Ayumi Hamasaki born October 2, 1978 the “Empress of J-pop”. In the 2000s she reported having a ear infection but continued to perform none the less. By January 2008, Hamasaki announced that an inoperable condition, possibly tinnitus or Ménière’s disease, had caused complete deafness in her left ear.
May 20, 2017, she wrote that she is also losing hearing in her right ear, and had experienced dizziness and nausea. Dispite all these she told the world she vowed to continue performing, writing.
“The stage is where I belong. It’s the only place I really, truly exist. I don’t know anything else.”
She is truly an artiste who dedicated her life to her craft. Here are some of her behind the scenes from her tour.
“In the beginning, I was searching for myself in my music. My music was for me. I didn’t have the mental room to be conscious of the listener; I wrote to save myself.”Ayumi Hamasaki
She is really inspiring, and always will be the empress in my heart. Even though she has so many obstacles she never gave up and continue to tour on. I can’t want to what she have install for us next.
A dedication to the Empress of J-pop.
All images and music belongs to their receptive publishers.