AI (singer)
AI is a bilingual R&B/Hip-Hop singer. After initial recognition in an appearance in Janet Jackson's "Go Deep" music video, she debuted with BMG, before signing with Universal's Def Jam Japan label in 2003. With numerous successful album releases, tours and media appearances, she remains an influential and popular artist, bringing a heavily American R&B-influenced sound to Japanese audiences.
Contents
Profile
- Stage Name: AI
- Real Name: Uemura Carina Ai (植村 カリーナ 愛)
- Birthday: November 2, 1981
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA, United States
Biography
AI was born on November 02, 1981 in Los Angeles, CA to a Japanese father and half-Japanese, half-Italian mother. At the age of four her father's work prompted a move to Kagoshima, Japan, where she spent her elementary school and junior high school days. In 1996, she entered the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, joining the gospel choir and training in various dance genres. In 1998, her first experience of a televised broadcast came as part of the choir in a Mary J Blige concert. In the same year, she won a competition to appear as a dancer in Janet Jackson's promotional video "Go Deep". After a short stint in an Asian female group SX4, she was offered a record deal with BMG and returned to Japan to make her major label debut.
Her debut single "Cry, just Cry" (released on November 22, 2000) was followed up with two singles and the album "my name is AI". However, poor sales resulted in a transfer to Def Jam Japan, where she became the label's first female artist.
The first album with Def Jam, "ORIGINAL A.I.", reached #15 on the Oricon charts. Sold-out tour runs and the release of two albums in 2004 marked an increase in AI's popularity. Significant success then came with the single "Story" in May 2005, with the song reaching #8 on the Oricon ranking charts and selling 300,000 copies. The next album "MIC-A-HOLIC A.I." had sales in excess of 500,000 copies.
"Believe" was released on April 19, 2006 as a tie-in to the Team Medical Dragon drama, continuing a run of good sales. Later in the year, What's goin' on A.I." ranked at #2 on album sales charts and led to her first auditorium tour, which spawned a live album and DVD in March 2007. Further commercial tie-ins ("I'll Remember You" - Audio-Technica, "BRAND NEW DAY" - JAL, "ONE" - Team Medical Dragon 2), appearances at high-profile music festivals (Rock in Japan 2007, Summer Sonic '07) and the release of the "DON'T STOP A.I." album rounded off 2007.
From February to June 2008, AI's largest tour to date included 32 shows across Japan, playing to audiences up to 100,000 as well as appearances in Los Angeles. Her most recent album "VIVA A.I." was released on March 04, 2009.
In 2011, AI announced that she had changed labels from Universal Music Japan to EMI Music Japan.
Discography
Albums
- [2001.11.02] my name is AI
- [2003.07.23] ORIGINAL A.I.
- [2004.05.27] 2004 A.I.
- [2005.07.06] MIC-A-HOLIC A.I.
- [2006.09.27] What's goin' on A.I.
- [2007.12.05] DON'T STOP A.I.
- [2009.03.04] VIVA A.I.
- [2010.12.01] THE LAST A.I.
Other Albums
- [2004.09.08] FLASHBACK TO A.I. (Best Album)
- [2004.12.01] FEAT. A.I. (Featuring Album)
- [2007.03.07] LIVE A.I. (Live Album)
- [2009.09.16] BEST A.I. (Best Album)
Singles
- [2000.11.22] Cry, just Cry
- [2001.05.23] U Can Do
- [2001.09.05] Shining Star
- [2003.01.28] Saishuu Senkoku (最終宣告)
- [2003.06.25] Thank U
- [2003.10.15] My friend / Senjou no Merry Christmas (戦場のメリークリスマス)
- [2004.03.03] After The Rain
- [2004.04.16] E.O.
