Japan's Biggest Pop Diva Returns To Video Games
Selling over 50 million albums in Japan, Ayumi Hamasaki is one of Asia's biggest popstars, posting a number one single every year since she debuted in 1998. Now she's bringing her music to one of Japan's biggest role-playing franchises.
During the mid-1990s, she co-hosted a music program that was broadcasted on Nintendo Satellaview, which was the Nintendo developed satellite TV add-on for the Super Famicom game system. But it wasn't until 1998 that she released her smash hit debut, launching her highly successful career.
More under the cut!
Like Madonna, Hamasaki continues to reinvent herself for her albums and is a national style icon, creating trend after trend. She's a regular in ads, whether it be selling cameras, donuts or make-up. She's spawned her own clothing label, cartoon and variety program.
Even with the rising popularity of rivals like Kumi Koda, Hamasaki's impact continues to be felt on fashion, music and culture. But there's more to her than image. In early 2008, the popstar blogged (via the BBC) that her left ear "doesn't work" anymore. Japan's big pop icon was deaf in one ear.
"Nevertheless, I would like to continue as a singer," she continued. "That's why I would like to continue singing until I reach the limit with my remaining right ear."
"I won't stop. I won't make excuses," Hamasaki wrote. "As a professional, I would like to deliver the best performance for everyone."
This came months after Hamasaki ended her long relationship with Tomoya Nagase, singer of the boy band Tokio, which might be best known to Kotaku readers for the Xbox 360 "Do! Do! Do!" commercials.
Not one to slow down, Hamasaki continues to record, appear in concert and on television. She's even providing the theme song for upcoming role-playing game Tales of Xillia. This won't be her first game theme, as she previously provided songs for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.
In 1998, she burst on the scene from the clubs of Shibuya. Hamasaki isn't the best singer, she isn't even a great dancer. But rather, she is a talented lyricist, and in an industry filled with pre-packaged pop princesses, Hamasaki was encouraged early on to write her own songs. She's since moved on to not just composing her own music, but overseeing her album art and music videos.
And like Madonna or even Bowie, Hamasaki is hard to pin down: her music jumps from genre to genre — from ballads to techno to rock to, yes, video games. Next year, Tales of Xillia, complete with an Ayumi Hamasaki theme, will be released on the PS3. She won't stop, she won't quit, and she's not making excuses.
Culture Smash is a daily dose of things topical, interesting and sometimes even awesome — game related and beyond.
Credit: njanjayrp @ AHS
Original source: Kotaku
Shared by Ayu's Story
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Selling over 50 million albums in Japan, Ayumi Hamasaki is one of Asia's biggest popstars, posting a number one single every year since she debuted in 1998. Now she's bringing her music to one of Japan's biggest role-playing franchises.
During the mid-1990s, she co-hosted a music program that was broadcasted on Nintendo Satellaview, which was the Nintendo developed satellite TV add-on for the Super Famicom game system. But it wasn't until 1998 that she released her smash hit debut, launching her highly successful career.
More under the cut!
Like Madonna, Hamasaki continues to reinvent herself for her albums and is a national style icon, creating trend after trend. She's a regular in ads, whether it be selling cameras, donuts or make-up. She's spawned her own clothing label, cartoon and variety program.
Even with the rising popularity of rivals like Kumi Koda, Hamasaki's impact continues to be felt on fashion, music and culture. But there's more to her than image. In early 2008, the popstar blogged (via the BBC) that her left ear "doesn't work" anymore. Japan's big pop icon was deaf in one ear.
"Nevertheless, I would like to continue as a singer," she continued. "That's why I would like to continue singing until I reach the limit with my remaining right ear."
"I won't stop. I won't make excuses," Hamasaki wrote. "As a professional, I would like to deliver the best performance for everyone."
This came months after Hamasaki ended her long relationship with Tomoya Nagase, singer of the boy band Tokio, which might be best known to Kotaku readers for the Xbox 360 "Do! Do! Do!" commercials.
Not one to slow down, Hamasaki continues to record, appear in concert and on television. She's even providing the theme song for upcoming role-playing game Tales of Xillia. This won't be her first game theme, as she previously provided songs for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.
In 1998, she burst on the scene from the clubs of Shibuya. Hamasaki isn't the best singer, she isn't even a great dancer. But rather, she is a talented lyricist, and in an industry filled with pre-packaged pop princesses, Hamasaki was encouraged early on to write her own songs. She's since moved on to not just composing her own music, but overseeing her album art and music videos.
And like Madonna or even Bowie, Hamasaki is hard to pin down: her music jumps from genre to genre — from ballads to techno to rock to, yes, video games. Next year, Tales of Xillia, complete with an Ayumi Hamasaki theme, will be released on the PS3. She won't stop, she won't quit, and she's not making excuses.
Culture Smash is a daily dose of things topical, interesting and sometimes even awesome — game related and beyond.
Credit: njanjayrp @ AHS
Original source: Kotaku
Shared by Ayu's Story
Take out with full credits!
She sounds so powerful in the music industry. I LIKE IT!
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