, known mononymously as Ai (, stylized as AI or A.I. ), is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, spokeswoman, and actress. Born in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, Ai moved to

Kagoshima , abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern wor ...

, at age 4. Motivated to become a singer, Ai returned to Los Angeles, attending the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. While in Los Angeles, Ai began her musical career performing as part of a gospel choir at a

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

concert and as a dancer for Janet Jackson's music video, "

Go Deep "Go Deep" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album, ''The Velvet Rope'' (1997). It was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with Jackson's husband René Elizondo Jr collaborating on the lyri ...

". She briefly joined the Asian girl group SX4 in 1999 until she graduated high school. After being discovered by

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...

in 2000, Ai relocated to Japan and released her debut album, ''

My Name is Ai ''My Name Is Ai'' (stylized my name is AI) is the debut studio album by Japanese–American singer-songwriter Ai, released on November 2, 2001, by RCA Records and BMG Fun House. Three singles were released from ''My Name Is Ai'', "Cry, Just Cry" ...

'' (2001), to very little commercial success. Signing to Def Jam Records Japan in 2002, Ai became the first woman signed to the label. She released two studio albums under the label, ''

Original Ai ''Original Ai'' (stylized in caps) is the second studio album by Japanese–American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on July 23, 2003 by Def Jam Japan and Universal Music Group. The album features guest appearances and collaborations from ...

'' (2003) and ''

2004 Ai ''2004 Ai'' (stylized as 2004 A.I.) is the third studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on June 16, 2004, by Def Jam Japan and Universal Sigma. ''2004 Ai'' was Ai's first top 10 album, as well as her first album to be ...

''. With the release of her third studio album, Ai rose to mainstream prominence in Japan. Signing to

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...

, Ai released her fourth studio album, ''Mic-a-Holic Ai'' in 2005. Its second single " Story" became one of the biggest singles of the 2000s in Japan, peaking at number 8 on the Japanese Oricon singles chart, and was the sixth single in history to receive a triple million digital certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Ai's fifth studio album, ''

What's Goin' On Ai ''What's Goin' On Ai'' (stylized as What's goin' on A.I.) is the fifth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on September 27, 2006, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It was released after the successful ballad si ...

'' (2006), featured the top-ten singles "Believe" and " I Wanna Know", the latter receiving a Gold certification from the RIAJ. Her sixth studio album, ''

Don't Stop Ai ''Don't Stop Ai'' (stylized as DON'T STOP A.I.) is the sixth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 5, 2007, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured two successful singles, the mid-tempo R&B song ...

'' (2007) saw similar success, which received a Gold certification. In 2009, she released her seventh studio album, ''

Viva Ai ''Viva Ai'' (stylized as ViVa A.I.) is the seventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released March 4, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured three singles, the 2008 theme song for the film '' Departures' ...

'', which charted in the top ten of the Japanese Oricon albums chart. Ai's compilation album, ''

Best Ai ''Best Ai'' is the first greatest hits album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on September 16, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The album was released in three editions: limited CD+DVD, CD only and "Arienai Price" ( ...

'' (2009), became her first number one album and was certified Platinum. In 2010, she released her eighth studio album, ''

The Last Ai ''The Last Ai'' (stylized ''THE LAST A.I.'') is the eighth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 1, 2010, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The album features guest appearances and collaborations from N ...

'', which marked her last release under Island Records. In 2011, Ai left

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

and signed a global publishing deal with

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

. Her Gold certified ninth studio album ''

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

'' (2012) served as her international debut and first release under

EMI Music Japan , formerly , was one of Japan's leading music companies. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of British music company EMI Group Ltd. on June 30, 2007, after Toshiba sold off its previous 45% stake. Its CEO and president was Kazuhiko Koike. When ...

. To promote the album, Ai toured in Japan and her hometown,

. Her tenth studio album ''

Moriagaro ''Moriagaro'' (stylized as MORIAGARO) (, "Let's Get Down") is the tenth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on July 17, 2013 by EMI Records Japan and Universal Music Group. The album marked her first and only release ...

