Conversation so far:
When did Utada Hikaru try the international market?
Her first singles compilation album Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol.
1 was released on March 31, 2004.
Was it popular?
It became the best-selling album of 2004 in Japan.
Was it popular in worldwide or was this still before she went international?
CANNOTANSWER.
Did she leave Japan during this time?
In mid-2004, Utada moved back to New York.
What did she do there?
began work on a new recording contract with Island Def Jam Music Group.
Did she make and albums or songs with them?
On October 5, 2004, she released her North American English-language debut album, Exodus, under the name "Utada.
Was this popular too?
Exodus became Utada's fourth consecutive release to debut at number 1 and boast 500,000 copies in its first-week sales in Japan.

Question: Was this popular in the US where she made it?
Self-contained rewrite: Was Exodus popular in the US where Utada Hikaru made the album?