One of the most talented new artists on the Japanese pop music scene is female singer Ayaka Hirahara, who made an incredible debut in December 2003 with the single “Jupiter.” Taking its melody from the “Jupiter” section of Gustav Holst’s
The Planets, the song sold steadily over several months and was the No. 3 single on Oricon’s 2004 yearend chart. As of May 30, 2005, “Jupiter” had been on Oricon’s top 100 singles chart for 75 weeks. Hirahara was born in Tokyo in 1984 and studied ballet for 11 years from age 6. When she was 13 she started learning the alto saxophone – an unusual choice for a Japanese middle-school girl! Hirahara first studied classical pieces for the sax, but she gradually became interested in popular music and started making voice demos. Hirahara’s crystalline, technically accomplished voice eventually landed her a record deal with recently established independent record company Dreamusic, which got her career off to a very impressive start with “Jupiter.” Since then Hirahara, who often writes her own lyrics, has released two albums and eight singles, which is a prolific release schedule even by J-pop standards, and has fast developed into a major J-pop star.
One of the most talented new artists on the Japanese pop music scene is female singer Ayaka Hirahara, who made an incredible debut in December 2003 with the single “Jupiter.” Taking its melody from the “Jupiter” section of Gustav Holst’s
The Planets, the song sold steadily over several months and was the No. 3 single on Oricon’s 2004 yearend chart. As of May 30, 2005, “Jupiter” had been on Oricon’s top 100 singles chart for 75 weeks. Hirahara was born in Tokyo in 1984 and studied ballet for 11 years from age 6. When she was 13 she started learning the alto saxophone – an unusual choice for a Japanese middle-school girl! Hirahara first studied classical pieces for the sax, but she gradually became interested in popular music and started making voice demos. Hirahara’s crystalline, technically accomplished voice eventually landed her a record deal with recently established independent record company Dreamusic, which got her career off to a very impressive start with “Jupiter.” Since then Hirahara, who often writes her own lyrics, has released two albums and eight singles, which is a prolific release schedule even by J-pop standards, and has fast developed into a major J-pop star.
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