'' (2013) marked her first release under EMI Records Japan following EMI Music Japan's absorption into

Universal Music Japan , often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in the country regarding music distribution. The company is resp ...

as a sublabel. Her fourth compilation album, ''The Best'' (2015) peaked at number 3 on the Oricon Albums chart and number 2 on the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot Albums chart, later being certified Gold by the RIAJ. Its successor, ''The Feat. Best'' (2016) charted within the top 30 of both the Japan Hot Albums and Oricon Albums chart. Ai's eleventh studio album, ''

Wa to Yo is the eleventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on June 7, 2017, through EMI Records and Universal Music Group. Featuring two discs, the ''Wa'' disc was recorded in Japanese with traditional Japanese sound ...

'' (2017) experimented with traditional Japanese and electronic sounds. Its second single, " Kira Kira" was nominated for the Grand Prix award and won the Excellent Works Award at the 59th Japan Records Awards. Her sixth compilation album ''

Kansha!!!!! - Thank You for 20 Years New and Best ''Kansha!!!!! - Thank You for 20 Years New and Best'' (Japanese: 感謝!!!!! -Thank You for 20 Years New and Best) is the fourth greatest hits album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on November 6, 2019, through EMI Record ...

'' (2019) was issued to celebrate her twenty years in the music industry. Further celebrating her twenty-year anniversary, Ai released the extended plays '' It's All Me, Vol. 1'' (2020) and ''

It's All Me, Vol. 2 ''It's All Me, Vol. 2'' (stylized IT'S ALL ME VOL 2) is an extended play by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on February 24, 2021, through EMI Records, as a follow-up to ''It's All Me, Vol. 1'' (2020)''.'' Ai primarily colla ...

'' (2021). In December 2021, Ai announced her twelfth studio album, '' Dream''. The album was released in February 2022.

Life and career

1981–1997: Early life and education

Ai was born in Los Angeles in 1981. Her father is Japanese and her mother is American of Italian and Native Okinawan descent. She moved to

in Japan when she was 4, and went to elementary school and junior high school in Japan. Ai was motivated to become a singer in her early teens, after singing at a cousin's wedding, having many people ask her if she wanted to be a professional singer, and hearing a gospel performance at the

First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (First A.M.E. or FAME) is a megachurch in Los Angeles, California, United States, part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. It is the oldest church founded by African American ...

in 1993. After graduating from junior high school in Japan, Ai returned to Los Angeles for high school, enrolling at Glendale High School, however found high school difficult due to never formally studying English. After making it through the audition process, she switched to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, majoring in ballet. She became a member of the school's gospel choir.

1988–1999: Career beginnings

While attending Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Ai began her musical career by performing in a gospel choir at a

concert at the

Universal Amphitheatre Universal Amphitheatre (later known as Gibson Amphitheatre) was an indoor amphitheatre located in Los Angeles, California within Universal City, California, Universal City. It was built as an outdoor venue, opening in the summer of 1972 with a p ...

, performing of " A Dream". In the same year, she appeared as a dancer in the music video for

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

's song "

". In 1999, Ai joined an Asian girl group called SX4, who were produced by George Brown of Kool & the Gang. Later in 1999, the group was offered a record label deal.

2000–2004: Relocation to Japan

While on a summer holiday in Kagoshima, Ai performed

Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

's " For You I Will" on a local radio station, which led to her being scouted by

. She decided to take the offer, and after leaving SX4 and graduating from high school in June 2000, moved to

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

and debuted as a musician later in 2000. Ai debuted under BMG Japan sublabel

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

with the single "Cry, Just Cry" in November 2000. Two additional singles were released, "U Can Do" and "Shining Star". Although the latter failed to chart, "Shining Star" charted and peaked at number 98 on the

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 and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...

singles chart. Eventually, her debut studio album, ''

My Name Is Ai ''My Name Is Ai'' (stylized my name is AI) is the debut studio album by Japanese–American singer-songwriter Ai, released on November 2, 2001, by RCA Records and BMG Fun House. Three singles were released from ''My Name Is Ai'', "Cry, Just Cry" ...

