Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki isn't just a pop star-she's a real sensation! At 23 years old, Ayumi is the most powerful figure in Japanese pop music. She's sold more records than any other artist, for two years running in the world's second-largest music market. The formula for her remarkable success so far seems based less on her talent for music than for marketing. Hamasaki drives her sales by pumping out singles at a rate of about one every two months, each one accompanied by an attention-grabbing image change.
Unsurprisingly, Ayumi's sway over pop culture attracts marketers who are keen to borrow her magic; and she's happy to share! When she began appearing in ads for cosmetics maker Kose, its mascara went from No.4 to No.1 within two months. Ayumi chose to be an artist to express her true self and feelings.
Born in Fukuoka and raised by a single mother and a grandmother, she began modelling locally at 7, to earn money for the family. At the age of 14 she moved to Tokyo to pursue an acting and modeling career. Then a friend invited her out for a night of karaoke that forever changed her life. That friend also invited Masato Matsuura, a music producer, who decided sending her to New York for some real training. She took a trip there, in the summer of 1997, to take vocal lessons. Now mature, both as a vocalist and a person, Ayumi started writing lyrics as soon as she returned to Japan. She released her debut single "Poker Face" on April 4, 1998 and since then she has written all the lyrics of the songs she releases.
"As a child I listened to rock music (Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple), influenced by a relative. Now I like listening to soul music such as Babyface and En Vogue. I like to try to view my own and my friends' experiences objectively and put my honest feelings into words. If I write when I'm low, it would be a dark song, but I don't care. I want to be honest with myself at all times."
Avex, her record label, is all too aware of Ayumi's extraordinary power over the company's fortunes. Her image appears prominently in record stores from Singapore to Taiwan and her videos run repeatedly on MTV Asia. According to MTV, Ayumi was a top draw on a show that featured international stars like Mandy Moore and Enrique Iglesias. "The kids love everything about her. She's got her finger on the pulse, quite like Madonna does," says the producer of the show. Apparently some people fight hard for their dreams and try to be themselves. Such people shine and make the rest of us willing to support them. One of those people is Ayumi Hamasaki.
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