- [2004.08.04] WATCH OUT! feat.AFRA+TUCKER
- [2005.02.09] 365 feat.DELI
- [2005.04.20] Crayon Beats
- [2005.05.18] Story
- [2006.04.19] Believe
- [2006.08.30] I Wanna Know
- [2007.07.18] I'll Remember You / BRAND NEW DAY
- [2007.11.07] ONE
- [2008.06.04] Taisetsu na Mono (大切なもの)
- [2008.09.10] Okuribito / So Special -Version AI- (おくりびと)
- [2009.02.04] YOU ARE MY STAR
- [2010.03.31] FAKE feat. Amuro Namie
- [2010.06.30] Still... feat. AK-69
- [2010.08.25] Nemurenai Machi (眠れない街)
- [2010.10.27] Stronger feat. Kato Miliyah
Digital Singles
- [2007.03.28] BRAND NEW DAY
- [2010.07.14] For my Sister feat. Judith Hill -Japanese Version-
DVDs
- [2005.01.19] ZEEBRA - THE LIVE ANIMAL'03 - TOKYO'S FINEST (#7 GOLDEN MIC (REMIX) feat. KASHI DA HANDSOME, AI, Dohzi-T,Hannya)
- [2005.02.07] MACHIGAINAI
- [2006.01.18] MIC-A-HOLIC A.I. JAPAN TOUR '05
- [2007.03.28] Nippon Budokan A.I. (日本武道館 A.I.)
- [2007.09.19] ZEEBRA - ZEEBRA Japan Tour Final The Live Animal '06 -The New Beginning- (#19 Do What U Gotta Do feat. AI, Amuro Namie, Mummy-D)
- [2008.01.16] ap bank fes '07 (#5 I'll Remember You, #6 Story)
- [2008.11.26] DON'T STOP A.I. Japan Tour
- [2009.02.25] Live & Documentary DVD "ap bank fes '08" (#9 Taisetsu na Mono)
- [2010.06.30] VIVA A.I. JAPAN TOUR
Compilations / Other
- [2001.04.18] GROW SOUND WORKS (#8 IN RAIN AND SUNSHINE (DJ SOMA GROW SOUND MIX))
- [2001.11.21] Denda Mao - ONE LAST KISS (#1 ONE LAST KISS feat. AI)
- è2002.05.15] JiN - Real Love (#2 LUV SONG (feat. AI)
- [2003.03.26] SUITE CHIC - WHEN POP HITS THE LAB (#9 "Uh Uh......" feat. AI ~REMIX feat. BIGZAM & P.H.~)
- [2003.08.20] 51-GOICHI- - 51st DIMENSION : THE YANG (#2 Fatal Attraction feat. AI)
- [2003.09.25] Heartsdales - Sugar Shine (#16 Baby Shine feat. AI (Deckstream REMIX))
- [2003.12.10] VOICE OF LOVE POSSE - VOICE OF LOVE~上を向いて歩こう (#1 VOICE OF LOVE~上を向いて歩こう (ORIGINAL MIX), #2 VOICE OF LOVE~上を向いて歩こう (REMIX))
- [2004.01.28] DOUBLE - too Wonderful (#10 Rollin' on remix feat. AI, #11 My Friend with AI (R. Yamaki Remix))
- [2004.03.03] Rhythm & Babe (#1 Killing Me Softly with his Song)
- [2004.04.07] MICHICO - O.P.D. (#2 GOLD DIGGA featuring AI DJ HAZIME REMIX, #4 GOLD DIGGA featuring AI DJ HAZIME REMIX (Instrumental)
- [2004.06.23] DJ WATARAI - ia presents HARLEM MIX SHOW Mixed by DJ WATARAI (#4 Welcome 2 Da Party feat. HI-D, AI)
- [2004.09.15] m-flo - ASTROMANTIC CHARM SCHOOL (#6 STARSTRUCK -Sakai, Asuka Savannh Remix)
- [2005.01.26] DJ MASTERKEY - DADDY'S HOUSE Vol.3 (#3 DON'T GET IT TWISTED feat. CHRIS & AI)
- [2005.03.24] JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS - JHETT (#13 Uh Uh......" feat. AI / SUITE CHIC" Ver. 2K5)
