Wait & See (Risk)

"Wait & See ~Risk~"
"Wait & See ~リスク~"
Single by Hikaru Utada
from the album Distance
Released 19 April 2000
Format CD, DVD, Maxi Single
Recorded January 2000 at Flyte Tyme Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota and mixed at Flyte Tyme, Edina, Minnesota
Length 4:49
Label EMI Music Japan
Writer(s) Hikaru Utada
Producer(s) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Addicted to You"
(1999)		 "Wait & See (Risk)"
(2000)		 "For You"
"Time Limit"
(2000)

"Wait & See (Risk)" is a song by Japanese recording artist Hikaru Utada from her second studio album Distance (2001). It was released as the album's second single on 19 April 2000 by EMI Music Japan. Utada wrote the track and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced the track. The single artwork features four figures of Hikaru.

"Wait & See (Risk)" received positive reviews from music critics, many who highlighted it from the parent album. It achieved commercial success in Japan, with a peak position of number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and a million certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Wataru Takeishi was commissioned to direct the accompanying music video, which shows Utada flying around Shibuya on a futuristic speeder bike, while in another location she performs the song with two clones of herself.

Background

In December 1998, American-born Japanese recording artist Hikaru Utada released her debut single "Automatic". She released "Movin' On Without You" in February 1999 and both sold over one million units in Japan, with the first selling over two million.[1][2]

Her debut album First Love became the highest selling Japanese album of all time, exceeding sales of more than 7.6 million units in Japan and was certified octuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of eight million units; it sold 10 million units worldwide.[3] By the end of the year, Utada was rank fiftj on a Japanese radio station Tokio Hot 100 Airplay's Top 100 Artists of the 20th Century by the station and its listeners.[4] Utada begun work on the second album in 1999 after releasing the single "Addicted to You" in November 1999. The song peaked at number one and sold over 1.7 million units in Japan.[5]

Composition

"Wait & See (Risk)" was written by Utada.[6] The song was recorded through January 2000 at Flyte Tyme Studios, Minneapolis, Minnesota and mixed at Flyte Tyme, Edina, Minnesota.[6] Steve Hodge, Indoh Mitsuhiro and Ugajin Masaaki recorded Utada's vocals and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced the track.[6] Dave Barry played the guitar, Xavier Smith played the drums and all other instruments were handled by Jam and Lewis.[6] For the two b-sides; "Hayatochiri" and "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)", Utada's father Teruzane Utada and Akira Miyake had arranged, composed and produced the track.[6] Utada wrote all songs apart from the latter track. Similar to the rest of the tracks from Distance, "Wait & See (Risk)" is influenced by rock and R&B music.[7]

Release and promotion

"Wait & See (Risk)" was released on 19 April 2000 in CD format by EMI Music Japan, as the second single for the singer's second studio effort Distance (2001).[8] The cover sleeve features four clones of Utada, posing in different positions.[6] Two versions are featured on the maxi single, the album edit and the instrumental.[6] One remix by Baton Girl is issued on the maxi single.[6] Two newly recorded tracks were featured on the maxi single, which included "Hayatochiri" and "Fly Me to the Moon".[6] A DVD version was issued on 30 June of that year, which included new artwork of Utada in the speed bike, the music video and the making of the video.[9]

Wataru Takeishi was commissioned to direct the accompanying music video.[10] The video starts with Utada getting ready to ride a speed bike through Shibuya, Japan. The verse than features a shot of Utada in a warehouse, and two clones of Utada appear after the song progresses.[10] There are several shots of Utada stopping in different parts of Shibuya, including a playground, a shopping center and road with a moon shining above. The video ends with Utada parking the bike in the same warehouse, and walking off outside.[10]

Reception

"Wait & See (Risk)" received positive reviews from music critics. Nagasawa Tomonori from Barks.com had favored the albums singles as the best tracks.[11] An staff review from Tower Records likened the Jam and Lewis collaborations on the album, including "Wait & See (Risk)". The reviewer had labelled the music the "hottest."[12] A staff review from CDJournal discussed Utada's first greatest hits compilation Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1 and said although the vocal delivery "floats" and is "basic", they felt the track molded into one of Utada's "masterpieces."[13]