'' was released in November 2001. Although not commercially successful, the album peaked at number 86 on the Oricon albums chart. In 2002 Ai moved to

Def Jam Japan Def or DEF may refer to: Music * Def (instrument), a Middle Eastern musical instrument *''DEF II'', a British youth TV programme *Def American, a rock and rap record label *Def Jam Recordings, a rap record label *Def Jux, a rap record label *Def ...

and became the first female artist signed to the label. Ai claimed that she felt more at home under Def Jam, as many of her co-workers shared her musical tastes. Her first album under the label in 2003 ''

'' debuted at 15 on ''

s album charts, and her second, ''

'', debuted at number three. In 2004, she won the

Space Shower Music Video Awards Space Shower Music Awards (old name: SPACE SHOWER Music Video Awards, abbr. to SPACE SHOWER MVA) are an annual set of music awards sponsored by Japanese Space Shower TV is a Japanese music television channel operated by Space Shower Networks, In ...

' award for Best R&B Video, with her song "

Thank U "Thank U" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her fourth studio album, ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' (1998). The song was written by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, who produced her ...

". After moving to Def Jam, Ai increasingly began collaborating with musicians, especially Japanese hip-hop and rap artists (though under BMG, Ai had collaborated with

Mao Denda Mao Denda (傳田真央 ''Denda Mao''), also known as MAO/d, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. In 2018 she announced that she was suspending her musical activities. Discography Singles # "Mimimoto ni Iru yo... (Ring the Bells)" (2000/1/19) ...

, and

Soul'd Out Soul'd Out (usually styled as SOUL'd OUT) was a Japanese hip-hop trio, consisting of Diggy-MO' (MC), Bro.Hi (MC/Human Beat Box), and Shinnosuke (DJ). Their name is a portmanteau of "soul" and "sold out", and the group is sometimes referred to by ...

rapper Diggy-Mo'). She was featured as a rapper on the

Suite Chic Suite Chic was a collaborative project between some of Japan's top and up-and-coming R&B and hip hop artists, writers, and producers, which debuted on December 18, 2002. Suite Chic served as a vehicle for pop singer Namie Amuro, who at the time ...

single "Uh Uh,,,,,", a collaboration between Namie Amuro, Verbal of M-Flo, and music producer Ryōsuke Imai in 2003. Other musicians Ai collaborated with in this period were

Afra Saint Afra (died 304) was martyred during the Diocletian persecution. Along with Saint Ulrich, she is a patron saint of Augsburg. Her feast day is August 7. Afra was dedicated to the service of the goddess, Venus, by her mother, Hilaria. Throu ...

, Boy-Ken, Joe Budden,

Dabo is a Japanese hip-hop rapper. He first appeared on the Japanese hip-hop scene in the 1990s, collaborating in a Shakkazombie song, ''"Tomo ni ikkou"''. Since 2002, he has released three albums: ''Hitman'' (2002), ''Diamond'' (2003), and ''The For ...

, Deli,

Double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

, Heartsdales,

Ken Hirai is a Japanese R&B and pop singer. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, and brand ambassador. During his career, Hirai has released 45 singles and nine studio albums as of January 2019.Sphere of Influence and Zeebra. Towards the end of 2004, Ai's former label BMG released a compilation album titled ''

Flashback to Ai ''Flashback to Ai'' (stylized FLASHBACK TO A.I., alternatively titled as Flashback Remixes) is the first compilation album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on September 8, 2004, by BMG. The compilation features remixes ...

.'' The compilation featured songs originally recorded for her debut studio album. Soon after, Ai left Def Jam Japan and signed to

and

Universal Sigma Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

. The label released a compilation titled ''

Feat. Ai ''Feat. Ai'' (stylized FEAT. A.I.) is the second compilation album by Japanese–American singer-songwriter Ai, released December 1, 2004, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The compilation was Ai's first release under Island Records and conta ...

'' of songs that have her as a featured artist.

2005–2010: "Story", rise in fame

In 2005, Ai released the ballad single " Story", which became the biggest hit of her career. A sleeper hit, the song charted for 20 weeks in the top 30 in 2005 and 2006 and went on to sell over three million ringtones, one million cellphone downloads, and 270,000 physical copies. (subscription only) Ai later performed "Story" at the prestigious ''

56th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen The , was the 56th edition of annual NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen, held on December 31, 2005, live from NHK Hall (Tokyo, Japan). It was broadcast in Japan through NHK General Television (TV), NHK Radio 1 (Radio), and worldwide through NHK World Premiu ...

