Ai Kawashima

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Ai Kawashima
川嶋あい

Ai Kawashima live at Japan Day 2009 in Central Park
Background information
Birth name 川島 愛
Born February 21, 1986 (1986-02-21) (age 23)
Origin Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, Japan
Genres J-pop
Occupations Singer-songwriter, pianist
Years active 1999-present
Labels Tsubasa Records
Associated acts I WiSH
Website Kawashima Ai.com

Ai Kawashima (川嶋 あい Kawashima Ai?), born February 21, 1986 in Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and pianist.

Contents

[edit] Profile

Kawashima dreamed of becoming a singer from a young age. Her father vanished before she was born, and she was raised by her mother. She first began learning to play the piano at the age of 3. Kawashima's mother died when she was just 3 years old. She was taken to an orphanage and eventually adopted by the Kawashima family, owners of a construction company. Her adoptive father died when she was 10, and her adoptive mother died when she was 16. Every year since her adoptive mother's death, she has held a concert on August 20th in her memory. Now she is singing not only for her mother, but also for people who listen to her songs, wishing for world peace. Kawashima has also helped to establish schools in poor countries, 3 schools have already been built, her goal is to build 100 schools.

Before she became famous, she set herself the goal of performing 1000 times on the street, finally accomplishing this after she became well known. Her voice has been likened to that of an angel. At first, there were only a few people listening to her busking, but gradually she attracted many fans. She initially dreamt of becoming an enka singer. She performed on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York at around the age of 10. In 1999, she released "Juu-roku Koi Gokoro / Anata ni Kataomoi" - however, due to poor sales, she abandoned enka a few months later and took charge of her own composition.

At some point, she and "Nao" formed the duo I WiSH and had a decent level of success, but the band was dissolved in 2005 so that Kawashima and Nao could concentrate on solo projects.

Some of Kawashima's songs have been used as theme songs for anime and video games. Zetsubou to Kibou (絶望と希?) is the theme song of Shining Force Neo; "Compass" was is the theme song of the eighth One Piece movie Episode of Alabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates, and "Kimi no Koe" is the ending theme song of The Place Promised in Our Early Days. One of her newest songs, "Door Crawl", is the theme song of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

  1. [2003.08.21] Tenshitachi no Melody / Tabidachi no Asa (「天使たちのメロディー/旅立ちの朝」)
  2. [2004.02.18] 12-ko no Kisetsu ~4 Dome no Haru~ (「12個の季節～4度目の春～」)
  3. [2004.05.25/06.02] Page 525 (525ページ)
  4. [2004.08.04] Mermaid (「マーメイド」)
  5. [2004.11.17] 'Sayonara' 'Arigatō' ~Tatta Hitotsu no Basho~ (「さよなら」「ありがとう」～たった一つの場所～)
  6. [2005.04.06] Zetsubō to Kibō (「絶望と希望」)
  7. [2005.08.24] ...Arigatō... (「・・・ありがとう．．．」)
  8. [2006.02.01] Dear / Tabidachi no Hi ni... (Dear/旅立ちの日に…)
  9. [2006.04.19] Mienai Tsubasa (「見えない翼」)
  10. [2006.10.11] Taisetsu na Yakusoku / Mou Hitotsu no Yakusoku (「大切な約束/もう１つの約束」)
  11. [2007.02.14] My Love
  12. [2007.03.14] compass
  13. [2007.05.30] Kimi ni..... (「君に･････」)
  14. [2007.10.03] Shiawase Desu ka / Suitcase (「幸せですか/スーツケース」)
  15. [2007.12.12] Door Crawl (「ドアクロール」)
  16. [2008.08.20] Kakera (「カケラ」)
  17. [2009.04.08] Daijōbu da yo (「大丈夫だよ」)
  18. [2009.12.16] Daisuki da yo (「大好きだよ」)

[edit] Mini Albums

  1. [2002.07.13] Kono Basho Kara... (「この場所から・・・」)
  2. [2002.10.18] Habatakeru Hi Made... (「はばたける日まで・・・」)
  3. [2002.12.26] Ayumi Tsuzukeru Tame ni... (「歩みつづけるために・・・」)
  4. [2003.03.08] Yuki ni Saku Hana no yō ni... (「雪に咲く花のように・・・」)
  5. [2003.05.23] Ashita o Shinjite... (「明日を信じて・・・」)
  6. [2003.08.02] Utai Tsuzukeru Kara... (「歌いつづけるから・・・」)

[edit] Albums

  1. [2005.05.18] 12-ko no Uta (Message) (12個の歌(メッセージ))
  2. [2005.09.28] Rojoushuu 1 Gou (「路上集Ⅰ号」)
  3. [2006.05.24] Thank You! (サンキュー!)
  4. [2006.08.23] Piano Songs ~Rojoushuu 2 Gou~ (Piano Songs～路上集2号～)
  5. [2007.06.27] Ashiato (足あと)
  6. [2008.04.23] Café & Musique ~Rojoushuu 3 Gou~ (Café & Musique ～路上集3号～)
  7. [2008.06.04] SINGLE BEST
  8. [2008.06.04] COUPLING BEST
  9. [2009.06.03] Simple Treasure

[edit] DVD

  1. [2004.12.01] 道の途中で...。 (Michi no Tochuu de...)
  2. [2005.06.08] ライブ1000回達成記念～1136日の記録～ (LIVE 1000-kai Tassei Kinen ~1136 Nichi no Kiroku~)
  3. [2005.12.21] PV Collection +α
  4. [2006.11.01] ドラマ (大切な約束) (Drama (Taisetsu na Yakusoku))
  5. [2006.11.29] つばさ祭'06～秘密の陣～ (Tsubasa-Sai '06 ~Himitsu no Jin~)
  6. [2006.12.20] 川嶋あいConcert Tour2006 ～サンキュー！～ (Kawashima Ai Concert Tour 2006 ~Thank You~!)
  7. [2007.04.11] 2003.8.20 渋谷公会堂 ～旅立ちの朝～ (2003.8.20 Shibuya Kōkaidō ~Tabidachi no Asa~)
  8. [2007.06.27] つばさ祭'07～春の陣～ (Tsubasa-Sai '07 ~Haru no Jin~)
  9. [2007.12.26] Ai Kawashima Concert 2007 足あと (Ai Kawashima Concert 2007 Ashi Ato)
  10. [2009.04.08] The BEST -seventeenfivetwentyto- Ai Kawashima Concert Tour 2008
  11. [2010.01.13] What's your Simple Treasure? SPECIAL Ai Kawashima Concert Tour 2009 渋谷C.C.Lemonホール (What's your Simple Treasure? SPECIAL Ai Kawashima Concert Tour 2009 Shibuya C.C.Lemon Hall)

[edit] Books

  1. 16歳の白い地図 (16-sai no Shiroi Chizu) [2003-07-25]
    1. Publisher: 学習研究社 (Gakushuukenkyuusha)
    2. ISBN：4054022057
  2. 蒼い旅の続き (Aoi Tabi no Tsuzuki) [2004-09-02]
    1. Publisher: 幻冬舎 (Gentosha)
    2. ISBN 4-344-00669-0
  3. 最後の言葉 (Saigo no Kotoba) [2005-09-01]
    1. Publisher: ゴマブックス (Goma Books)
    2. ISBN：4344006690

[edit] External links

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