Ayaka (絢香)

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” This is how i felt when Ayaka performed on stage for the last time during the 2009 NHK Red and White Song Battle. Her performance can simply be described in three words : Powerful, Touching, Flawless.

Ayaka is truly one of best and rare Japanese female artist to date. Her clear and powerful vocals capture my heart in the song I believe, followed by Melody ~Sounds Real~ and many more. Unfortunately she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in April 2009, and had no choice but to put her singing career on hold.  Over the course of 3 short years, she has managed to compile a number of popular songs, and she’s only 22 years old. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to her continuing her already successful singing career and performances. Her voice and music will be missed by many.

Below are some of her work:

1. I believe + みんな空の下 (live)
2. Mikazuki( 三日月) (live)
3. Okaerei (JD PV)
4. Melody ~SOUNDS REAL~ (PV)
   

Lyor Cohen, the North American Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group described her in public: “After Mariah Carey, Hikaru Utada, now it’s the third encounter with an amazing talent over my life”. After Ayaka’s performance, he stood up clapping and praised “World class to be!” – NIPPOP.

In January 2006, Ayaka recorded “I Believe” as the opening theme for the Japanese Drama, Rondo. The full single was first released as a downloadable only single and would go on to become one of the fastest downloadable song to reach 1,000,000 sales as well as becoming the 3rd highest selling downloadable debut single for a female artist. On November 1, 2006, Ayaka’s first album “First Message” was released after several delays. It sold 350,580 copies within its first week, making it the highest selling album of the week as well as the highest selling debut album for a female artist in 7 years. The album went on to sell 1,003,412 copies and stayed within the top two positions on the Oricon charts for four weeks straight before being listed as the 13th highest selling album of 2006.  -  Wikipedia

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1. Big Mama