'' New Years music concert. Her next studio album, ''

Mic-a-holic Ai ''Mic-a-holic Ai'' (stylized as MIC-A-HOLIC A.I.) is the fourth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on July 7, 2005, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It is the best selling album of Ai's career to date, being ...

'', was the best selling album of her career, being certified double Platinum by the RIAJ. Ai's first single of 2006, the ballad "

Believe Believe may refer to: *Belief, a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true, with or without proof for such proposition *Faith, a belief in something which has not been proven Arts, entertainment, and me ...

", was also a success: it debuted at number two, and sold more than one million ringtones. The song was used as the theme song of the Kenji Sakaguchi starring medical drama, ''

Team Medical Dragon A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to infor ...

''. Her next two albums, ''

'' (2006) and ''

'' (2007) were also greatly commercially successful, being certified Platinum and Gold respectively. In 2007, Ai made her debut performance in the United States at the El Ray Theatre with an audience around 800. In 2008, Ai returned to Los Angeles for her Ai Loves LA concert at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. The performance was a benefit concert for the

Go For Broke Go for broke or going for broke may refer to: Films * ''Go for Broke!'' (1951 film), a film about the 442nd Infantry Regiment * ''Go For Broke'' aka ''Tutto per tutto'', aka ''All Out'' (1968 Italian spaghetti Western directed by Umberto Lenzi) * ...

National Education Center, an organization that commemorates

Japanese Americans are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asi ...

who served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. In 2009, Ai released her seventh studio album ''

'', which charted in the top ten of the Japanese Oricon albums chart. Her greatest hits album, ''

'' was released the same year. ''Best Ai'' later became Ai's first album to top the Oricon Albums chart. Ai debuted as a

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

in August 2009 with her short film, ''Take Action'', which was recorded in Los Angeles. Alongside

Anna Tsuchiya is a Japanese singer, actress and semi-retired model. Since 2005, she is primarily known as a singer.Oricon pr ...

and Micro, Ai also directed the drama film, ''Blue Pacific Stories''. Later that year, Ai performed " Okuribito" and "Story" at the

3rd Asia Pacific Screen Awards The 3rd Asia Pacific Screen Awards were held in 2009 in film, 2009. Winners and nominees Winners are listed first and in bold. Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Feature Film, Best Feature Film *''Samson and Delilah (2009 film), Samson & Delilah ...

which was held in

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. In 2010, Ai collaborated with many artists such as Namie Amuro, Miliyah Kato,

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Qu ...

and

Boyz II Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan M ...

on her 10th anniversary album, ''

''. Both Ai and Khan won the International Collaboration Artists of the Year at the 2010 ''Billboard Japan'' Music Awards for the song "One More Try" and a cover of Khan's " Through the Fire".

2011–2016: ''Independent'', ''Moriagaro'' and ''The Best''

In June 2011, Ai signed a global publishing deal with

and a record deal with

. She collaborated with

The Jacksons The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...

on December 13 and 14, 2011, at the ''Michael Jackson Tribute Live'' tribute concerts held in Tokyo. She performed the vocals in the third act for

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

's songs. She also performed and released the theme song for the event, "

Letter in the Sky "Letter in the Sky" is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai featuring American pop band The Jacksons. Originally released digitally on October 19, 2011, by EMI Music Japan, it was released physically on December 14, 2011, alon ...

" featuring the Jacksons. In November 2011, Ai released the song "

Happiness Happiness, in the context of Mental health, mental or emotional states, is positive or Pleasure, pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishin ...

