Before becoming a singer, you must first decide what name you will debut under.
The two girls use the stage names "Little Walnut" and "Little Bear Light" respectively.
When Ayumi Hamasaki was a model, her stage name was "Little Walnut". The person who gave her this name was the president of a children's modeling agency. At that time, she was ignorant and only regarded modeling as a job to support her family. She was not interested in this
I don't think the name means anything.
But now, when I want to debut as a singer, I feel that this name sounds silly. This is a reflection of my inner concern.
The seed of becoming a singer has unknowingly sprouted into real seeds.
Ayumi Hamasaki didn't like the name "Little Walnut". Shinichi Iwahashi, who was usually the most reasonable, was uncompromising at this time and made the final decision: "In the group, that's what you'll be called."
Hamasaki protested to him: "You are not my producer."
With one word, she tried to draw Akina Nakamori into the battle.
The idea of producing an album was decided on in the recording studio at home, but Shinichi Iwahashi requested not to talk about the album at home.
The battlefield where the two men argued was the small conference room next to Shinichi Iwahashi's office.
For this album, Shinichi Iwahashi officially proposed the plan, and personally came forward to greet Warner, and "seconded" their singer Akina Nakamori to serve as the music producer.
Except for the initial proposal, which seemed to be spur of the moment, the rest of the process was nothing more than a formal record.
Hamasaki held his neck and quarreled with Shinichi Iwahashi, which surprised the clerk assigned to handle the album. Unexpectedly, this girl who was so polite when entering and leaving the company actually had such an explosive side.
The old manager Da Ben felt some kind of strange kindness from this girl.
Iwahashi Shinichi was amused by the girl's words and explained to her seriously: "I am not your music producer."
Akina Nakamori is their music producer this time, but other than music production, the coordinating producer Shinichi Iwahashi is in charge.
The girl didn't expect this, and showed an angry expression.
Akina Nakamori was suddenly involved in a dispute between the chief producer and a girl singer, and couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. In her mind, she suddenly remembered what happened before her debut.
At that time, the agency wanted to give her a stage name, but she insisted on using the name "Nakamori Akina".
Ayumi Hamasaki's reluctance to use her stage name is actually a manifestation of her assertiveness. With Shinichi Iwahashi's high hopes for her, this assertiveness should be what Shinichi Iwahashi expects her to have. But what he is doing now, isn't it?
Suppress her opinion?
The girl hit a wall with Iwahashi Shinichi and turned her attention to Nakamori Akina, hoping to get her help. Nakamori Akina looked at her husband, looking at his unwavering look, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration and understood his good intentions.
Ayumi Hamasaki, who rejects "Little Walnut" at this moment, forms a subtle echo with Akina Nakamori in her girlhood. However, now Ayumi Hamasaki only subconsciously seeks help from another authority, assuming that Akina Nakamori will stand
On her side.
This is a place where girls have not yet grown up.
Shinichi Iwahashi exchanged glances with her, and the couple's tacit understanding was fully reflected at this moment.
Ayumi Hamasaki is not a person who is not good at observing words and emotions. In other words, all the troubles he has been having since coming to Tokyo are all side effects of being too observant.
Seeing that Akina Nakamori did not express her position, she knew that the matter could not be changed, and the big devil Shinichi Iwahashi made the final decision.
The girl felt some emotions she had never experienced before, and finally opened her eyes, "Even so... I will sing under the name 'Hamasaki Ayumi' one day!"
This time, Akina Nakamori was convinced that the girl had made her true declaration as a singer.
It's not about who she sings for, but in what capacity she sings. When she has this awareness, she will naturally think about how she will sing and how she will present it to the audience.
Shinichi Iwahashi proposed making this family album, as if he were taking this opportunity to tell Ayumi Hamasaki how to become a singer, and what is the most important thing about becoming a singer.
Listening to the girl's declaration, Iwahashi Shinichi smiled and turned serious: "Then you have to remember these words and the feeling of this moment."
He had never spoken to Hamasaki so seriously.
The girl reacted for a moment, and then showed her stubbornness.
…
In sharp contrast to Hamasaki Ayumi's stage name, Utada Hikaru accepted the name "Little Bear Hikari" with great interest. A junior who matched "Little Bear" very well, although there was suspicion of Little Bear and her food.
Utada Hikaru was quite cool about this, "There are many songs I want to sing."
When it’s Hikaru Utada, there are songs that Hikaru Utada wants to sing. When it’s Hikaru Kouma, there are songs that Hikari Kouma wants to sing.
Although this child is young, his inner core is so stable that even adults admire him with admiration.
There was still no idea of what song to sing, and the singer had already had a quarrel with the co-producer. However, Shinichi Iwahashi was happy to see the outcome.
After the two girls left, Iwahashi Shinichi said to Nakamori Akina: "This is a good start."
"Because Ayu-chan is serious about becoming a singer?" Nakamori Akina understood Iwahashi Shinichi's thoughts.
Inviting Akina Nakamori to be the producer is indeed a good idea.
With this album, Shinichi Iwahashi was not just trying to guide Ayumi Hamasaki. He reminded Akina Nakamori: "You are the real producer now."
This album was not only prepared for Hamasaki Ayumi, but also for Nakamori Akina. At this moment, she felt that she and her husband were one and the same. Not only were they close to each other in life, but they were also close to each other at work.
understand.
"That kid told me that I might not be able to be her producer." Iwahashi Shinichi did not regard this sentence as a child's joke.
"You mean I can be that kid's producer?"
Akina Nakamori heard an unexpected answer. Although she enthusiastically participated in the production of this family album, she never thought that this girl who had high hopes from Iwahashi Shinichi would have her own career as a singer in the future.
participate.
Iwahashi Shinichi took it as a matter of course, "Can't you be her producer?"
"That's what I said." Akina Nakamori has never been a producer other than her own music.
However, she did not categorically deny that she could be Hamasaki's producer.
Iwahashi Shinichi encouraged Nakamori Akina, "The more you watch her, the more you learn about her transformation from 'Little Walnut' to 'Hamasaki Ayumi'. You will understand her better than anyone else."
This record will tell Ayumi Hamasaki what is most important in becoming a singer. At the same time, Shinichi Iwahashi also hopes that this record will also inspire Akina Nakamori to become a producer.
With the arrival of a new era, Nakamori Akina's keen intuition for the stage may not be able to create special sparks with this new era hero who has high hopes.