Ayumi Hamasaki is a beautiful J-pop singer and Japanese Idol from Fukuoka. Also known as "Ayu" to her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of pop" or "the Empress of J-Pop" due to her popularity and widespread influence in Japan. Born and raised in Fukuoka, Hamasaki moved to Tokyo at the age of fourteen to pursue a career in entertainment. In 1998, Hamasaki, under the tutelage of Avex CEO Max Matsuura, released a string of modestly-performing singles that concluded with her 1999 debut album A Song for XX. The album debuted atop the Oricon charts (Japan's primary music charts, similar to the Billboard charts) and held that position for four weeks in a row, establishing Hamasaki's popularity in Japan.
Hamasaki began her modeling career at the age of seven, modeling locally for institutions such as banks to earn money for the family. At the age of fourteen, she moved from Fukuoka to Tokyo to take various modeling stints as well as acting jobs in such productions as doramas like Miseinen and b-movies like Gakko II and Ladies Socho Saigo no Hi. She did not meet with much success in these endeavors: she was deemed by her talent agency as too short to be a model, and the projects she acted in were not well-received by the general public. Shortly afterwards, Hamasaki left high school. A high school dropout with no job, she spent much of her time shopping at Shibuya boutiques and dancing at Velfarre, an Avex-owned disco club.
Ayumi says: 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 will be a dark song, but I don't care. I want to be honest with myself at all times.
more about Ayumi Hamasaki Name: Ayumi Hamasaki
Real Name: Ayumi Hamasaki
Nicknames: Ayu, CREA
Birthdate: 02-08, 1978
Birthplace: Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Blood Type: A
Height: 156 cm
Bust: 80cm
Waist: 53cm
Hips: 82cm
Shoe Size: no info
Star Sign: Libra
Pictures:
Labels: J-pop singer, japanese idol, models