", a collaboration with

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...

for their winter 2011 campaign. The song was a hit, being certified Gold in two different mediums. The song revitalized the sales of her ninth studio album, ''

'', which has sold more than 60,000 copies. ''Independent'' was Ai's first album to be released internationally outside of Asia. In promotion of the album, Ai embarked on the Independent Tour 2012. The tour included a performance at

Club Nokia Club Nokia was a mobile internet digital distribution portal, similar to an App Store, operated by Nokia to provide special offers, paid-for ringtones, picture messages and game content directly to members. Following resistance from its mobile ope ...

in Los Angeles. In the same year, Ai announced she was working on her US debut album. One song, a remix of

Diggy Simmons Daniel Dwayne "Diggy" Simmons III (born March 21, 1995) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actor and the fourth child of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons of Run DMC. He is currently acting on the hit show ''Grown-ish'' as Doug Edwar ...

song "Put You On" featuring

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...

and Diggy Simmons himself was released, however the album was never released. On April 1, 2013, EMI Music Japan was completely merged into

as a sublabel by the name of EMI Records Japan as a result of Universal Music's purchase of EMI in September 2012. Ai's tenth studio album, ''

'', was released in July 2013, serving as her first release under EMI Japan, although was not released outside of Asia. Its lead single "

Voice The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production in ...

" peaked at number 2 on the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100 and was certified Platinum. Later that year, Ai performed "Story" in collaboration with

figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...

and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu at the touring ice show

Fantasy on Ice is an annual touring ice show in Japan produced by CIC Co., Ltd. The show emerged from the "Philippe Candeloro Japan Tour 2001", named after retired French figure skater Philippe Candeloro, and was held under the name "Fantasy on Ice" the followi ...

amongst others. In 2014, Ai was transferred to

EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...

after EMI Japan was split and rebranded. A previously unreleased English version of Ai's single "Story" was featured in the Japanese dub of the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

film ''Big Hero 6'' in October 2014. In January 2015, Ai recorded the song "Off Love" for Spicy Chocolate and

Sly and Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separa ...

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

-nominated album, ''The Reggae Power''. In November 2015, Ai released a compilation album, ''

The Best Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

'', to celebrate fifteen years in the music industry. The compilation album was reissued in mid-2016. In 2016, Ai signed with Def Jam Recordings in partnership with EMI Records. She later released "

Minna ga Minna ga Eiyū is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was originally released on January 5, 2016, by EMI Records, as a promotional single. Upon its release, the song was a sleeper hit, peaking at number 4 on the ''Billboard Japan'' Ho ...

", which became a sleeper hit, peaking at number 4 on the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100. The original 100-second version of the song was certified Platinum while the full version was certified Gold. A third compilation release of tracks with featured artists titled ''

The Feat. Best ''The Feat. Best'' is the third greatest hits album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai (singer), Ai. It was released on November 2, 2016, by EMI Records. The album features 35 artists, including Japanese singers Namie Amuro, Thelma Aoyama, ...

'' was issued in November 2016. In promotion of these compilation releases, Ai embarked on The Best Tour.

2017–present: ''Wa to Yo'', twenty-year anniversary and ''Dream''

Ai teased her eleventh studio album, ''

'' on social media in April 2017. Wanting to "convey the goodness of Japan" to the rest of the world and "the goodness of the overseas to Japanese people", Ai collaborated with several producers, artists and songwriters from both Japan and the west. The lead single "

Justice Will Prevail at Last is a song written and recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. Released on May 9, 2017 by EMI Records and Universal Music Group, it served as the lead single for Ai's eleventh studio album, ''Wa to Yo''. Background and release ...

" was released in May 2017. ''Wa to Yo'' was released in June 2017 and was her second international album release outside of Asia. The album was reissued in October 2017, titled ''Wa to Yo to''. The album peaked at number 11 on the ''Oricon'' weekly chart. In early 2019, Ai traveled to her hometown, Los Angeles, California, to record new material to celebrate twenty years in the music industry and for the

2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

. Her fourth compilation album, ''

'', was released in November 2019, serving as her first international compilation release. In April 2020, Ai was revealed to be one of the artists performing for

Global Citizen Global citizenship is the idea that one's identity transcends geography or political borders and that responsibilities or rights are derived from membership in a broader class: "humanity". This does not mean that such a person denounces or waives ...

