Ami Suzuki
Encyclopedia
is a female singer, songwriter, actress and DJ
from Zama
, Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan.
Having been discovered at the talent TV show Asayan
, Suzuki was one of the most popular female singers as an idol
in the late 1990s.
However, in 2000 Suzuki faced legal problems with her management company resulting in a controversial blacklisting from the entertainment industry. While the public were unaware of the reason for her sudden disappearance and the Japanese mainstream media refused to cover the case, two international journalists exposed the details.
Suzuki attempted to resurrect her career under her own steam with two indie singles before signing to Avex Trax
in 2005. She released "Delightful
", a dance song that reached No. 3 on the Japanese Oricon
charts with a style similar to electronic
club music, significantly different from her J-Pop
idol days. She continued to release singles regularly with Avex until 2009, then concentrated on her acting career which is successful today.
's talent show Asayan
, the grand prize winner of which would be rewarded with a contract with Sony Music. Ami initially preferred athletics to auditions and was reluctant to travel from her home in Kanagawa, but was convinced by a school friend.
The TV show became very popular and the number of viewers watching it grew and grew as the series progressed; its popularity was such that soon it was aired in other Asian countries. From 13,500 contestants, only five girls were chosen to be in the final round, and Ami won the competition supported by 802,157 phone calls from the audience. She was only 15 years old and she later explained her win as being down to her showing her natural-self, as opposed to rehearsing intensely like other contestants.
sponsored her on his own sub-label on Sony, TRUE KiSS DISC, with Komuro as writer and producer on all of Ami's songs.
In April 1998 Ami recorded her first song and single "Love the Island
". The song was written and produced by Tetsuya Komuro, who was on the top of his career at that time, working with popular singers like Namie Amuro
and Hitomi
. Sony Music and the government of Japan made a deal for use of Ami's song "Love the Island" as the main theme of the "Guam Island Campaign Summer '98", which campaigned for an increase in Japanese
tourism in Guam
. The song was well promoted, with Ami appearing on covers of magazines like Young Jump and even traveling to Guam to promote the song live on the local version of the international music channel MTV
. The single was finally released on July 1, 1998, and debuted at No. 5 on the Oricon
charts. Ami's second single, "Alone in My Room" was also used for the Guam
campaign, and also did well, debuting at No. 3 on the charts and selling even better than the first single.
As the "Asayan" show had already ended its run, Ami made her radio début in October 1998. The show was called , which topped the radio rankings in popularity. She also signed a deal with the Japanese product Kissmark for advertisements and promotion all around Asia. Sony
then began promoting her third single, "All Night Long". The dance song was featured constantly at the most famous discotheque of Japan at that time, Velfarre
, and was a big hit. It debuted at No. 2 on the Oricon
charts. Later that year, Ami Suzuki won various awards including the Japan Record Award
for Best New Artist.
1999 started well for Suzuki with the huge success of her first photo book titled Ami-Go, which sold around 200,000 copies. In March her debut album "SA
" was released, becoming one of the Top 10 best selling albums of 1999.
Ami was constantly compared with "rival" Ayumi Hamasaki
. The two young female singers were often called "enemies" by the tabloids because they began their careers at the same time and each had the potential to be the next "Queen of J-Pop
". Both Ami and Ayumi have always denied the rivalry existed. It should be noted that Avex President Max Matsuura
who ultimately signed Ami in 2005 after her blacklisting, is also Ayumi Hamasaki's friend and manager, so the rivalry seems to be a friendly one.
At the release of her highly-anticipated 7th single "Be Together
" (which was a cover of a song by TM Network
), Ami competed with "rival" Ayumi Hamasaki
for the first time for the top position in the charts. Ayumi released her ninth single "Boys & Girls
" on the same day. Ami went to the first position on the Oricon
charts for the first time, leaving Ayumi second. However, "Boys & Girls" would go on to become a number one single itself and eventually outsell "Be Together". Her next single, titled "Our Days
", also ranked number one in the charts later that year. At the end of the year, Ami released her eighth and last single in 1999 entitled "Happy New Millennium
", which debuted at #2 and sold 364,000 copies, becoming Ami's second lowest single in 1999.
In January 2000, Ami released "Don't Need to Say Good Bye
" which debuted at #5. A week later Ami released her second studio album Infinity Eighteen Vol. 1
which sold 1,063,000 copies and debuted at number one.
Suzuki has said of this first period of her career that she was not free to do what she wanted and only followed what she was told, leaving her feeling "pretty disheartened and down, like there was no future.".
Suzuki had been writing lyrics from an early age and passing them to her manager and producers. The first song to feature them, with the help of Mitsuko and Tetsuya Komuro
, was her tenth Sony single "Don't Need to Say Good Bye". The lyrics were influenced by events occurring in her personal life at that time, specifically her upcoming high school graduation and she has said "it was more important to me than sales and chart rankings to know that I had put my thoughts and feelings into what I was singing."
Three months after Infinity Eighteen Vol.1, Ami released her twelfth single, "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body
" in the beginning of April and 3rd studio album, Infinity Eighteen Vol.2
at the end of April. "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body" sold a total of 234,000 copies reaching number one and Infinity Eighteen Vol.2 sold a total of 427,000 copies reaching number two.
"Reality/Dancin' in Hip-Hop" was Ami's 12th single released under the Sony Music Japan label, on September 27, 2000. It reached #3 on Oricon weekly chart and sold a total of 211,000 copies. A compilation album
of Suzuki's tracks, Fun for Fan
, was released on May 30, 2001. It reached #1 position at the Oricon
charts, despite the fact that by this point, Ami herself had vanished from the public eye.
In court documents it was revealed that AG Communication was paying her very little to begin with: Despite eight-figure record sales that year, Ami Suzuki earned just $1500 a month at the start of her career, and a minuscule 0.4% royalty rate on CDs, raised to $9780 and 0.55% in 1999.
Having lost all of her endorsements too, Ami was faced with the problem of production companies refusing to sign her and tried to make a comeback in the next two years with little to no success. Her relationship with her producer, Tetsuya Komuro
, also ceased. Many people were convinced that her chances for making a comeback were nil. In 2003, Ami finally negotiated an out-of-court agreement with Sony. Her contract with the label was scheduled to end in December 2004.
Eiji Yamada was subsequently fined for his role in the tax evasion. Government officials linked to the scandal included former Education Minister Takashi Kosugi and two other legislators, who allegedly received 34 million yen in unofficial payments for referring AG Communication and other clients seeking tax evasion.
Particular credit for covering Suzuki Ami's legal problems goes to music journalists Steve McClure writing for The Japan Times
and Rori Caffrey for the Daily Yomiuri. The blacklisting was not discussed in the mainstream Japanese Press, and McClure himself was warned against reporting it, but claims that getting court records themselves was fairly easy.
