Yū Hayami

is a Japanese singer and television personality. In 2011, the Japanese music television program Music Station listed her as the 50th all-time best-selling idol in Japan, with 2,850,000 records sold.

Childhood and education Hayami was born in Atami, Shizuoka, and was raised in Guam and Hawaii from the age of 3 to 14 years old. She was scouted by an agent at the age of 14 and soon moved back to Japan to start her career as a singer. After graduating from Horikoshi High School in 1986, she entered Sophia University and graduated, receiving a bachelor's degree in Comparative Culture.

Career In 1982, Hayami gained her J-pop singer's debut with the single "Isoide Hatsukoi" (ASAP, my first love!) after being scouted by a talent agent in a shopping mall's elevator in Hawaii in 1980 when she was only 14 years old. Named "Bilingual girl back from Hawaii" due to her ability to speak very fluent English because of her background, Hayami was instantly recognised and touted as one of the best newcomers to watch out for. She proceeded to win most of the major newcomers' awards by end of 1982.

She gained her first acting role in the 1982 film Santō Kōkōsei. Up till 2008, Hayami has appeared in 13 movies, including one produced and filmed entirely in Hong Kong in 1987.

In 1983, her fifth single, "Natsu Iro no Nancy" (Summer Coloured Nancy), was selected as a campaign song for a Coca-Cola commercial, and she became a cover girl of that. The single became Hayami's first big hit, making it to the top 10 of the Oricon Chart, winning countless awards. As a result of the success of the song, Hayami made her first appearance at the 34th edition of the year end NHK Red and White Song Festival. Hayami would later participate in that prestigious show for two more years.

In 1985, in order to shed off her "teen idol" image, Hayami began releasing euro beat dance music, and was well received.

In the early 1990s, when her pop music career began to decline, Hayami shifted her focus to become an actress and TV and radio presenter. Being able to speak fluent English, Hayami's hosted programs were all catered to English-speaking education materials and were all very popular. Hayami has continued her successful presenter's work, and can still be regularly seen on entertainment variety programs singing her signature songs from the early stage of her idol career.

In 2005, Hayami, along with Iyo Matsumoto and Chiemi Hori (all of whom debuted in 1982), formed the unit Cutie☆Mommy. They released a para para version of the Mickey Mouse March, which had significant success (ranking 72nd on the Oricon charts). It was featured in the Just Dance Wii 2 game for the Wii, and was also used on segments on the Disney Channel in the US.

Aside from releasing numerous hit singles and albums, Hayami has been very active in theater and in TV and films as well. In 2008, she starred as the Captain General in the Tokusatsu series Tomica Hero: Rescue Force.

Hayami is a co-host alongside Master Chef Tatsuo Saito on the NHK program Dining with the Chef, which airs internationally on NHK World. Together, they present the basics and importance of Japanese cuisine.

In 2017, the unit Cutie☆Mommy was renewed, this time with Hiroko Moriguchi replacing Chiemi Hori, and was renamed Cutie☆MoriMori. In February 2024, the unit released a new single, entitled "Soro Soro Fuyu desu nee" (It's almost winter, isn't it?), produced by Noritake Kinashi and written by George Tokoro. The single was billed to each singer individually (particularly on streaming sites such as RecoChoku and Apple Music).

Hayami proudly celebrated her 40th debut anniversary in 2022, by releasing a compilation album of her hit singles, as well as songs that have never been released in "Affection~Yu Hayami's 40th Anniversary album" in October 2022. She also held a live performance at Shibuya's Pleasure Pleasure in 2023. She has since steadily released new songs and is in collaboration with DJ Night Tempo.

Personal life Hayami is married and has two daughters.

Discography

Singles

Digital single Year Single Reference2021"Dear Earth" 2023"Shampoo Night Tempo feat. Yu Hayami"

Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon And I Love YouReleased: 21 June 1982 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 23 ImageReleased: 21 November 1982 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 15 LanaiReleased: 1 May 1983 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 5 Colorful BoxReleased: 21 November 1983 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 6 RecessReleased: 1 March 1984 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 5 MusicReleased: 1 December 1984 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 21 WOW!Released: 1 May 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 18 TwinReleased: 30 November 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 29 Burning IllusionReleased: 22 May 1986 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 29 Shadows of the NightReleased: 29 November 1986 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 50 Get Down!Released: 5 August 1987 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 33 WHO'S GONNA COME?Released: 25 March 1988 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 58 MomentsReleased: 4 December 1988 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - "—" denotes items which did not chart

Live albums + List of live albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon HAPPY SIGN Live! 1984Released: 30 June 1984 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 26 Exciting You '85 Stand UpReleased: 21 June 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 45

EPs + List of EPS, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon DearReleased: 21 August 1983 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 SincerelyReleased: 2 September 1984 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 9 YŪReleased: 1 February 1986 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 15 Delicacy of LoveReleased: 25 August 2016 Label: Slenderie Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 66

Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon You BestReleased: 1 November 1984 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 KidsReleased: 31 August 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 You Best '85Released: 28 September 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 17 YU "SINGLE A" BEST COLLECTIONReleased: 20 December 1985 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 YŪ's BEATReleased: 28 November 1987 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 63 YŪ's BESTReleased: 8 April 1989 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 YŪ's GOODSReleased: 6 December 1989 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 49 SINCE 1982 MAIDEN VOYAGE: Best of YuReleased: 7 March 1990 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 7 Hayami no American KidsReleased: 16 December 1992 Label: Taurus Records Formats: CD, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Yu "Single A" Best CollectionReleased: 25 November 1995 Label: Polydor Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Golden Best Yu Hayami Kyōhei Tsutsumi Pops BestReleased: 25 November 2003 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Idol Revival Greatest Hits Yu HayamiReleased: 17 January 2007 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Thank YU: 30th Anniversary Single BestReleased: 28 March 2012 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - Golden Idol Yu HayamiReleased: 28 March 2014 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming - 35th Anniversary Celebration: From Yu to YouReleased: 18 April 2018 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 152 Affection: Yu Hayami 40th Anniversary CompilationReleased: 22 October 2022 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 75 "—" denotes items which did not chart

Box sets + List of box sets, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak positionsJPNOricon 82-85 BOKURA NO BEST YU HAYAMI CD-BOXReleased: 17 October 2002 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming - Thank YU: 30th Anniversary Special BoxReleased: 18 April 2012 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape, digital download, streaming 164 "—" denotes items which did not chart

Other appearances + List of non-studio album or guest appearances that feature Yu Hayami Title Year Artist Album/Single "Right Here Right Now" 2020 Takashi Fujii SLENDERIE ideal