's ''Together At Home'' concert. Performing various songs from her discography, Ai was the first and only artist in Japan to participate in the event. In June 2020, Ai's extended play, '' It's All Me, Vol. 1'' was announced and originally was planned to be released on the start of the 2020 Olympics, but instead was released on July 8, 2020, after the event was postponed to summer 2021 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. The lead single of ''It's All Me, Vol. 1'', " Summer Magic" was her second single to be released internationally. Its Japanese version was included in an advertisement for the Amazon Echo. In November 2020, "

Not So Different "Not So Different" is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. It was released on November 25, 2020. The song was written by Ai and Rachel West with additional songwriting credits from producers Avedon and Scott Storch and was ...

" was released digitally as the lead single for Ai's extended play, ''

''. In December 2020, Ai partnered with One Young World and released a special music video of the song in support of the project. A remix of "Not So Different" featuring Japanese rapper

Awich , known professionally as , is an Okinawan hip hop artist. She made her major label debut with Universal Music Japan in 2020. Her stage name is short for "Asian wish child," which is the literal meaning of the Japanese characters in her given nam ...

was released on December 11, 2020, as a promotional single. A promotional single, "Hope" was released on January 30, 2021, with its music video premiering the same day. Ai partnered with deleteC, a non-profit organization in Japan aiming to support cancer treatment. ''It's All Me, Vol. 2'' later was released in February 2021. In March 2021,

released a compilation EP of songs by Ai titled ''Self Selection "Hip Hop"''. In June 2021, Ai's previous releases with Def Jam Japan, Universal Sigma and Island Records were made available internationally for digital streaming. On June 28, 2021, Ai released " The Moment" featuring Japanese rapper Yellow Bucks. On the same day, she performed the song with Yellow Bucks and DJ Ryow on CDTV, a Japanese TV channel by TBS. In August 2021, she released a single featuring Dachi Miura, titled " In the Middle". In September 2021, Ai announced her next single, "

Aldebaran Aldebaran (Arabic: “The Follower”, "الدبران") is the brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Taurus. It has the Bayer designation α Tauri, which is Latinized to Alpha Tauri and abbreviated Alpha Tau or α Tau. Aldebar ...

". The song serves as the theme song for the NHK television drama, '' Come Come Everybody''. Upon its release in November, it became her first charting single on the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100 since her 2017 single, " Kira Kira". The song debuted and peaked at number 37 on the chart. On the Oricon charts, "Aldebaran" peaked at number 4 on the Daily Digital Singles Chart and number 6 on the weekly Digital Singles Chart. Ai performed "Aldebaran" at the ''

72nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen The was the 2021 (Reiwa 3) edition of NHK's television special Kōhaku Uta Gassen, held on December 31, 2021, live from the hall A of Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan), and broadcast in Japan through NHK General Television and NHK Radio 1, ...

'' on December 31, 2021, her fourth appearance on the show. In December 2021, Ai announced her twelfth studio album on social media, '' Dream''. The nine-track album was released in February 2022. A tour titled after the album began on May 14, 2022 until December. In April 2022, Ai was featured on the front cover of ''Music Magazine''. In May 2022, "Aldebaran" won the Best Drama Song award at the 111th Television Drama Academy Awards.

Artistry

Influences

Ai's earliest musical influence was gospel music, which she discovered when her mother's friend took her to a gospel church during junior high school. In an interview with ''Vogue'', Ai stated

is one of her biggest musical influences.

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks * PUF ...

Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** Fiel ...

, Mary. J. Blige,

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...

, and

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...

have also heavily influenced Ai while she was a teenager.

Musical styles

Ai's discography spans R&B, hip hop, pop,

J-pop J-pop ( ja, ジェイポップ, ''jeipoppu''; often stylized as J-POP; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively also known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1 ...

, and

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

genres. Critics have compared her to

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...

, and

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

. The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' has described Ai as a "fast-rising diva with authentic American-sounding R&B". While her early works are primarily marketed as R&B, her ninth and tenth studio albums, ''Independent'' and ''Moriagaro'' experimented with dance-pop. Ai's eleventh studio album ''Wa to Yo'' experimented with traditional Japanese and electropop sounds, while also featuring a return to her early R&B sound. Her 2019 greatest hits album ''Kansha!!!!! - Thank You for 20 Years New and Best'' heavily featured

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

influences. Ai's twelfth studio album ''Dream'' has been described as a pop and R&B album with influence from hip hop and gospel music.