Of the period, Suzuki herself has said "I really didn't know what was going on, lots of lies were being thrown about in the media. For people to hear little things on the TV and believe that to be the truth was a surprise, and I suddenly realized the kind of world I was in. What kept me going was the thought of one day being able to tell the truth myself"
/hiragana
) to 鈴木亜美 (completely in Kanji
) to try to make a comeback to the music industry.
In April 2004, unable to get a record deal, the singer found "after some research, that adding a CD to a book, such as those found in language-teaching books, would be a possible alternative." She thus released a photo book called "Tsuyoi Kizuna
" with a CD single included, published by Tokyo-based Bungei Shunju. She made a few appearances on TV shows to promote it, and it sold 150,000 despite the low promotion, reaching the No. 1 place of best-selling non-fiction books.
In August of the same year, she released a single called "Forever Love" under her own record label, Amity. The release sold well, ranking #21 on the Oricon
chart and #1 in Oricon's Independent Singles Chart. In addition, a mini-concert DVD was released. The DVD included the two singles released during the year and was titled 2004 Summer Fly Hight -Ami Shower-.
. At the last performance on Ami's nationwide tour, Ami's Love For You-Live, held on December 30 at Tokyo Public Welfare Annuity Hall, the transfer to Avex Trax
was officially announced and Ami's return to music after three and a half years began.
On January 1, 2005, Ami's official website under the Avex label was officially opened. The promotion of her first single under the new label, "Hopeful", started as well. The release date was scheduled for February, but was later cancelled for unknown reasons. "Hopeful" was never released as a physical single but was known as the first Avex downloadable ring tone and tune single. Despite this, a music video for the song was later made with a remixed version by Japanese Trance
DJ Overhead Champion; the original version of the song was never released on a regular CD, just on Avex airplay promos.
In March, Ami finally marked her return to the music industry with a "comeback" single (a physical CD single) titled "Delightful
", a song produced by German "hands up" trance producer Axel Konrad and whose executive producer was Max Matsuura. The trance song was massively promoted by Avex with a diverse array of releases of the single (CD, CD+DVD, CD+Photobook, CD+Illustration Essay), with a different remix on each version, and also a b-side: a ballad "About You...". The single debuted at number 2 on Oricon's charts. "Delightful
" placed 97 place in Oricon
's Yearly Top 500 best singles of 2005.
Her second single under Avex, titled "Eventful
", also a dance track, had moderate sales, debuting at number nine. Later in the year, "Eventful" won a Gold Prize for Best New Artist at the 47th Japan Record Awards on December 31, 2005. The Gold Prize is awarded to 10 of the top songs of the year.
Ami's third Avex single was a ballad, "Negaigoto
" selling only 22,000 copies and debuting at #13 on the Oricon
charts. The B-side, an upbeat song called "Times", was used as the main theme of a TV commercial of N's Street Online Shopping.
During August 2005, her new official "Mobile" (via-cell phone) Fan Club "Ami Sapuri" was founded, and, on her official website, Ami announced that a live tour would start in the following months. Ami also participated in the 2005 version of A-Nation, a yearly concert of the most popular artists of Avex Trax
. Ami performed her singles "Delightful" and "Negaigoto". This was also the first time that Ami shared a tour and the stage with Ayumi Hamasaki
.
In October 2005 Ami released her first studio album in five years, and her debut album on Avex Trax
. The album was originally going to be called Hopeful, but ended up being titled Around the World. The album included all the singles that Ami released in 2005, plus "Around the World", released the same day as the album. The name of her live tour also was changed from Hopeful Tour Live House Body Shake It! to Around the World Live House Tour. Although the album sales were not too bad, sales did not reach the level of Ami's previous albums, selling only 50,000 copies. Also, it was her lowest debut on the Oricon
album chart at number five.
The following month Ami took part in the Japanese 55th Anniversary of Snoopy
, officially called Snoopy Life Design Happiness is the 55th Anniversary, by recording a song titled "Happiness Is..." which was sold as a CD Single exclusively at the event in Tokyo.
On December 7, 2005, Ami released her 5th Avex single, "Little Crystal
". The Maxi Single
was full of Christmas feeling, including four different ballads by four different arrangers. Two different music videos were made to promote the singles, "Crystal" and "To be Free". "Little Crystal
" had poor promotion by the Avex label for unknown reasons, with only one live performance on Music Fighter and at its release it debuted at #22, selling only 15,000 copies in its first month.
Just two months and a day after "Little Crystal", and one day before Ami's 24th birthday. "Fantastic", the 6th single, was released. The song was her first to be used as an opening theme on an anime
series, as the tune for the TV adaptation of the third season of Blackjack. But just like her previous single, "Fantastic" did fare well, debuting only at #14 with low sales (only 14,000 copies its first week and only 3,000 more copies its second week).
Ami's first remix album
, entitled Amix World
, was released on March 29, 2006. It contained a remix of the song "Around the World" and of every single Ami released off Avex except for "Little Crystal", plus remixes of some non-single tracks from Ami's album Around the World. The remixers included Sham-Poo, M.O.R., and Ferry Corsten
. At the end of its first week of sales, the album peaked at the #78 position on the Oricon
charts, making it Ami's lowest-charting album to date.
Ami's 7th single was a different style: a little far from the previous trance style and more pop
in nature. The music producer HΛL was chosen to work with Ami on "Alright!", released on May 17, 2006. In the first week the single did not even sell ten thousand copies, being one of the lowest-selling singles for the artist in its first week.
The 8th single released under Avex, "Like a Love?", was released July 26, 2006. The single had caught more attention before its release mainly because of it being the first composition of J-Pop singer Ai Otsuka
for another artist besides herself, and it was expected to sell considerably because of that. The two girls met at 2006's A-Nation and became good friends. The single placed at #23 and sold just under 9,000 copies its first week.
Ami debuted on the bigscreen for the first time in the movie Rainbow Song
, produced by Shunji Iwai
, and it was released on October 28. In her web-diary, Suzuki said that her role in the film is not as major as had been previously stated, but she still considered it a great way to start an acting career. She also said that she would like to sing and act at the same time.
After a short break, it was announced that Ami would be coming out with new music. She covered two Disney songs, one from Beauty and the Beast
and also "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
". These songs were only available on the Disney Music Store Japan's website starting December 20, 2006.
with three different artists released three weeks in a row, starting February 28, finishing with a second Avex album on March 21. The "join" singles featured the bands Buffalo Daughter
, THC!! and Kirinji
and received low promotion, and were only minor hits in the Oricon
charts. After that, Connetta
, her second Avex album and first "join" album, debuted at #26 on the Japanese charts.
Ami's acting career went more seriously at this time: she starred in the live action drama "Skull Man
", and also in the Japanese-Korean movie "Magnolia no Hana no Shita de", in which she shot some scenes in New York
and Korea
. She was also invited for a third time at 2007's a-nation, where she was chosen as the opening act.
