The album Fakin' Pophis first in four years, came out inreaching number two and sellingcopies.
Hirai returned to active mode inalthough his singles 'Elegy' and 'Kimi No Suki Na Toko,' unsurprisingly, didn't chart as high as their predecessors, even if still managing to shift aboutunits each. However, that was followed by an extensive break: Hirai only released two singles in andalthough his Utabaka collection November sold 2. He also had a prolific streak in the studio, releasing Life Is Sentimental Lovers sold 1. He started big - his first two singles, 'Precious Junk' and 'Katahou Zutsu No Earphone' bothwere used in TV dramas - but the sales of his two albums, Un-Balanced and Stare Atwere modest, and so Hirai proceeded with caution, dropping only two singles from to He returned in glory inwhen his third studio album, The Changing Samesold 1. His career began in the early '90s: inHiraistill a student, won an audition at Sony and got a deal with the label.
