Ayumi Hamasaki (浜崎あゆみ, Hamasaki Ayumi, real name 浜崎歩) (born October 2, 197… Read Full Bio ↴Ayumi Hamasaki (浜崎あゆみ, Hamasaki Ayumi, real name 浜崎歩) (born October 2, 1978, Fukuoka, Japan) is an award-winning Japanese singer, and one of the most popular and influential artists to come from Asia. Apart from being a singer, Hamasaki is also a songwriter, a model, an actress, a composer, a record producer, a spokesperson and an entrepreneur. Through her entire career, she has written all her lyrical content, and has sometimes composed her music.

Hamasaki started her musical career in 1994 and released her first album "NOTHING FROM NOTHING" in 1995; the album was not successful, and she was subsequently dropped by her record label. In 1998, Hamasaki released her first single, poker face, via the Avex Trax label, after being discovered by label head Masato "Max" Matsuura partying at the Avex-owned club, Velfarre. Hamasaki's debut album, "A Song for ××", was released in 1999, and won her a Gold Disk Award. She has since sold more than 50 million records in Japan alone with the releases of her 9 full-length studio albums, 1 mini-album, 4 compilation albums, 45 singles, and 17 remix albums, becoming the top selling solo and female artist and the 4th top selling Japanese artist in history. With the release of her 40th single "BLUE BIRD", Hamasaki's single sales passed the 20 million mark, making her the first solo and female singer to reach that milestone.

With the release of her 45th single "Rule/Sparkle", Hamasaki currently has 20 consecutive #1 singles (starting from "Free & Easy") and 32 #1 singles in the Japanese ORICON charts. In addition, she is the first Japanese artist to have her first original 8 studio albums top the charts.

Hamasaki released her ninth studio album, GUILTY on January 1, 2008. Shortly after the release, Ayumi revealed that she had become completely deaf in her left ear, and that it is inoperable. It is believed that she suffers from tinnitus, and Ayumi has known about the condition of her left ear since 2007 after an examination. She also stated that she would continue on with her career for her fans, explaining that "nevertheless, I would like to continue as a singer. That's why I would like to continue singing until I reach the limit with my remaining right ear".

In addition to serving as background music for television advertisements, some of Hamasaki's songs have been used as themes for video games and film productions such as television shows and motion pictures. "Depend on you" and its b-side "Two of us" were used as the opening and ending theme, respectively, of the video game Thousand Arms, while the video game Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams used "Startin'" and "rainy day" as its opening and ending theme, respectively. The dorama My Little Chef featured "Voyage" as its theme, while the anime InuYasha featured "Dearest." Finally, Hamasaki's songs "HEAVEN", "Secret", "fated", and "Rule" have been used as the themes for the movies Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, Confession of Pain, Kaidan, and DragonBall Evolution, respectively.

In January 2008, Hamasaki announced on her blog that an inoperable condition, possibly tinnitus or Ménière's disease, had caused complete deafness in her left ear. She had been diagnosed with the condition in 2006 and that the problem dated to 2000, when she developed an ear infection but continued to perform against the advice of doctors. Despite the setback, Hamasaki stated that she wished to continue singing, and that "as a professional", she wanted to "deliver the best performance for everyone". On May 20, 2017, she wrote that she is also losing hearing in her right ear, and had experienced dizziness and nausea. 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."

Official site: http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu

NEXT LEVEL
浜崎あゆみ Lyrics

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動き出す次のステージへ向けて
僕達は歩き続ける

どこまでも続くこの一本道を
僕達は光り続ける

ここからもう一度
始まってくスタートを

どんな風に切って行けるのかな

空を見上げたらふわり笑顔がこぼれたよ
こわくないよ大丈夫だよって聞こえた
空を見上げたらふいに涙がこぼれたよ
過去に残した傷跡さえ今は愛しい

響いてる未来を告げる合図が
僕達は瞳合わせる

高鳴るこの鼓動
何を選び描いて
どんな地図が出来上がるかな

風を感じたらぎゅっと強く手を握ろう
多くの言葉なんてもう必要ないから
風を感じたらぐっと強く歩き出そう
同じ速度で同じ景色眺めて行こう

空を見上げたらふわり笑顔がこぼれたよ
こわくないよ大丈夫だよって聞こえた
空を見上げたらふいに涙がこぼれたよ
過去に残した傷跡さえ今は愛しい

風を感じたらぎゅっと強く手を握ろう
多くの言葉なんてもう必要ないから

風を感じたらぐっと強く歩き出そう
同じ速度で同じ景色眺めて行こう

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to 浜崎あゆみ's song NEXT LEVEL speak to the idea of moving forward towards the next level, both metaphorically and literally. The first verse speaks to the idea of continually moving forward, even when the path is long and difficult. The second verse touches on the idea of looking towards the future, of starting anew and wondering what will come next. The chorus brings it all together, emphasizing the importance of feeling the wind, keeping strong, and moving forward together, all while appreciating the scars of the past and looking forward to the future.

The lyrics are both inspiring and reflective, encouraging listeners to keep pushing forward towards their own goals and dreams. This message is further emphasized by the upbeat, poppy nature of the song itself, which perfectly complements the lyrics and adds to the overall feeling of positivity and hope.

Overall, 浜崎あゆみ's song NEXT LEVEL is a powerful and inspiring anthem about pushing past obstacles and striving towards the next level in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

動き出す次のステージへ向けて
We start moving towards the next level

僕達は歩き続ける
We keep walking

どこまでも続くこの一本道を
On this never-ending path

僕達は光り続ける
We keep shining

ここからもう一度
Once again, from this point

始まってくスタートを
We begin our start

どんな風に切って行けるのかな
I wonder how we'll make our way through

空を見上げたらふわり笑顔がこぼれたよ
When I looked up at the sky, a gentle smile came across my face

こわくないよ大丈夫だよって聞こえた
I heard, 'It's okay, don't be scared'

空を見上げたらふいに涙がこぼれたよ
When I looked up at the sky, tears suddenly fell