Ami Suzuki - A Fallen Idol Rising Again

December 4th, 2005 by Rinoa · 22 Comments

Name: Ami Suzuki (鈴木亜美)
Date of Birth: 9th February 1982
Astrology Sign: Aquarius
Blood Type: A
Place of Birth: Zama, Kanagawa
Height: 159 centimeters
Size of foot: 23.5 centimeters
Official Website: avex trax

Only a couple of artists can actually do what Ami Suzuki did and come back victorious in the harsh Japanese entertainment industry where the fickle fans wouldn’t think twice and exchange an idol for another. However, Ami Suzuki, nicknamed Amigo proves that she’s simply not your average idol who will follow the rules and sit there looking cute and docile. Practically nothing can stop Ami from doing what she loves most, singing, and this can obviously be seen from her comeback after having been effectively blacklisted by the entertainment business.

Ami was born on the 9th February in 1983 in Zama, Kanagawa. She broke into the J-pop market at the age of 15, in 1998 with her debut single “Love the Island”, selling an impressive total of 288,000 copies. She managed to attract a large fanbase with her girl next door looks and managed to sell 1,879,000 copies of her first album, “SA” which was equally impressive. This resulted with her being one of the major pop stars at that time with the equally famous record label, Sony. At the end of 2000 Ami had sold a grand total of 10 million releases in the form of albums and singles. Her producer was the infamous Tetsuya Komuro who is known for producing hits from famous artists such as Namie Amuro and hitomi.

At this time, she was considered one of the top competitors for the Japanese Pop Queen status along with Ayumi Hamasaki. Both had started their careers almost at the same time and both had rising potential for a diva status. Nonetheless it seems that Ami and Ayumi shared a friendship. Ami kept being one of the most popular and successful faces in Japan: most of her releases were top-selling hits, she endorsed a variety of commercial products and she had a role in a national TV drama series. It was clear that Ami’s prospects were promising.

However all this changed when her parents sued her management company, Tokyo-based AG Communication, whose president, Eiji Yamada, had been convicted on tax evasion charges, in order to terminate what they saw as an unfavourable contract. Her parents feared that her association with this company would tarnish her image. The Tokyo District Court agreed yet this choice cost her dearly to her musical career which came to a crashing halt. The reason was that by suing AG Communication, they had broken one of the key unwritten rules of the entertainment business in Japan. Consequently this led to Ami’s career to dissolving at an alarming rate and getting blacklisted. She lost all her commercial endorsements, lost her role in a drama series on TV, her radio show got cancelled, her fan club was dissolved and Sony rushed out a greatest-hits compilation called Fun for Fan in the 30th May 2001. Ami was faced with the problem of production companies refusing to sign her in and she tried to make a comeback in the next two years with close to no success. All her fair-weather friends deserted her, including her producer, Komuro. Many people were convinced that her chances for making a comeback were basically zilch, since there was no shortage of idol wannabes out there.

In November 2003 she reached an out-of-court settlement with Sony in a dispute over contract terms. The following year in April, Ami tried again to make a comeback with the release of a photo book called “Tsuyoi Kizuna” (Strong Ties) with an accompanying CD through Tokyo-based publisher Bungei Shunju. Also she managed to make a couple of appearances on television. In August of the same year she released a release named “Forever Love” with her own independent label called Amity. It ranked at #21 on Oricon and shot to #1 on the Independent Chart on Oricon. In autumn of the same year, Ami performed live at the annual festival of her school, Nihon University. This was definitely her turning point in her musical career. Incidentally among the alumni attending the show there was the infamous president of avex and producer, Max Matsuura. It is needless to say that Matsuura has a reputation as a hands-on producer who is able to find and develop artists into famous stars, Ayumi Hamasaki being the living proof of this. Ami caught his eye and he signed her to avex trax on January 1st 2005, just when her contract with Sony had ended in December 2004. This was a fresh start and a chance for Ami to prove herself as a singer.

Looking back at 2005, one can obviously see that Ami has been working hard to start over her career. Ami released her first single, “Hopeful” in the form of a downloadable ring tone and tune version on the 1st of January. Later on she released another ring tone titled “For yourself”. Her following release and her first physical single was released on March 24th. It was titled “Delightful” and was quite a success. This single has two extra versions with her photo book and essay book. It shot up the Oricon Charts to #2 and sold 97,218 copies. It also got the 97th place in the top 500 best singles of 2005. “Delightful” is a techno-dance track with an upbeat beat and, coupled with Ami’s attractive vocals, this song is extremely catchy. Her following single was called “Eventful” and was moderately successful, though the track was no less catchy than the previous, and sold 37,000 copies. It got the 245th place in the list of the top 500 best singles of 2005. In August she released a ballad called “Negaigoto” which only sold 22,000 copies and ranked at the 380th place in the top 500 best singles. Negaigoto’s promotional video reflects her own career and has a nostalgic feel to it which makes it a rather touching clip.