A new single with electronic producer and capsule leader Yasutaka Nakata then emerged. Her 4th "join" single, and first Avex double A-side single, "Free Free/Super Music Maker
", was released on August 22, 2007. For this single's promotion Ami drastically changed her image, from a cute Pop image to a more mature and sexy-erotic style. Her new look was called as "Ero-Pop" by herself and Japanese media, even comparing Ami to singer Kumi Koda
. This single did considerably better than the previous "join" singles, debuting at #32 on the Japanese charts, and achieving more than eight thousand copies sold, almost the three previous singles sales combined.
Suzuki's fifth "join" single was released on November 28, 2007. It was a collaboration with Aly & AJ
on their song "Potential Breakup Song". The original song by Aly & AJ was used as the theme song of the horror film XX (X Cross), in which Ami starred as the lead character. Ami released her second "join" album and third Avex studio album (6th overall), Dolce
, on February 6, 2008. The album, which was much more dance-oriented than its predecessor, included collaborations with Ram Rider, Studio Apartment, Tomoe Shinohara
, Captain Funk
, among others.
On January 4, 2008, TV Asahi
started transmitting its special drama Oishii Depachika, in which Suzuki starred as the main role. This was the first time she is given the main role in a TV series.
In July 2008, Suzuki reached her 10th anniversary in music. For celebrating this special occasion, she worked once again with Yasutaka Nakata
, and released her first non-"join" single since 2006, "One
". The song was also used as the theme song for the 28th National High School Quiz Championship, and charted at number 17. At the release party on July 5, Ami played music for the first time as a disc jockey
, and performed live along with Nakata. "Can't Stop the Disco
" was then released on September 24, 2008. This same month Ami debuted as the main character in the musical by Avex for their 20th anniversary, Kokoro no Kakera.
In November Suzuki played the main role in another TV drama: this time for the 40th anniversary special remake of Ai no Gekijo's Love Letter. Suzuki played the hearing-impaired Minami Tadokoro, whose dramatic love life was explored over a 15-year period.
Ami's 10th anniversary album, Supreme Show
was released on November 12, 2008. The album was fully produced by Yasutaka Nakata
.
", was produced by Taku Takahashi
of M-Flo
and was released on February 25, 2009. From September 27 to August 7, 2009, Suzuki starred in her second musical: "Blood Brothers". Suzuki recorded a song called "Kiss Kiss Kiss
" which appeared on the House Nation compilation called Aquamarine released on August 5., and was later released as her 29th single on October 28, 2009.
In 2010, Suzuki's cover version of Kylie Minogue
's international hit "Can't Get You Out Of My Head
" appeared on the compliation "Tokyo Girls Collection
" 10th Anniversary Runway Anthem
Also, she collaborated with Phoenix 2:00am - a special unit formed by Dj Koo from TRF
and motsu from m.o.v.e- for the song, "Living In The Castle" that appeared on "House Nation 3rd Anniversary". In July 2010, she released "Blooming", her first album as a DJ. It is a 15-track collection of songs mixed by herself, as well as her own song "Kiss Kiss Kiss".
On 9 February 2011, her 29-year-old birthday concert was broadcast online live by website Nico Nico Douga
. In March 2011, after the earthquake and tsunami that affected Japan
, Suzuki joined Gackt
's charity campaign "Show Your Heart" for collecting money for the victims.
On July 27, 2011, a new recording version of Ami's debut single "Love the Island" was released as a special collaboration with clothing store Resoxy, and clients could download the song for free from the store's website. On July 29 the song was released on iTunes. In October 2011, it was announced that Ami would be releasing her first Avex greatest hits
album on December 7. The album, titled Ami Selection
, will include most of her singles released under the Avex label, as well as new versions of various hit singles from the Sony era, such as "Be Together", "All Night Long" and "Love the Island".
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
from Zama
Zama, Kanagawa
is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The city is also home to the United States' Camp Zama Army base. As of 128,989, the city had an estimated population of 128,989 and a density of 7,320 persons per km². The total area was 17.58 km²....
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, Japan.
Having been discovered at the talent TV show Asayan
Asayan
Asayan, originally known as , was a talent search variety show that aired on TV Tokyo from 1995 to 2002. Many Hello! Project artists and groups were discovered through Asayan auditions produced by Tsunku....
, Suzuki was one of the most popular female singers as an idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
in the late 1990s.
However, in 2000 Suzuki faced legal problems with her management company resulting in a controversial blacklisting from the entertainment industry. While the public were unaware of the reason for her sudden disappearance and the Japanese mainstream media refused to cover the case, two international journalists exposed the details.
Suzuki attempted to resurrect her career under her own steam with two indie singles before signing to Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
in 2005. She released "Delightful
Delightful
-Live performances:*11 March 2005 — Music Station*17 March 2005 — Utaban*19 March 2005 — Music Fair 21 - "Delightful" and "Love the Island"*25 March 2005 — Music Fighter*26 March 2005 — CDTV*1 April 2005 — PopJam*31 December 2005 - CDTV 2005-2006 Special...
", a dance song that reached No. 3 on the Japanese Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts with a style similar to electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
club music, significantly different from her J-Pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
idol days. She continued to release singles regularly with Avex until 2009, then concentrated on her acting career which is successful today.
Early life
While attending high school, Ami auditioned for Sony Music JapanSony Music Entertainment Japan
is Sony's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Corporation and independent from the United States-based Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry....
's talent show Asayan
Asayan
Asayan, originally known as , was a talent search variety show that aired on TV Tokyo from 1995 to 2002. Many Hello! Project artists and groups were discovered through Asayan auditions produced by Tsunku....
, the grand prize winner of which would be rewarded with a contract with Sony Music. Ami initially preferred athletics to auditions and was reluctant to travel from her home in Kanagawa, but was convinced by a school friend.
The TV show became very popular and the number of viewers watching it grew and grew as the series progressed; its popularity was such that soon it was aired in other Asian countries. From 13,500 contestants, only five girls were chosen to be in the final round, and Ami won the competition supported by 802,157 phone calls from the audience. She was only 15 years old and she later explained her win as being down to her showing her natural-self, as opposed to rehearsing intensely like other contestants.
1998-2000: Sony era
Sony Music signed Ami to the label, and producer Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
sponsored her on his own sub-label on Sony, TRUE KiSS DISC, with Komuro as writer and producer on all of Ami's songs.
In April 1998 Ami recorded her first song and single "Love the Island
Love the island
"Love the Island" is the debut single of Japanese singer Ami Suzuki released in July 1998.-Information:Sony Music , taking advantage of the title of the song, used it as a project of the Japanese government for promoting tourism for Japanese people to visit the island of Guam with video also...
". The song was written and produced by Tetsuya Komuro, who was on the top of his career at that time, working with popular singers like Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
and Hitomi
Hitomi
better known by her stagename , is a Japanese singer and songwriter. She began her career as model, and after meeting Tetsuya Komuro he began managing her career as a pop singer...
