Ayumi Hamasaki Quotes

Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese recording artist, lyricist, model, and actress. Also called by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the Empress of Pop because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. In 1998, under the tutelage of Avex CEO Max Matsuura, she released a string of modestly selling singles that concluded with her 1999 debut album A Song for ××. The album debuted atop the Oricon charts and stayed there for four weeks, establishing her popularity in Japan. Since her 1998 debut with the single Poker Face, Hamasaki has sold over 53,000,000 records in Japan, ranking her among the best-selling singers in the country. As a female singer, Hamasaki holds several domestic records for her singles, such as the most number-one hits overall by a female artist, the most consecutive number-one hits by a solo artist, and the most million-sellers. Since 1999, Hamasaki has had at least one single each year topping the charts. Hamasaki is the first female singer to have eight studio albums since her debut to top the Oricon and the first artist to have a number-one album for 13 consecutive years since her debut.