Other ventures

In April 2011, Ai presented a music documentary, ''Ai Miss Michael Jackson: King of Pop no Kiseki'', that was recorded for ''Music On! TV''. In the documentary, she traveled to the United States and interviewed members of the Jackson family in their home. For the American musical comedy ''

Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...

s season two episode "

Britney/Brittany "Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series ''Glee'', and the twenty-fourth episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, ...

", Ai dubbed the voice of

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

in the Japanese release.

Products and endorsements

As is standard for Japanese musicians, Ai has featured as a spokesman, or has her music featured, for many products. Ai's songs have been used as TV commercial songs, drama theme songs, film theme songs and TV show ending theme songs. Ai has worked on four major

TV commercial campaigns, two featuring her own songs ("

You Are My Star ''Viva Ai'' (stylized as ViVa A.I.) is the seventh studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released March 4, 2009, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured three singles, the 2008 theme song for the film '' Departures'' ...

" (2009), "

" (2011)) and two featuring collaborations (

K'naan Keinan Abdi Warsame (born 1 February 1978) ( so, Keynaan Cabdi Warsame, ar, كَينَان عَبدِ وَرسَمَ ''Kaynān ʿAbdi Warsama''), better known by his stage name K'naan (), is a Somali-Canadian musician. He rose to prominence ...

's " Wavin' Flag" (2009), Namie Amuro's "

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

" (2011)). She has also been featured in two

Audio-Technica (stylized as audio-technica) is a Japanese company that designs and manufactures professional microphones, headphones, turntables, phonographic magnetic cartridges, and other audio equipment. Company history Audio-Technica was established ...

campaigns (using "My Friend (Live Version)" and "

I'll Remember You "l'll Remember You" is a song written by Kui Lee in 1964. After he returned to Hawaii from the mainland United States in 1961, Lee worked at the night club Honey's as a doorman. Lee taught himself to sing, and he started to compose songs. He convi ...

", a campaign for Japan Airlines ("

Brand New Day Brand New Day or A Brand New Day may refer to: Music *''Brand New Day'', the American title for the 1990 Australian musical ''Bran Nue Dae'' Albums * ''Brand New Day'' (Swollen Members album), 2014 * ''Brand New Day'' (Ricki-Lee Coulter album), o ...

") and Pepsi Nex with " I Wanna Know". Ai's most high-profile work for a TV drama was the theme song for 2006's primetime drama ''

'', "

", which was one of her greatest hits, selling over one million ringtones. Ai also sung the theme song for the drama's second series, "

One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

". Ai also worked on the theme song for the 2010 primetime drama '' Keishichō Keizoku Sōsahan'', "

Nemurenai Machi is a song written and recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released September 6, 2010, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The song served as the third single from Ai's eighth studio album, ''The Last Ai'' and as the theme son ...

". Other program theme songs include the Japanese theme song for the American drama ''

Heroes Heroes or Héroes may refer to: * Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good Film * ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama * ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film Gaming * ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...

'' ("

Taisetsu na Mono ''Don't Stop Ai'' (stylized as DON'T STOP A.I.) is the sixth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 5, 2007, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. It featured two successful singles, the mid-tempo R&B song ...

"), and the 15th ending theme for the children's animation '' Crayon Shin-chan'', "Crayon Beats"). In 2005, Ai's song "Alive (English Version)" was used as an insert song for the South Korean drama '' Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang''. Many of Ai's songs have been used in films. Her "Story" song was remade (also with its English version) for Disney's box office '' Big Hero 6'' in 2014. She performed the theme song for '' Departures'' (2008), the winner of the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

in 2009. She has also sung the theme songs for '' Crayon Shin-chan: The Legend Called Buri Buri 3 Minutes Charge'' (2005), '' Pray'' (2005), ''Lalapipo'' (2009) and '' Berserk Golden Age Arc I: The Egg of the High King'' (2012). Her music has been featured on the soundtracks of ''TKO Hiphop'' (2005), the musical film ''

Memories of Matsuko is a 2006 Japanese musical film written and directed by Tetsuya Nakashima. It is based on a Japanese novel by Muneki Yamada. It has not yet received North American distribution, though in its North American premiere at the 2007 New York Asian Fi ...