. Sony Music and the government of Japan made a deal for use of Ami's song "Love the Island" as the main theme of the "Guam Island Campaign Summer '98", which campaigned for an increase in Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
tourism in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. The song was well promoted, with Ami appearing on covers of magazines like Young Jump and even traveling to Guam to promote the song live on the local version of the international music channel MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. The single was finally released on July 1, 1998, and debuted at No. 5 on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. Ami's second single, "Alone in My Room" was also used for the Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
campaign, and also did well, debuting at No. 3 on the charts and selling even better than the first single.
As the "Asayan" show had already ended its run, Ami made her radio début in October 1998. The show was called , which topped the radio rankings in popularity. She also signed a deal with the Japanese product Kissmark for advertisements and promotion all around Asia. Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
then began promoting her third single, "All Night Long". The dance song was featured constantly at the most famous discotheque of Japan at that time, Velfarre
Velfarre
was a disco located in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, Japan. Velfarre was the self-professed "largest disco in Asia" with a capacity of 1,500 people, with three floors above ground and three floors below; owned by Komuro Tetsuya and Avex Trax. Velfarre was, and still is, known for Trance,...
, and was a big hit. It debuted at No. 2 on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. Later that year, Ami Suzuki won various awards including the Japan Record Award
Japan Record Award
for outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association, is major music awards show held annually in Japan.- Categories :The Japan Record Award are four awards which are not restricted by genre....
for Best New Artist.
1999 started well for Suzuki with the huge success of her first photo book titled Ami-Go, which sold around 200,000 copies. In March her debut album "SA
SA (album)
-Singles:...
" was released, becoming one of the Top 10 best selling albums of 1999.
Ami was constantly compared with "rival" Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
. The two young female singers were often called "enemies" by the tabloids because they began their careers at the same time and each had the potential to be the next "Queen of J-Pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
". Both Ami and Ayumi have always denied the rivalry existed. It should be noted that Avex President Max Matsuura
Max Matsuura
, better known as Max Matsuura, is a record producer and president of one of the largest music labels in Japan, Avex Group. He is known mainly for discovering and developing new artists and converting them into big stars. Ayumi Hamasaki is the most famous example of Matsuura's work...
who ultimately signed Ami in 2005 after her blacklisting, is also Ayumi Hamasaki's friend and manager, so the rivalry seems to be a friendly one.
At the release of her highly-anticipated 7th single "Be Together
Be Together
"Be Together" was a song from Japanese band TM Network, written by Mitsuko Komuro and composed by Tetsuya Komuro, it was included in their fifth album Humansystem...
" (which was a cover of a song by TM Network
TM Network
TM Network is a Japanese pop/rock musical band. The members are Tetsuya Komuro , Takashi Utsunomiya and Naoto Kine...
), Ami competed with "rival" Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
for the first time for the top position in the charts. Ayumi released her ninth single "Boys & Girls
Boys & Girls (Ayumi Hamasaki song)
"Boys & Girls" is a song by Ayumi Hamasaki, released as her ninth single, on July 14, 1999. In addition to being Hamasaki's first Maxi single, it was also her first certified million-seller. In its first week of release on the Oricon, it ranked at number two as Ami Suzuki's "Be Together" debuted at...
" on the same day. Ami went to the first position on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts for the first time, leaving Ayumi second. However, "Boys & Girls" would go on to become a number one single itself and eventually outsell "Be Together". Her next single, titled "Our Days
Our Days
"Our Days" is the 8th single released by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki under label Sony Music Japan.-Information:The song was a huge success at the time of its release, debuting at number one in the Oricon charts, and being also one of best-selling singles of Suzuki...
", also ranked number one in the charts later that year. At the end of the year, Ami released her eighth and last single in 1999 entitled "Happy New Millennium
Happy New Millennium
"Happy New Millennium" is a song by Ami Suzuki, released as her ninth single under Sony Music Japan. The Maxi Single also included two B-sides with the finished "Rain of Tears" track...
", which debuted at #2 and sold 364,000 copies, becoming Ami's second lowest single in 1999.
In January 2000, Ami released "Don't Need to Say Good Bye
Don't need to say good bye
"Don't Need to Say Good Bye" is a song by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki, released as her tenth single under Sony Music.-Information:"Don't Need to Say Good Bye" was the first song that Ami Suzuki wrote herself with some help of Mitsuko and Tetsuya Komuro. A part of the lyrics are listed here:#My Wish:...
" which debuted at #5. A week later Ami released her second studio album Infinity Eighteen Vol. 1
Infinity eighteen vol. 1
-Information:"Infinity Eighteen Vol.1" was a commercial success; after its first week of release, this album reached #1 on the Oricon charts. To date, it has sold over 1 million copies, her second best-selling album to date....
which sold 1,063,000 copies and debuted at number one.
Suzuki has said of this first period of her career that she was not free to do what she wanted and only followed what she was told, leaving her feeling "pretty disheartened and down, like there was no future.".
Suzuki had been writing lyrics from an early age and passing them to her manager and producers. The first song to feature them, with the help of Mitsuko and Tetsuya Komuro
Tetsuya Komuro
, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
, was her tenth Sony single "Don't Need to Say Good Bye". The lyrics were influenced by events occurring in her personal life at that time, specifically her upcoming high school graduation and she has said "it was more important to me than sales and chart rankings to know that I had put my thoughts and feelings into what I was singing."
Three months after Infinity Eighteen Vol.1, Ami released her twelfth single, "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body
Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body
"Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body" is a song by Ami Suzuki, released as her twelfth single under Sony Music Japan.-Information:It was the first and only single from Ami's third studio album, Infinity Eighteen Vol.2, and debuted at number one on the singles charts from Oricon. It contains a B-side...
" in the beginning of April and 3rd studio album, Infinity Eighteen Vol.2
Infinity Eighteen Vol.2
Infinity Eighteen Vol.2 is the 3rd studio album of Japanese singer Ami Suzuki. The album held #1 on the Oricon charts and has sold a total of 427,000 copies to date. It also featured Ami's third #1 single "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body", plus 11 additional tracks.-CD:#"Undo"#"Let Me Talk About...
at the end of April. "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body" sold a total of 234,000 copies reaching number one and Infinity Eighteen Vol.2 sold a total of 427,000 copies reaching number two.
"Reality/Dancin' in Hip-Hop" was Ami's 12th single released under the Sony Music Japan label, on September 27, 2000. It reached #3 on Oricon weekly chart and sold a total of 211,000 copies. A compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of Suzuki's tracks, Fun for Fan
FUN for FAN
Fun for Fan is the first best of album released by the Sony Music label for Japanese singer Ami Suzuki in March 2000.-Information:Released during the time of legal disputes with her manager, the album still managed to reach the #1 spot on the Oricon charts....
, was released on May 30, 2001. It reached #1 position at the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, despite the fact that by this point, Ami herself had vanished from the public eye.