- [2005.09.07] Tokyo Engi -TKO HIP HOP- Original Soundtrack
- [2005.09.07] DELI - TIME 4 SOME ACTION (#6 TELL ME feat.Hannya, 565, AI)
- [2005.10.26] DJ MASTERKEY - DADDY'S HOUSE BEST (#2 HOLIDAY feat. CHRIS)
- [2006.05.24] 嫌われ松子の歌た (#5 What Is A Life / AI & Oikawa Rin)
- [2006.06.07] DJ MASTERKEY - Adventure Of Daddy's House (#28 HOLIDAY feat. CHRIS & AI)
- [2007.03.07] Giant Swing - Giant Swing Deli (#5 BITTER LIFE feat. AI)
- [2007.06.13] remistura / Rmixed and Compile by Liga Oriente (#3 My Friend -Liga Oriente Remix-)
- [2007.10.24] Trey Songz - Trey Day (#15 Are You A Perfoma feat. AI)
- [2008.05.28] DOUBLE - THE BEST COLLABORATIONS (#6 My friend I'arpege noir mix with AI)
- [2008.06.11] Tsuchiya Anna - Crazy World feat. AI
- [2008.07.23] EXILE - EXILE Entertainment Best (#15 So Special -Version EX-)
- [2008.09.17] ZEEBRA - The Anthology (#21 GOLDEN MIC (REMIX) feat. KASHI DA HANDSOME, AI, Dohzi-T,Hannya), #27 Do What U Gotta Do feat. AI, Amuro Namie, Mummy-D)
- [2009.01.28] Lalapipo Official Compilation Album (#14 people in the World (Movies Short Version))
- [2009.01.28] DABO - I'm The Best (#4 スーパーバックシャン (Yes,Sir) feat. AI)
- [2009.02.25] GICODE - HOME SWEET HOME (#1 HOME SWEET HOME with AI, JAMOSA)
- [2009.03.04] James Morrison - Songs For You, Truths For Me (#15 Broken Strings featuring AI)
- [2009.03.11] Tsuchiya Anna - Nudy Xxxremixxxxxxx!!!!!!!! Show! (#1 Crazy World (FPM Hyper Society mix))
- [2009.09.02] DJ Caroline D'amore - J-Girls' Celebrity Mix (#4 IT'S SHOW TIME!!! [J-GIRLS' CELEBRITY MIX VER.])
- [2009.09.16] DJ WATARAI - RE:MIX:ER (#15 Welcome 2 Da Party feat. HI-D, AI)
- [2009.10.28] AFRA - Heat Beat (#11 Beat It feat. AI)
- [2009.11.25] Special Calling -session 2- (#2 Birthday Song)
- [2009.12.23] DELI The Bible For Survival - (#2 今夜はバースデーバッシュ Feat. AI, DABO, #10 今夜はバースデーバッシュ (オートチューン ver.) Feat. AI,DABO)
- [2010.04.21] DJ HASEBE - Woofin Presents "CANDYMAN" Mixed by DJ HASEBE (#9 HOME SWEET HOME WITH AI, JAMOSA, #23 I'll Remember You)
- [2010.05.19] RUDEBWOY FACE - Best Combinations - Magnum Mix - Mixed by Seven Star & DJ SN-Z from OZROSAURUS (#8 Change The World feat. AI)
- [2010.07.28] Aoyama Thelma - Love! 2 -Thelma Best Collaborations- (#2 This Love feat. AI)
Filmography
- [2006.04.28] Music From "Memories of Matsuko" -Kiraware Matsuko no Ongaku- Making of Kiraware Matsuko no Issho
- [2010.04.28] Blue Pacific Stories
Photobooks
- [2010.11] AI LOVES L.A. (Includes: CD, DVD, Book and a luxury bag)
External Links
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