In October, Ami released her first album in five years. The album was originally going to be called “Hopeful” but ended up being titled “AROUND THE WORLD”. It debuted at #4 on the Oricon Charts but eventually ranked at #5 on the weekly rankings. It sold 55,000 copies. Her “AROUND THE WORLD” single which was limited to 10,000 copies sold out in two weeks. In November she also released a limited edition single celebrating the anniversary of Snoopy called “Happiness is…”. Also interesting to note is how Ami is slowly regaining back her popularity as she is getting commercial endorsements, invited to television variety shows and appearing in various magazines. In the 21st November 2005, Ami Suzuki was nominated for “Best Artist” in the “BEST HIT KAYOUSAI 2005″ but she did not win. Also, Ami will be performing at the 56th annual Kouhaku Uta Gassen, which will be her 4th time appearing on this show.

On December 7th Ami is going to release a new single packed with 4 ballads with a Christmas theme titled “Little Crystal”. And if this is not enough, Ami is going to release her first live DVD titled “1st Live DVD Suzuki Ami AROUND THE WORLD Live House Tour” and a single called “Fantastic” on the 8th of February.

Ami Suzuki might never go back to the superstar status she used to enjoy in the past. Yet one thing is clearly obvious: this girl has decided to be a singer and won’t let anything get into her way.

AROUND THE WORLD cover

AROUND THE WORLD
Hopeful -OVERHEAD CHAMPION MIX-
Beautiful
Sweet Voice
Delightful
For yourself
Negaigoto
Risk
Eventful
with you
Times
I’m alone

Ami Suzuki · Biography · JPop

22 responses so far ↓

spellcheck // Dec 4, 2005 at 9:54 pm

Ami Suzuki is one of those singers that I always hear mentioned but I’ve never actually heard any of her work or seriously read into her. It’s so sad to hear what happened to her and how her career was almost destroyed, but major props to her for rising out of the ashes and starting over. It’s been quite a long time since I heard some good techno-ish music, and this isn’t bad. Keep up the good work, Rinoa!
eyn // Dec 6, 2005 at 2:30 pm

Great article about Ami Suzuki, Rinoa, I’m impressed. :)

I don’t really get how the sueing end up hurting her career so badly, what exactly is her parent thinking when they decided to sue the company? What would have happened if they did not sue the company, will the result be the same, that is the company tarnished her image and people stop supporting her?

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of her vocal, maybe they are a little low pitch for my taste. Still, her determination over these years makes her an impressive figure in the industry. It’s kinda sad to see how her single sales is dropping continuously but her album did do pretty well on the chart.

I listened to her latest Christmas single, “Little Crystal”, and the songs are pretty good. Maybe I’ll be a fan in the future, once I get used to her vocal and stuff. :) She looks very cute in the Crystal PV, I hope I can see her in drama someday. You know, if I’m one of those people who only care about looks, I’ll be a fan right away!
Aprilis // Dec 7, 2005 at 1:40 pm

I’ve only heard about Ami after the released of Delightful. From what I read in forums, I knew that she started with Sony and was Ayu’s rivary, then her career fell apart and finally, her come back with Avex. From this article, I learned the details on how her career fell apart and how she tried to get back in the industry (before signing with Avex).
Like eyn, I’m still confuse about the lawsuit. I didn’t really understood the terms that you used, so I’m still a bit confuse as to why her parents sued. And would it have been different (for her career) if her parents didn’t sued?
Rinoa // Dec 7, 2005 at 5:29 pm

Okay so let me try to explain. AG Communications, was avoiding tax and thus probably they were also robbing Ami since they were not claiming how much she really earned from all the activities she worked in and they were probably paying her less.

Also her parents were afraid that since AG Communications was avoiding taxes that she would be associated with them in the future for their corruption and that would have made a rather ugly picture of her.

If her parents didn’t sue things would have been different. She wouldn’t have been blacklisted and she’d still be with Sony. Maybe she would have even been the J-Pop Queen instead of Ayu! Or else it might be that eventually people would have considered Ami corrupt as AG Communications and her popularity would have declined nonetheless. It’s hard to say since the J-Pop scene is pretty hard to predict.

From what I’ve understood it’s like an unspoken rule that artists cannot sue their company. I don’t really get what is so awful in it but I guess it’s because other companies were scared she’d sue them too? Also there’s the factor that usually artists have no say in their career in Japan and don’t really have any rights.