Legal Problems & Blacklisting
In 2000 Suzuki's career came to an abrupt halt when Eiji Yamada, the President of her production company AG Communication, was convicted on tax evasion charges. AG Communication was avoiding tax by underreporting their earnings, and by consequence were underpaying royalties to artists. Suzuki Ami's parents Tadao and Miyako Suzuki sued AG Communication for termination of her contract on these grounds, and that the association would taint her squeaky clean image. They attempted to set up a subsidiary called Music Tribe to solve the problem. The Tokyo District Court found in her favor, but the lawsuit resulted in Ami Suzuki's blacklisting because of an unwritten rule of the entertainment business in Japan: artists who get into legal disputes with their masters are blacklisted.In court documents it was revealed that AG Communication was paying her very little to begin with: Despite eight-figure record sales that year, Ami Suzuki earned just $1500 a month at the start of her career, and a minuscule 0.4% royalty rate on CDs, raised to $9780 and 0.55% in 1999.
Having lost all of her endorsements too, Ami was faced with the problem of production companies refusing to sign her and tried to make a comeback in the next two years with little to no success. Her relationship with her producer, Tetsuya Komuro
Tetsuya Komuro
, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
, also ceased. Many people were convinced that her chances for making a comeback were nil. In 2003, Ami finally negotiated an out-of-court agreement with Sony. Her contract with the label was scheduled to end in December 2004.
Eiji Yamada was subsequently fined for his role in the tax evasion. Government officials linked to the scandal included former Education Minister Takashi Kosugi and two other legislators, who allegedly received 34 million yen in unofficial payments for referring AG Communication and other clients seeking tax evasion.
Particular credit for covering Suzuki Ami's legal problems goes to music journalists Steve McClure writing for The Japan Times
The Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
and Rori Caffrey for the Daily Yomiuri. The blacklisting was not discussed in the mainstream Japanese Press, and McClure himself was warned against reporting it, but claims that getting court records themselves was fairly easy.
Of the period, Suzuki herself has said "I really didn't know what was going on, lots of lies were being thrown about in the media. For people to hear little things on the TV and believe that to be the truth was a surprise, and I suddenly realized the kind of world I was in. What kept me going was the thought of one day being able to tell the truth myself"
2001-2004: Indie era
Following the blacklisting, Ami decided to change her stage name from 鈴木あみ (kanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
/hiragana
Hiragana
is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...
) to 鈴木亜美 (completely in Kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
) to try to make a comeback to the music industry.
In April 2004, unable to get a record deal, the singer found "after some research, that adding a CD to a book, such as those found in language-teaching books, would be a possible alternative." She thus released a photo book called "Tsuyoi Kizuna
Tsuyoi Kizuna
is a photobook that contained a single released in 2004 by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki.-Information:The single was released with a Photobook under the same name and was slightly promoted by Ami going as an independent artist, without any label to support her which staggered the sales...
" with a CD single included, published by Tokyo-based Bungei Shunju. She made a few appearances on TV shows to promote it, and it sold 150,000 despite the low promotion, reaching the No. 1 place of best-selling non-fiction books.
In August of the same year, she released a single called "Forever Love" under her own record label, Amity. The release sold well, ranking #21 on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
chart and #1 in Oricon's Independent Singles Chart. In addition, a mini-concert DVD was released. The DVD included the two singles released during the year and was titled 2004 Summer Fly Hight -Ami Shower-.
2005-2006: Comeback on Avex
In 2004, she performed live at the annual festival of her university, Nihon UniversityNihon University
Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....
. At the last performance on Ami's nationwide tour, Ami's Love For You-Live, held on December 30 at Tokyo Public Welfare Annuity Hall, the transfer to Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
was officially announced and Ami's return to music after three and a half years began.
On January 1, 2005, Ami's official website under the Avex label was officially opened. The promotion of her first single under the new label, "Hopeful", started as well. The release date was scheduled for February, but was later cancelled for unknown reasons. "Hopeful" was never released as a physical single but was known as the first Avex downloadable ring tone and tune single. Despite this, a music video for the song was later made with a remixed version by Japanese Trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
DJ Overhead Champion; the original version of the song was never released on a regular CD, just on Avex airplay promos.
In March, Ami finally marked her return to the music industry with a "comeback" single (a physical CD single) titled "Delightful
Delightful
-Live performances:*11 March 2005 — Music Station*17 March 2005 — Utaban*19 March 2005 — Music Fair 21 - "Delightful" and "Love the Island"*25 March 2005 — Music Fighter*26 March 2005 — CDTV*1 April 2005 — PopJam*31 December 2005 - CDTV 2005-2006 Special...
", a song produced by German "hands up" trance producer Axel Konrad and whose executive producer was Max Matsuura. The trance song was massively promoted by Avex with a diverse array of releases of the single (CD, CD+DVD, CD+Photobook, CD+Illustration Essay), with a different remix on each version, and also a b-side: a ballad "About You...". The single debuted at number 2 on Oricon's charts. "Delightful
Delightful
-Live performances:*11 March 2005 — Music Station*17 March 2005 — Utaban*19 March 2005 — Music Fair 21 - "Delightful" and "Love the Island"*25 March 2005 — Music Fighter*26 March 2005 — CDTV*1 April 2005 — PopJam*31 December 2005 - CDTV 2005-2006 Special...
" placed 97 place in Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
's Yearly Top 500 best singles of 2005.
Her second single under Avex, titled "Eventful
Eventful (song)
"Eventful" is a song by Japanese recording artist Ami Suzuki, from her fourth studio album Around The World, first album under the Avex Trax label...
", also a dance track, had moderate sales, debuting at number nine. Later in the year, "Eventful" won a Gold Prize for Best New Artist at the 47th Japan Record Awards on December 31, 2005. The Gold Prize is awarded to 10 of the top songs of the year.
Ami's third Avex single was a ballad, "Negaigoto
Negaigoto
is the third single released by Ami Suzuki under label Avex Trax."Negaigoto" is a ballad, rather than an upbeat trance song like her previous Avex singles. The song debuted at number 13 on the weekly charts and has sold over 22,000 copies. "Negaigoto"'s B-side was named "Times" and was an upbeat song...
" selling only 22,000 copies and debuting at #13 on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. The B-side, an upbeat song called "Times", was used as the main theme of a TV commercial of N's Street Online Shopping.
During August 2005, her new official "Mobile" (via-cell phone) Fan Club "Ami Sapuri" was founded, and, on her official website, Ami announced that a live tour would start in the following months. Ami also participated in the 2005 version of A-Nation, a yearly concert of the most popular artists of Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
. Ami performed her singles "Delightful" and "Negaigoto". This was also the first time that Ami shared a tour and the stage with Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
.