'' (2006), in which Ai cameoed to perform the song, and '' Heat Island'' (2007).

Legacy

In Japan, Ai has earned the nickname "Queen of hip-hop soul". With her management company The Mic-a-holics, Ai helped launch the careers of many Japanese acts, including Japanese singer

Riri Riri may refer to: People * Riri Fitri Sari (born 1970) computer engineering professor *Riri Riza (born 1970) Indonesian filmmaker *Rihanna (born 1988; as ''Robyn Rihanna Fenty'') Barbadian singer; nicknamed "RiRi" *Riri (Japanese singer) (born 19 ...

. In 2012, ''The'' ''Independent'' listed Ai as the next big thing in Asian pop.

Personal life

On March 6, 2013, Ai announced her engagement to Hiro, the leader and vocalist of the rock band Kaikigesshoku. The pair had been dating for 10 years, and wed in January 2014. On August 28, 2015, Ai gave birth to her first child, a baby girl. On July 24, 2018, it was revealed Ai was pregnant with her second child. Her second child, a boy, was born on December 29, 2018. In 2019, outdoor advertisements for Ai's single, " Summer Magic" were displayed at

Shinjuku Station is a major railway station in the Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan. In Shinjuku, it is part of the Nishi-Shinjuku and Shinjuku districts. In Shibuya, it is located in the Yoyogi and Sendagaya districts. It is the world's busiest rai ...

. The advertisement displayed a search result of her name, which showed top results for

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech re ...

(AI), while a cut off photo of Ai herself appeared on the bottom of the search result. On

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

, Ai revealed her distaste of artificial intelligence being the top results when searching her name mononymously on search engines.

Controversy

In 2012, Ai was part of a controversy regarding the

murder of Nicola Furlong Nicola Furlong (born 17 December 1990 Wexford, Ireland; died 24 May 2012 Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, Japan) was an Irish female exchange student murdered in Japan. An American man, Richard Hinds, was convicted of her murder. A memorial, located in Ard ...

. Reports from ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'' and ''

Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...

'' stated James Blackston and Richard Hinds were working for Ai as performers for her ''Independent Tour 2012.'' On May 21'','' a day after the tour performance in

Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, desig ...

, Blackston was at a dance school within the city teaching dance moves for a number of Ai songs to students. Regarding allegations of a connection to the crime, Ai and her representative team declined to make an official statement.

Discography

* ''

'' (2001) * ''

'' (2003) * ''

'' (2004) * ''

'' (2005) * ''

'' (2006) * ''

'' (2007) * ''

'' (2009) * ''

'' (2010) * ''

'' (2012) * ''

'' (2013) * ''

'' (2017) *'' Dream'' (2022)

Filmography

Film

Television

Director

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website
*
Ai
on

Ai
on

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

* *
Ai
on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ai 1981 births Living people 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singers 21st-century Japanese women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century women rappers 21st-century Japanese singers 21st-century American rappers 21st-century Japanese actresses People from Los Angeles Singers from Los Angeles Songwriters from California People from Kagoshima Musicians from Kagoshima Prefecture Los Angeles County High School for the Arts alumni Actresses from Los Angeles American people of Italian descent Japanese people of American descent Japanese people of Italian descent American musicians of Japanese descent American women songwriters American women pop singers Japanese women pop singers American hip hop singers Japanese hip hop singers American contemporary R&B singers Record producers from Los Angeles Japanese rhythm and blues singers English-language singers from Japan Bertelsmann Music Group artists RCA Records artists Universal Music Group artists Universal Music Japan artists Def Jam Recordings artists Island Records artists EMI Music Japan artists EMI Records artists American expatriates in Japan Citizens of Japan through descent Japanese women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American rappers of Asian descent American women rappers Japanese rappers Pop rappers Women hip hop record producers American hip hop record producers American women record producers Japanese women record producers Spokespersons Fantasy on Ice guest artists