J-pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki has released her latest single ‘Nonfiction’ on April 22.
The single was announced on April 8 to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Hamasaki’s debut; it is a pioneering dance track with an R&B groove, composed by Hisashi Koyama and arranged by tasuku. This powerful song leaves a deep impression, containing an intense message for all of us living in the modern age.
The eye-catching music video, which was released on the same day, features a dance space drenched in pink, as well as the swanky presidential suite of a hotel. The video switches between these two contrasting worlds, sometimes appearing inorganic, sometimes aggressively expressive. Hamasaki radiates beauty and splendor in each scene, while her dancers move around her with expertly calculated choreography. Hamasaki herself is so confident in this video that she described it in an Instagram post as “a super-luxurious masterpiece rarely seen in recent years”.
Hamasaki also held a 24th anniversary concert at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama on April 6, titled ‘ayumi hamasaki ASIA TOUR ~24th Anniversary special @PIA ARENA MM~’. At the show, Hamasaki performed her debut single ‘poker face’, as well as the song ‘from your letter’ that was included on her first album ‘A Song for ××’ but has never before been performed live, the fan favorite classic ‘SCAR’ and even the new single ‘Nonfiction’. The concert was an unforgettable document of Ayumi Hamasaki’s soul-stirring songs throughout her 24-year career so far.
A DVD and Blu-ray of this performance will be released on July 1, so be sure to check it out.
It has been 24 years since the release of Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut single ‘poker face’ on April 8, 1998. This unique artist continues to push the boundaries of music, so keep your eyes on Ayumi Hamasaki.
New single ‘Nonfiction’ released April 22
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