In October 2005 Ami released her first studio album in five years, and her debut album on Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
. The album was originally going to be called Hopeful, but ended up being titled Around the World. The album included all the singles that Ami released in 2005, plus "Around the World", released the same day as the album. The name of her live tour also was changed from Hopeful Tour Live House Body Shake It! to Around the World Live House Tour. Although the album sales were not too bad, sales did not reach the level of Ami's previous albums, selling only 50,000 copies. Also, it was her lowest debut on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
album chart at number five.
The following month Ami took part in the Japanese 55th Anniversary of Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
, officially called Snoopy Life Design Happiness is the 55th Anniversary, by recording a song titled "Happiness Is..." which was sold as a CD Single exclusively at the event in Tokyo.
On December 7, 2005, Ami released her 5th Avex single, "Little Crystal
Little Crystal
-Personnel:* Ami Suzuki - vocals* Yoshihisa Tokuda - backing vocals* Yumi Kawamura - backing vocals* Kazuhito Kikuchi - acoustic guitar* Kiku - acoustic guitar* Norio Nakagawa - strings arrangement* Yauko - strings arrangement* Takehito Shimuzu - guitar...
". The Maxi Single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
was full of Christmas feeling, including four different ballads by four different arrangers. Two different music videos were made to promote the singles, "Crystal" and "To be Free". "Little Crystal
Little Crystal
-Personnel:* Ami Suzuki - vocals* Yoshihisa Tokuda - backing vocals* Yumi Kawamura - backing vocals* Kazuhito Kikuchi - acoustic guitar* Kiku - acoustic guitar* Norio Nakagawa - strings arrangement* Yauko - strings arrangement* Takehito Shimuzu - guitar...
" had poor promotion by the Avex label for unknown reasons, with only one live performance on Music Fighter and at its release it debuted at #22, selling only 15,000 copies in its first month.
Just two months and a day after "Little Crystal", and one day before Ami's 24th birthday. "Fantastic", the 6th single, was released. The song was her first to be used as an opening theme on an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, as the tune for the TV adaptation of the third season of Blackjack. But just like her previous single, "Fantastic" did fare well, debuting only at #14 with low sales (only 14,000 copies its first week and only 3,000 more copies its second week).
Ami's first remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
, entitled Amix World
AMIx WORLD
Amix World is the first Remix album of Japanese singer Ami Suzuki released in March 2006.-Information:Most of the DJs that participated on this album are well known in Japan, and some are known in Europe and the United States, such as Jonathan Peters or Ferry Corsten.The album was originally...
, was released on March 29, 2006. It contained a remix of the song "Around the World" and of every single Ami released off Avex except for "Little Crystal", plus remixes of some non-single tracks from Ami's album Around the World. The remixers included Sham-Poo, M.O.R., and Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
. At the end of its first week of sales, the album peaked at the #78 position on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, making it Ami's lowest-charting album to date.
Ami's 7th single was a different style: a little far from the previous trance style and more pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
in nature. The music producer HΛL was chosen to work with Ami on "Alright!", released on May 17, 2006. In the first week the single did not even sell ten thousand copies, being one of the lowest-selling singles for the artist in its first week.
The 8th single released under Avex, "Like a Love?", was released July 26, 2006. The single had caught more attention before its release mainly because of it being the first composition of J-Pop singer Ai Otsuka
Ai Otsuka
is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and actress from Suminoe-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. She is a popular artist on the Avex Trax label and is best known for her 2003 hit "Sakuranbo," which stayed in the Top 200 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for 103 weeks.A piano...
for another artist besides herself, and it was expected to sell considerably because of that. The two girls met at 2006's A-Nation and became good friends. The single placed at #23 and sold just under 9,000 copies its first week.
Ami debuted on the bigscreen for the first time in the movie Rainbow Song
Rainbow Song
is a 2006 Japanese film by director Naoto Kumazawa and produced by Shunji Iwai . Kumazawa had worked with Iwai before, having directed the making-of documentary for Swallowtail Butterfly.-Plot:...
, produced by Shunji Iwai
Shunji Iwai
is a Japanese film director/video artist, writer and documentarian.-Life and career:Iwai was born in Sendai, Japan, Miyagi prefecture. He attended Yokohama National University, graduating in 1987....
, and it was released on October 28. In her web-diary, Suzuki said that her role in the film is not as major as had been previously stated, but she still considered it a great way to start an acting career. She also said that she would like to sing and act at the same time.
After a short break, it was announced that Ami would be coming out with new music. She covered two Disney songs, one from Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
and also "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song from the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie Song of the South, sung by James Baskett. With music by Allie Wrubel and lyrics by Ray Gilbert, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song...
". These songs were only available on the Disney Music Store Japan's website starting December 20, 2006.
2007-2008: The "Join" project and 10th anniversary
Shortly after the news of Ami's two new Disney songs, it was announced she would be releasing three new singles under a new project called "join", in which Ami would be collaborating with different artists and trying various music styles. These singles were her first releases of 2007, each one a collaborationCollaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
with three different artists released three weeks in a row, starting February 28, finishing with a second Avex album on March 21. The "join" singles featured the bands Buffalo Daughter
Buffalo Daughter
Buffalo Daughter is a Japanese rock group formed in 1993. The three main members are suGar Yoshinaga on guitar, Yumiko Ohno on bass, and Moog Yamamoto on turntables and graphic design...
, THC!! and Kirinji
Kirinji
Kirinji may refer to:* Kirinji , a Japanese pop band* Kirinji Kazuharu , former sumo wrestler known as Kirinji from 1974–1988* Daikirin Takayoshi , former sumo wrestler known as Kirinji from 1962–1970...
and received low promotion, and were only minor hits in the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts. After that, Connetta
Connetta
Connetta is the second studio album of Japanese singer and actress Ami Suzuki on the Avex Trax label. It is the first album released from the "Join" project of Suzuki, that consisted of collaborations with different artists and different genres....
, her second Avex album and first "join" album, debuted at #26 on the Japanese charts.
Ami's acting career went more seriously at this time: she starred in the live action drama "Skull Man
Skull Man
is a manga series created by Shotaro Ishinomori which first appeared in Shōnen Magazine in 1970 and immediately caused a sensation, selling over 1.5 million copies. The hero, orphaned when his parents were murdered, grows up to use his peculiar powers to take his revenge...
", and also in the Japanese-Korean movie "Magnolia no Hana no Shita de", in which she shot some scenes in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. She was also invited for a third time at 2007's a-nation, where she was chosen as the opening act.
A new single with electronic producer and capsule leader Yasutaka Nakata then emerged. Her 4th "join" single, and first Avex double A-side single, "Free Free/Super Music Maker
Free Free/Super Music Maker
"Free Free/Super Music Maker" is the 12th single by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki under the label Avex Trax. It was released on 22 August 2007.-Information:...
", was released on August 22, 2007. For this single's promotion Ami drastically changed her image, from a cute Pop image to a more mature and sexy-erotic style. Her new look was called as "Ero-Pop" by herself and Japanese media, even comparing Ami to singer Kumi Koda
Kumi Koda
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game...