"Wait & See (Risk)" debuted at number one on the Daily and Weekly Oricon Singles Chart, her third number one single.[14] The song stayed in the weekly chart for twenty-one weeks.[14] The DVD edition peaked at number one on the Oricon DVD chart, her first number one on that chart.[14] The song was certified million by RIAJ for shipments of one million units, and sold 1.6 million units in total, making it the fiftieth best selling single in Japan music history and her third best selling single behind "Addicted to You" and "Automatic/Time Will Tell".[15] This marked Utada's fifth million-selling single, which ranked alongside her singles "Automatic", "Time Will Tell" and "Movin' On Without You" from First Love, "Addicted to You", "For You", "Time Limit", "Can You Keep a Secret?" from Distance, "Travelling" from Deep River and "Colors" from Ultra Blue.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] [upper-alpha 1]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Hikaru Utada, except track 3 (Bart Howard). 

CD Version
No. TitleArranger Length
1. "Wait & See: Risk (Wait & See ～リスク～)"  Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Hikaru Utada 4:49
2. "Hayatochiri (はやとちり)"  Kei Kawano 4:15
3. "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)"  Kei Kawano (arrangement and strings arrangement) 3:23
4. "Wait & See: Risk (Baton Girl Mix)"    4:50
5. "Wait & See: Risk (Original Karaoke)"    4:48
DVD Version
No. Title Length
1. "Wait & See: Risk"   -:--
2. "Making of Wait & See: Risk"   -:--

Personnel

Credits adapted from the promotional CD single;[6]

Charts, peaks and positions

Oricon charts

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Japan Daily Chart (Oricon)[14] 1
Japan Weekly Chart (Oricon)[14] 1
Japan Monthly Chart (Oricon)[14] 2

Certification

Region Certification Shipments
Japan (RIAJ)[15][upper-alpha 2] Million 1,200,000

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Oricon, the songs "For You", "Time Limit", "Travelling" and "Colors" did not sell over one million units in Japan but was certified Million by Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)
  2. ↑ The RIAJ threshold had changed in July 2003, with original platinum certifications being 400,000 units.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年2月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 473: 9. April 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  2. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年3月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. March 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 474: 9. May 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  3. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年9月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. September 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 480: 8. November 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Announcing the Top 100 Big Artists of the 20th Century as chosen by listeners and J-wave (リスナーとJ-WAVEが選んだ20世紀のビッグ・アーティスト100人を発表！)". www.j-wave.co.jp (in Japanese). 1999. Retrieved August 26, 2007.
  5. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年11月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 482: 9. January 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 "Wait and See ~Risk~" (CD Single: liner notes). Utada Hikaru. EMI Music Japan. 2000.
  7. ↑ Unknown. "Yahoo! Music - J-Pop Reviews [Utada Hikaru - Distance]". OngakuDB.com, provided by Yahoo! Music JP. Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Utada Hikaru: Wait and See ~Risk~". Amazon.com. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Wait and See ~Risk~" (DVD: liner notes). Utada Hikaru. EMI Music Japan. 2000.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "宇多田ヒカル - Wait & See ～リスク～" (in Japanese). YouTube. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  11. ↑ Nagasawa Tomonori. "Yahoo! Music - J-Pop Reviews [Utada Hikaru - Distance]". BARKS.com, provided by Yahoo! Music JP. Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  12. ↑ Tower Records Staff. "Yahoo! Music - J-Pop Reviews [Utada Hikaru - Distance]". TOWER RECORDS, provided by Yahoo! Music JP. Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki / Utada Single Collection Vol. 1 review" 宇多田 ヒカル / Utada Single Collection Vol. 1 [CCCD]. CdJournal.com. February 18, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 "Release - ORICON MUSIC STYLE". Oricon. Archived from the original on January 13, 2006. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Corner Ranking Single - RIAJ". Music TV Program. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  16. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年3月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. March 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 474: 9. May 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  17. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年11月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 482: 9. January 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  18. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年5月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 488: 8. July 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  19. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年7月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. September 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 490: 8. September 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  20. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2001年2月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 2001 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 497: 8. April 10, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  21. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2002年1月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. January 2002 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 508: 12. March 10, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  22. ↑ ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2003年12月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (December 2003)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. January 10, 2004. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  23. ↑ "The Record - August 2003 - Page 15" (PDF) (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 23, 2010.

External links