Ai Otsuka

Ai Otsuka's biography :

born September 9, 1982
is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and actress from Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

A piano player since age 4, Otsuka composes and co-produces her songs. She also writes her own lyrics. Her music ranges from upbeat catchy pop/rock music that can be heard in tracks like Happy Days and Sakuranbo to touching ballads like Daisuki da yo., Planetarium and Kurage, Nagareboshi.

Otsuka's debut album Love Punch was released in March 2004 and was a huge success, reaching #3 on the oricon charts, earning Otsuka nicknames such as "The New Guru of Love". Her second single called "Sakuranbo" stayed on the Oricon top 200 charts for 101 weeks. Surprisingly, Otsuka's second album, Love Jam, was released only 8 months after her first in November 2004 and debuted at #1.

In other works, Otsuka has acted in the "Tokyo Friends" drama. She also has a radio show called "Otsuka Ai ai-r Jack" and has appeared in various CMs. Furthermore, Otsuka pens column in two Japanese magazines; "Love Column" in Zipper and "Love World ~ Eye Love Pictures" in B-Pass. Kimi iro Omoi, Otsuka's first photobook, was released on March 1, 2005.

A talented graphic artist as well, the first pressings of her albums and some singles have included a limited edition picture book illustrated by Otsuka herself. Many of her illustrations can be seen at the Gallery section of her official website.

Love Jam Tour 2005, her first tour, began on April 24, 2005. It was completed in June 2005 and a Live DVD with footage was released on July 27, 2005. Love Cook, her 3rd album was released on December 14, 2005.

Every year Ai also has her own Love is Born tour to mark her anniversary of being in the music industry and her birthday in September.

Otsuka performed at Makuhari Messe on July 7, 2007, for one of Japan's two Live Earth concerts, alongside contemporaries Kumi Koda and Ayaka.

Ai Otsuka singles :

"Momo no Hanabira" •
"Sakuranbo" •
"Amaenbo"
"Happy Days"
• "Kingyo Hanabi" •
"Daisuki da yo." •
"Kuroge Wagyu Joshio Tan Yaki 680 Yen"
"Sakuranbo -encore press-" •
"Smily/Biidama" •
"Neko ni Fūsen" •
"Planetarium"
"Frienger" •
"Yumekui" •
"Renai Shashin" •
"Chu-Lip" •
"Peach/Heart" •
"Pocket"
"Rocket Sneaker / One×Time" •
"Kurage, Nagareboshi" •
"Bye Bye" •
"Love no Theme" •
"White Choco"