. This single did considerably better than the previous "join" singles, debuting at #32 on the Japanese charts, and achieving more than eight thousand copies sold, almost the three previous singles sales combined.
Suzuki's fifth "join" single was released on November 28, 2007. It was a collaboration with Aly & AJ
Aly & AJ
78violet is a pop rock band consisting of sisters Alyson and Amanda Michalka. They were born in Torrance, California, but spent part of their childhood in Seattle, Washington. They are both actresses, singer-songwriters, and guitarists. They signed a record deal with the Disney-owned label,...
on their song "Potential Breakup Song". The original song by Aly & AJ was used as the theme song of the horror film XX (X Cross), in which Ami starred as the lead character. Ami released her second "join" album and third Avex studio album (6th overall), Dolce
Dolce (album)
Dolce is Ami Suzuki's third album under the Avex Trax label . The album was original named "Connetta 2", but later changed. The album was released in three versions: a first press CD+Photobook, a CD+DVD, and a CD Only whose first press edition comes with an extra track "if" solely performed by Ami....
, on February 6, 2008. The album, which was much more dance-oriented than its predecessor, included collaborations with Ram Rider, Studio Apartment, Tomoe Shinohara
Tomoe Shinohara
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion designer, producer and artist. She is notable for her flamboyant fashion sense and bubbly personality, as well her distinctive squealing speaking voice. She is also a close friend of singer Eiko Matsumoto.- Career :In October 1996, Shinohara began as a...
, Captain Funk
Captain Funk
is a Japanese electronic music producer, club DJ and label impresario, known for a flair in alternating between some abstract experimentation and more pop-oriented sounds.- Career :...
, among others.
On January 4, 2008, TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
started transmitting its special drama Oishii Depachika, in which Suzuki starred as the main role. This was the first time she is given the main role in a TV series.
In July 2008, Suzuki reached her 10th anniversary in music. For celebrating this special occasion, she worked once again with Yasutaka Nakata
Yasutaka Nakata
is a Japanese songwriter, music producer and DJ. He formed the group Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer/producer when both were 17. They formally debuted as capsule in 2001....
, and released her first non-"join" single since 2006, "One
ONE (Ami Suzuki song)
-Charts:Oricon Sales Chart...
". The song was also used as the theme song for the 28th National High School Quiz Championship, and charted at number 17. At the release party on July 5, Ami played music for the first time as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, and performed live along with Nakata. "Can't Stop the Disco
Can't Stop the Disco
"Can't Stop the Disco" is Ami Suzuki's 15th single with Avex Trax, and 30th altogether. Produced by Yasutaka Nakata of capsule, it was released on 24 September 2008. On its first day, the single debuted at #27.-Charts:Oricon Sales Chart...
" was then released on September 24, 2008. This same month Ami debuted as the main character in the musical by Avex for their 20th anniversary, Kokoro no Kakera.
In November Suzuki played the main role in another TV drama: this time for the 40th anniversary special remake of Ai no Gekijo's Love Letter. Suzuki played the hearing-impaired Minami Tadokoro, whose dramatic love life was explored over a 15-year period.
Ami's 10th anniversary album, Supreme Show
Supreme Show (album)
Supreme Show is Ami Suzuki's fourth album under the Avex Trax label. This album is categorized as her 10th Anniversary Album to celebrate her 10 years in the music industry...
was released on November 12, 2008. The album was fully produced by Yasutaka Nakata
Yasutaka Nakata
is a Japanese songwriter, music producer and DJ. He formed the group Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer/producer when both were 17. They formally debuted as capsule in 2001....
.
2009 - present
Suzuki's 28th single, "ReincarnationReincarnation (song)
Reincarnation is Japanese singer Ami Suzuki's 16th single with record label Avex Trax, and 31st overall. It was produced by Taku Takahashi better known as being part of hip-hop duo m-flo. The B-side Dub-I-Dub is a cover by Danish pop duo Me & My. The single was released in CD and CD+DVD versions...
", was produced by Taku Takahashi
Taku Takahashi
is a Japanese DJ and record producer, who debuted in 1998 as a member of the group M-Flo. The group rose to prominence in the early 2000s, with hit singles such as "How You Like Me Now?" and "Come Again." Takahashi was also a member of Avex's 20th anniversary dance music project Ravex, and has...
of M-Flo
M-flo
is a Japanese hip hop group consisting of producer and DJ Taku Takahashi and emcee Verbal.Former member Lisa left the group in 2002 to pursue a solo career, and the remaining members then started the M-Flo Loves... project working different vocalists for each song over three albums, including the...
and was released on February 25, 2009. From September 27 to August 7, 2009, Suzuki starred in her second musical: "Blood Brothers". Suzuki recorded a song called "Kiss Kiss Kiss
Kiss Kiss Kiss (Ami Suzuki song)
- Chart rankings :- Reported sales and certifications :...
" which appeared on the House Nation compilation called Aquamarine released on August 5., and was later released as her 29th single on October 28, 2009.
In 2010, Suzuki's cover version of Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's international hit "Can't Get You Out Of My Head
Can't Get You out of My Head
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue, which was released from her eighth studio album Fever . The song was released worldwide as the lead single from the album, which was released on 8 September, 2001. The song was written and produced...
" appeared on the compliation "Tokyo Girls Collection
Tokyo Girls Collection
The , sometimes abbreviated as TGC, is a semiannual fashion festival launched in 2005. The fashion event showcases the seasons fashionable streetwear by domestic brands, and are usually modeled by popular celebrities from various entertainment scenes not by professional models...
" 10th Anniversary Runway Anthem
Also, she collaborated with Phoenix 2:00am - a special unit formed by Dj Koo from TRF
TRF (band)
TRF is a Japanese pop/dance group. Its members are rapper DJ Koo, lead vocalist Yu-ki, and dancers Chiharu, Etsu, and Sam.-History:...
and motsu from m.o.v.e- for the song, "Living In The Castle" that appeared on "House Nation 3rd Anniversary". In July 2010, she released "Blooming", her first album as a DJ. It is a 15-track collection of songs mixed by herself, as well as her own song "Kiss Kiss Kiss".
On 9 February 2011, her 29-year-old birthday concert was broadcast online live by website Nico Nico Douga
Nico Nico Douga
is a popular video sharing website in Japan managed by Niwango, a subsidiary of Dwango. Its nickname is "Niconico" or "Nico-dō", where "nikoniko" is the Japanese ideophone for smiling. Nico Nico Douga is the thirteenth most visited website in Japan...
. In March 2011, after the earthquake and tsunami that affected Japan
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
, Suzuki joined Gackt
Gackt
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
's charity campaign "Show Your Heart" for collecting money for the victims.
