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Ayumi Hamasaki

by Teniya from California

"In the beginning, I was searching for myself in my music. My music was for me. I didn't have the mental room to be conscious of the listener; I wrote to save myself. "
Ayumi Hamasaki in "My Off Day"
Ayumi Hamasaki in "My Off Day"

Born on October 2, in 1978: is a Japanese vocalist and lyricist. Most of her fan base comes from her talents to voice her opinions, feelings, and thoughts through her songs, and her headstrong yet bubbly personality. As a child growing up in the 80s of Japanese society, Ayumi was often teased for being raised by her mother and grandmother. To this day, Ayumi has never met her father. As a child, she saw great inspiration from everything around you to be creative at play. When she was seven, she began modeling to help support her family and at fourteen: she left home and moved to Tokyo to work for SOS, a Japanese modeling agency. Her modeling career ended shortly after that, and so she tried her go at singing and even acting on television before a string of failures which caused her to give up. In the end, she moved back into her mother's house, who at the time had moved to Tokyo.

As she grew older, her grades in school began to drop and her faith in herself and the curriculum caused her to drop out her freshman year. Instead, she spent most of her time shopping or dancing at an Avex owned disco club. While visiting the club, she met Max Matsuura and when he heard her sing Karaoke, he offered her a deal with Avex Entertainment. Ayumi assumed he had ulterior motives and turned him down, continuously. It wasn't until the following year that Ayumi finally agreed and signed a recording deal with Avex Entertainment. She started vocal training quickly, but stopped attending her classes when she became bored with them. When Matsuura found out about it, he sent her to New York to train under American methods and frequently corresponded with Ayumi via mail. In her letters, Ayumi expressed all sorts of pieces of her life that she has never been well at saying out loud. Matsuura was so impressed with her detailed writing skills that he suggested she start to try writing her own lyrics.

Her first album debuted under the Avex label in 1999. The pop album, titled "A Song For XX" was not a big hit with the public, at first. Many people did not like the sound, but after hearing her lyrics, many people changed their minds and Ayumi gained a growing fanbase. Her second album,"Loveppears" was released later that same year, and though the lyrics changed, Ayumi gained more fans because of her ability to experiment more with her sound. "Loveppears" sold 3 million copies and started her headlining tour entitled "Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 A"

In September of 2000, Ayumi released her third album "Duty", which was well received by the public. The lyrics on the album dealt with loneliness, a feeling of chaos, and the stresses of Ayumi's new found responsibility. Her next album,"I Am..." in 2002 sparked a sudden change in Ayumi's musical style. She was no longer writing about loneliness and confusion, and took more control over her musical style by composing the songs herself. Her lyrics focused more on the world around her, and the feelings of those who may be listening to her songs. "I Am..." also featured songs which had been written after the September 11 attacks, and made Ayumi want to put the spotlight on faith and world peace.

Ayumi Hamasaki continued to work hard for Avex, but in 2004 she took more control over her image and music, both of which are notable in her album "My Story". Instead of planning out themes or directions for songs, she wrote honestly about her own experiences in life and created "My Story" to be an autobiographical album. The music was slightly rock based, and showcased Ayumi's own love for rock music. The lyrics were great hits with her fans and the album is one of her best selling to date.

In 2006, Ayumi released "(Miss) Understood" which was an album more musically diverse than any one previously released. With influenced styles from rock, to pop, to ballad, to dance: and was well received by the republic. The album focused more of stories of love, rather than empowerment. Later that same year, Ayumi released "Secret", which was a more powerful album than "(Miss) Understood". The lyrics expressed female empowerment and the wonders of being happy with yourself and your life. The album focused on secrets of not only Ayumi, but also on the secrets of her fans. While promoting Secret, Ayumi did an interview with TIME, in which she stated, "Everyone has a secret. I have a secret, you have a secret. No one will know your secret, or mine: because it is a secret. Our secrets could be the same, but the way we view them in ourselves is very different."

Ayumi Hamasaki has recently celebrated her tenth year anniversary of being signed to Avex Records. Though she gave up on a lot of previous endeavors, she stays positive and explains that these things have lead her to happiness through this career. She had also said that her music has helped her find self confidence, and peace within herself. She has been compared to such artists such as Madonna. She starts fashion trends which spread around Japan, and is loved by her fans for being modest and honest in any situation.

Page created on 12/4/2010 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 12/4/2010 12:00:00 AM

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