Ayako Fuji

Born in Kakunodate Town in Akita Prefecture. Began learning Japanese folk music at 4th grade, and sang folk songs in her hometown.
In 1987, debuted from CBS Sony with the song “Futarigawa” under the stage name “Manami Murase”.
In 1989, changed her stage name to “Ayako Fuji”, and made her second debut with the song “Onna”. In 1992, the song “Kokorozake” became a hit and won the “25th Nippon Yusen Taisho”. On the same year, made her first Kouhaku appearance at the “43rd NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The three releases between “Kokorozake” and the 1994 release “Onakigawa”, all marked top 10 in the Oricon Singles Chart (the first female “enka” artist to do so since the beginning or the Heisei Era).
In 1994, won Nippon Yusen Taisho for the second time with the song “Hana no Waltz”.
On May 11th, 2010, was appointed “Shokusai Akita Ouen Taishi”.
Fuji is known to be a big rock fan and often listens to bands such as Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. In a dialogue with the music critic/editor of BURRN!, Fuji wished that “Steven Tyler sings ‘Ave Maria’ at her own funeral”.
Sony Music: http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Arch/SR/AyakoFuji/
Blog: http://coblog3.corich.jp/gallery-aya/

Ayako Fuji