On July 27, 2011, a new recording version of Ami's debut single "Love the Island" was released as a special collaboration with clothing store Resoxy, and clients could download the song for free from the store's website. On July 29 the song was released on iTunes. In October 2011, it was announced that Ami would be releasing her first Avex greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album on December 7. The album, titled Ami Selection
Ami Selection
Ami Selection is the second compilation album by Japanese recording artist Ami Suzuki, and her first released on the Avex label. It will be released on December 7, 2011. -Album history:...
, will include most of her singles released under the Avex label, as well as new versions of various hit singles from the Sony era, such as "Be Together", "All Night Long" and "Love the Island".
Studio albums
- 1999: SASA (album)-Singles:...
- 2000: Infinity Eighteen Vol. 1Infinity eighteen vol. 1-Information:"Infinity Eighteen Vol.1" was a commercial success; after its first week of release, this album reached #1 on the Oricon charts. To date, it has sold over 1 million copies, her second best-selling album to date....
- 2000: Infinity Eighteen Vol.2Infinity Eighteen Vol.2Infinity Eighteen Vol.2 is the 3rd studio album of Japanese singer Ami Suzuki. The album held #1 on the Oricon charts and has sold a total of 427,000 copies to date. It also featured Ami's third #1 single "Thank You 4 Every Day Every Body", plus 11 additional tracks.-CD:#"Undo"#"Let Me Talk About...
- 2005: Around the World
- 2007: ConnettaConnettaConnetta is the second studio album of Japanese singer and actress Ami Suzuki on the Avex Trax label. It is the first album released from the "Join" project of Suzuki, that consisted of collaborations with different artists and different genres....
- 2008: DolceDolce (album)Dolce is Ami Suzuki's third album under the Avex Trax label . The album was original named "Connetta 2", but later changed. The album was released in three versions: a first press CD+Photobook, a CD+DVD, and a CD Only whose first press edition comes with an extra track "if" solely performed by Ami....
- 2008: Supreme ShowSupreme Show (album)Supreme Show is Ami Suzuki's fourth album under the Avex Trax label. This album is categorized as her 10th Anniversary Album to celebrate her 10 years in the music industry...
Photobooks
- AmiGo, 1999
- Amix, 2000
- Ami '02 Natsu, 2002
- Ami Book, 2003
- Tsuyoi KizunaTsuyoi Kizunais a photobook that contained a single released in 2004 by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki.-Information:The single was released with a Photobook under the same name and was slightly promoted by Ami going as an independent artist, without any label to support her which staggered the sales...
, 2004
Awards
| Years | Awards |
|---|---|
| 1998 |
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| 1999 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2001 |
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| 2005 |
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Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Rainbow Song Rainbow Song is a 2006 Japanese film by director Naoto Kumazawa and produced by Shunji Iwai . Kumazawa had worked with Iwai before, having directed the making-of documentary for Swallowtail Butterfly.-Plot:... |
Sayumi Kubo | |
| 2007 | X Cross | Aiko Hiuke | Lead role |
| 2011 | Ghost Writer Hotel | ||
Television
| Year | TV Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Dive Deep | Kami Inoue | Lead role |
| 2007 | Skull Man: Prologue of Darkness Skull Man is a manga series created by Shotaro Ishinomori which first appeared in Shōnen Magazine in 1970 and immediately caused a sensation, selling over 1.5 million copies. The hero, orphaned when his parents were murdered, grows up to use his peculiar powers to take his revenge... |
Michiko Komyōji | Lead role |
| Under the Magnolia | Lead role | ||
| Itsu mo Kimochi Switch wo | Keiko Katakura | Guest in third episode | |
| 2008 | Oishii Depachika | Mari Hiuma | Lead role |
| Otome | Lead role in episodes "Mokuami no Otome", "Kuchigomoru Otome", "Hyōhensuru Otome", "Tsudzuru Otome", "Geki wo Tobasu Otome" | ||
| Shichi-nin no Onna Bengoshi | Mutsumi Tashiro | Guest in first episode of second season | |
| Love Letter: Love Theatre, 40th Anniversary Show | Minami Tadokoro (adult) | Lead role | |
| 2009 | Mayonaka no Satsujinsha | Special of Yonimo Kimyō na Monogatari | |
| Love Game | Tsubaki Yayoi | Guest in third episode | |
| Ohitorisama | Chihiro Aoki | Guest in third episode | |
| 2010 | Face Maker | Nobuko Kisaragi (Ayumi Okamoto) | Guest in ninth episode |
| 2011 | Shin Keishichō Sōsa Ikka 9 Gakari | Kanazawa Misato | Guest in third episode of season three |
| Ouran High School Host Club | Kotoko Fujioka | Guest in first episode | |
Theater plays
- Kokoro no Kakera (2008)
- Blood Brothers (2009)
- King of the Blue (2010)
- Watashi no Atama no Naka no Keshigomu (2010)
- Genghis Khan: Wa ga Tsurugi, Nessa wo Shimeyo (2011)
TV Commercials
- GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
Tourism Campaigns (June 1998 - December 1998) - Alpen Snowboards' Kissmark (October 1998 - January 1999)
- Playstation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
's Monster Rancher 2Monster Rancher 2Monster Rancher 2 is a video game and the second North American and Japanese installment in the Monster Rancher series. In Europe Monster Rancher 2 is the first release in the series and is thus named Monster Rancher.-Gameplay:This game involves raising, fighting, and breeding monsters...
(February 1999 - April 1999) - Asahi Soft DrinksAsahi Soft Drinksis a soft drink company founded in 1982 and headquartered in the Azuma-bashi district of Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Asahi Breweries. The company sponsors the Asahi Soft Drinks Challengers, an American football team in the X-League, as well as a futsal team.-History:In 1884, began...
's Bireley's (March 1999 - December 2000) - Kodak Cameras (April 1999 - March 2001)
- MOS BurgerMOS Burger, doing business as , is a fast-food restaurant chain that originated in Japan. It is now the second-largest fast-food franchise in Japan after McDonald's, and owns numerous overseas outlets over East Asia, including Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, and until 2005, Hawaii...
(July 1999) - Kanebo Cosmetics' Prostyle (September 1999 - June 1001)
- ECCJ's Summer/Winter Energy Saving Campaign (February 2000 - August 2000)
- Bourbon (September 2000 - June 2001)
- Music.jp (November 2004 - December 2004)
- Nexus Web Marketing's N's Street (August 2005)
- Mister DonutMister DonutMister Donut is a fast food franchise founded in the United States in 1956. The primary offerings include donuts, coffee, muffins and pastries. After being acquired by Allied Lyons in 1990, most North American locations became Dunkin' Donuts. Today its main market is in Japan, where it has more...
/Avex CD Campaign (July 2008) - Sanyo Shinpan Finance's Pocket Bank (May 2009)
- Nissei Advance 10th Anniversary (Oct 2011)
External links
- Ami Suzuki Official Website
- Ami Suzuki Official Blog
- Suzuki Ami Database — Informations /
- Suzuki Ami Live info — Live info.