Hikaru Utada joins Sam Smith for 10th anniversary duet of ‘Stay With Me’

Hikaru Utada has teamed up with global superstar Sam Smith for a duet version of the iconic single ‘Stay With Me’, released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Smith’s debut album ‘In the Lonely Hour’.

Originally released in 2014, ‘In the Lonely Hour’ became a global sensation, winning four Grammy Awards and selling over 6 million copies in the U.S. alone. ‘Stay With Me’, one of the album’s standout tracks, achieved over 10 million sales in the U.S. and remains a defining moment in Smith’s career.

For Utada, this collaboration is the latest in a series of high-profile achievements. In April this year, they released their first best-of album, ‘SCIENCE FICTION’, celebrating 25 years in the industry. The album’s launch coincided with the start of the ‘HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024’, their first nationwide tour in six years. The tour began on July 13th at Marine Messe Fukuoka and has since featured sold-out performances across Japan, as well as in Taipei and Hong Kong. The remaining shows include back-to-back dates at Osaka-Jo Hall, culminating in a final stop at Yokohama’s K-Arena.

“I have such a deep connection with this song, and was overjoyed that it was met with such success in Japan – a country that I’ve always loved visiting and performing in. @utadahikaru and I have both come to terms with our gender identity over the past years, and it’s a privilege… pic.twitter.com/xfmcwGoOc2

— SAM SMITH (@samsmith) August 23, 2024

This collaboration holds deep meaning for both Sam Smith and Hikaru Utada, with both having publicly come out as non-binary in recent years. Reflecting on the experience, Sam Smith shared the importance of working with an artist who has also embraced their true identity:

“I have such a deep connection with this song, and was overjoyed that it was met with such success in Japan – a country that I’ve always loved visiting and performing in. Hikaru Utada and I have both come to terms with our gender identity over the past years, and it’s a privilege to collaborate with another artist who had the courage to come out. Hikaru’s legacy and records speak for themselves, and I’m honoured that one of the most successful artists in Japan ever has offered their voice to a new version of Stay With Me.”

Additionally, Utada spoke highly of their experience collaborating with Smith:

“I’m honoured to be part of this anniversary for ‘Stay With Me.’ This song has touched so many people’s hearts with its vulnerability and longing. Singing alongside Sam Smith’s original vocals and being recorded by the engineer who captured that voice was an indescribable experience. It felt as if a wormhole had opened, connecting us across time and space, even if just for a moment.”

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