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Ayumi Hamasaki :

born October 2, 1978) is an award-winning J-pop singer-songwriter. Also known as Ayu, Hamasaki is one of Japan's most popular and influential pop singers and has been dubbed "The Empress of J-Pop".
Born and raised in Fukuoka in a single-parent household, Hamasaki moved to Tokyo at the age of fourteen to pursue a career in entertainment. Since her 1998 debut with the single "Poker Face," she has sold around 50

million records,[making her, according to Oricon, the highest-selling female and solo artist in Japan as well as the fourth best-selling artist overall in Japanese history, with the releases of her nine full-length studio albums, one mini-album, four compilation albums, forty-four singles, and numerous non-studio albums.

With the release of her 39th single, "Startin'/Born to Be...," in 2006, Hamasaki became Japan's female solo artist with the most number-one singles. In addition, the release of Hamasaki's 2007 single, "glitter/fated" made Hamasaki the second female artist after Akina Nakamori to have a number-one single every year for nine

consecutive years. She is also the first Japanese artist to have her first original eight studio albums top the Oricon charts,as well as the female artist with the most number-one singles, most Top 10 singles, highest singles sales, and most million-seller singles (the last of which is a record shared with Pink Lady, Namie Amuro, and Utada Hikaru.)