the first time on Japanese television

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