Who performed the Kingdom Hearts theme song "Simple and Clean"?

Hikaru Utada performed the Kingdom Hearts theme song “Simple and Clean.” The song is the English-language version of Utada’s Japanese track “Hikari,” and it became one of the most recognizable musical signatures of the series.

Utada wrote and performed “Hikari” for the Japanese release of the original Kingdom Hearts. For Western versions, the lyrics were adapted into English as “Simple and Clean.” The song’s reflective vocals and electronic-pop production helped give the game’s opening sequence an emotional identity distinct from its action-oriented gameplay.

Utada’s connection to Kingdom Hearts continued beyond the first game. They performed “Sanctuary,” the English counterpart to “Passion,” for Kingdom Hearts II, then later contributed “Don’t Think Twice” to Kingdom Hearts III and “Face My Fears,” a collaboration with Skrillex, to Kingdom Hearts III. A common mistake is naming Yoko Shimomura, who composed the game’s score but did not sing this theme.