Ami Suzuki | Profile Ami Suzuki’s disappearing act is one of the Japanese music scene’s more depressing stories. Until 2001, girl-next-door Suzuki was one of the J-pop scene’s most visible faces, with a plethora of TV appearances and product endorsements, and several top-selling singles and albums for Sony Music that sold some 10 million units in total through the end of 2000. Her producer was hitmaker Tetsuya Komuro, who concocted a series of amiably lightweight tunes for "Amigo". But Suzuki’s career came to a crashing halt after her parents sued AG Communication, her management/production company, to end her contract following the conviction of tax-evasion charges of AG Communication president Eiji Yamada. The Suzukis feared that their daughter’s association with AG Communications would tarnish her image, and the court agreed. It turned out to be a hollow victory, however, because by breaking one of the key unwritten rules of the Japanese show biz world – i.e., don’t sue – Suzuki suddenly became an unperson. Her syndicated radio show was canceled and she lost her role in a TV drama series. Her commercial endorsements dried up. Her record label, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), rushed out a greatest-hits package, Fun for Fan, in May, as well as a compilation of her videoclips bearing the same name, as it became obvious Suzuki was too hot to handle. Her fan club was dissolved and other production companies refused to sign her. In the next couple of years Suzuki attempted to make a comeback, but with little success. The sad fact is that for every idol star like Suzuki, there are thousands of eager wannabes every bit as talented (or untalented, if you prefer). But there’s a (relatively) happy ending to the Amigo saga. For a start, her legal troubles are now behind her. In July 2001, the Tokyo District Court ruled in Suzuki’s favor in her dispute with AG Communication. And she reached an out-of-court settlement with Sony in November 2003 in a dispute over contract terms. In April 2004 Suzuki made a first, tentative step toward a comeback by releasing a photo book titled Tsuyoi Kizuna (Strong Ties) with an accompanying CD through Tokyo-based publisher Bungei Shunju, as well as making a couple of TV appearances. In August 2004 she released an album titled Forever Love on her own independent Amity label. It reached No. 21 on Oricon’s album chart and No. 1 on Oricon’s independent-album chart. A live performance by Amigo in autumn 2004 at the annual school festival of her alma mater, Nihon University, was crucial in her attempt to revive her career. It just so happened that among the alumni attending the show was Masato “Max” Matsuura, president of Avex, Japan’s biggest independent label. Matsuura has a reputation as a hands-on producer with a proven track record of finding and developing artists, Ayumi Hamasaki being the best-known example Apparently confident that he could work his magic with Suzuki, Matsuura signed her to Avex. On Jan. 1, 2005, she released her first single on Avex -- aptly titled “Hopeful” -- but only in downloadable “chakumero” (ring tone) and “chaku-uta” (ring tune) versions. Suzuki, who is also managed by Avex, will release her first, as yet-untitled physical single on Avex on March 24. It remains to be seen to what extent the entertainment biz will re-embrace Suzuki. Some people in the industry think that because of the tremendous power production/management companies still wield, it may be hard for her to get the kind of TV exposure she once enjoyed, for example. But the fact that a leading record company like Avex has signed Suzuki shows that at least some J-pop artists aren’t afraid to stand up for their rights in an industry that has often thrown artists onto the scrap heap when they’ve outlived their usefulness or refuse to play by the “rules.” |