Few artists can do like Ayu did once when she threatened avex trax that she would leave once if her producer left. In fact her popularity suffered a bit due to it. I guess for Japan it was scandalous that an artist (who was underage too) sued her management company.

Hope I managed to clear up some of your doubts :)
J-Pop CD Cover Art » Suzuki Ami is Coming… // Dec 31, 2005 at 7:37 pm

[...] A recent post over at Channel-Ai detailing the history of Suzuki Ami inspired me to post some of her covers. [...]
zatart // May 4, 2006 at 4:23 am

Ami is still no1 japop stars in my mind. I have all her previous
albums. But her latest one is hard to buy for me coz I live in Thailand. And it is not promoted here. Only way to get it is ordered from Japan or Taiwan. However, I can download some
of her new singles as MP3. It is too bad I cant support her.
If I have a chance to get it,I do.
Megumi // May 26, 2006 at 2:08 am

Wow! I never knew this until I read it… Ami is lucky to get a second shot! I agree, she is regaining her popularity! I’m a fan of her so, GO AMIGO-CHAN!
Jas // Aug 19, 2006 at 5:16 am

I was impressed by her strong willingness to strive very hard in order to survive in J-pop industry! After wacthing her MTV, Delightful I was shocked by such a tremendous changes on her! Oh ya! another question is, is she one of the actress in HK movie Initial-D?

Anyway, I salute her! Keep on moving, Ami!!!!!!!!! ^_^
Rinoa // Sep 11, 2006 at 5:31 pm

Jas, I doubt she was in that movie. She just recently made her debut in the movie “Rainbow Song”. She’ll be the friend of the main character in that movie.
Jas // Sep 17, 2006 at 12:11 am

Now I realize that I’ve misrecognize Anne Suzuki as Ami Suzuki starred in Initial D but anyway I would like to say that Ami Suzuki’s songs are good!
ExFan // Nov 4, 2006 at 2:06 pm

I used to be her fan, I even bought two of her first albums, until I watched her live DVD. Man, this girl is one terrible singer. After hearing her live singing voice, I stopped following her career. I’d rather spend my money on better singers like Yui.
Dennis bauer // Nov 6, 2006 at 11:50 pm

Well live she is better than hamazaki, i have been a fan from the beginning and i have always supported her and i always will ^__^
puff // Mar 25, 2007 at 12:21 am

woahhh… thts something i’ve never heard of happening bfor… are her cds still available???? i luv her musik=]] SHED BETTER COME BACK SHE ROCKSSS!!!
Dennis Bauer // Mar 25, 2007 at 9:17 pm

They are, she just released some new singles now together eith THC
Steven Vu // Apr 15, 2007 at 9:04 am

Dennis Bauer, i wouldn’t say that Ami is better than Hamasaki. Im not saying that Ami is boring because shes also my favourite Jpop singer, but you can’t compare her to a person like Ayumi who has a big popularity with all her studio albums going on the top #1 oricon charts, they are very different, and Hamasaki is a very unique Jpop singer as well.

Speaking about Ami’s career, though she came back to the japanese music industry, im still worried about her if she still can hold on to her career. Her sales are quite low, and i feel bad of not buying her 2nd avex “connetta” album because i don’t have much money. Ive only got her remix album “Ami x World” but thats not helping her a bit…
Miyu // Jun 20, 2007 at 5:29 pm

I’ve never heard her live. What does Ami sound like? But anyways, nonetheless, she’s a pretty awesome singer. Besides, it takes quite a person to keep going after she dropped for a bit.
redracer // Jul 9, 2007 at 8:01 pm

The link to http://www.beautiful-fighter.com/ doe not work ??
Rinoa // Jul 10, 2007 at 2:41 am

Nah, sorry mate the forum has been down for a while.
vhoguez // Aug 3, 2007 at 12:36 pm

A fallen angel rising again, she is a perfect example of “strong women today” i’m a man, yet i admire fighting women, there are times-many times that they turn out stronger than us. I hope to see more of her in the japanese charts.
Jamie // Aug 2, 2008 at 3:09 am

I discovered Ami by accident in Playstation Magazine (PSM). There was a little snippet about here and that’s what began my interest in J-Pop & J-Rock. I lucked out and found “Infinity 18 vol. 1″ in Tower Records one day and was so excited. I loved the whole album. I support Ami 100% in whatever she does, and I’m so proud of her and her accomplishments so far. I know she’ll continue to do really well with her career.
julii // Oct 12, 2008 at 5:33 am

anybody knows where i can find happiness is…???
its a limited song of her and i just dont find it…=(
natthawut // Oct 24, 2008 at 5:17 am

i love ami