Ayumi Hamasaki's Profile

Name: Ayumi Hamasaki
Date of Birth: 2nd October 1978
Blood type: A
Birthplace: Fukuoka prefecture, Japan
Star sign: Libra
Eastern Astrological Reckoning: Horse
Height: 156cm (5’ 1”)
Weight: Approximately 40kg
Record Label: Avex Trax
Favourite Actors: Rie Miyazawa and Nicholas Cage
Favourite Singers: Keiko (Globe) and Matsu Takako
Admired Women: Keiko (Globe), Rie Miyazawa and Seiko Matsuda
Favourite Movies: The Bodyguard, Betty Blue and Leaving Las Vegas
People she respects: Someone who has a quality she doesn’t
People she detests: Hypocrites, liars and rude people
Turn-ons: Anything to do with interiors (housing stuff), anything to do with white
Favourite Food: Sweets, chocolates, cakes and kimochi
Least Favourite Food: Pig’s Legs
Hobbies: Piano playing, calligraphy, flower arranging and abacus
Favourite Books: Ayumi usually purchases fashion magazines. She also finds contemporary translations of ancient Japanese poems (Manyoushuu) especially interesting. Other books that captivate her include works by Mitsuo Aida.
On music: Ayumi grew up listening to classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple through the influence of her older brother. These days, she prefers to groove to soulful R&B in the vein of Babyface and En Vogue.
On her own music: As Ayumi’s motto is to “live honestly, to live as oneself”, it isn’t surprising that honesty and self-integrity feature prominently in her songs. She puts this point across elegantly: “I can''t write a lie; the world of imagination is no good. I objectively capture my own experiences and those of my friends. I want to put true feelings into words”. This means that Ayumi, a consummate popstress, is equally adept at writing dark, sad songs should she be in the mood.
On New York: When Ayumi made her way to New York in the summer of ''97 for vocal lessons, little did she know that she would develop – apart from her voice, of course – her strength of character as well. She noticed how confident children younger than her manifested self-confidence, and how they “could evaluate truthfully themselves with regard to others”. This lent Ayumi the strength to persevere, and to mould her character as she deemed fit.
My Two Cents’ Worth: Backed by a solid voice and fiery tenacity, Ayumi’s star has just begun to rise. The stuff she’s released so far only hints at her potential, and she seems poised to join the echelons of top Japanese performers in due time.


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