Yu Hayami^[2] (Japanese: 早見 優, Hepburn: Hayami Yū, born 2 September 1966) 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.^[3]

Childhood and education

Hayami was born in Atami, Shizuoka, and was raised in Guam and Hawaii^[4] from the age of 3 to 14 years old.^[5] She was scouted by an agent at the age of 14 and soon moved back to Japan to start her career as a singer.^[6] After graduating from Horikoshi High School in 1986, she entered Sophia University and graduated, receiving a bachelor's degree in Comparative Culture.^[7]

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 the first 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.

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.

Personal life

Hayami is married and has two daughters.^[8]

On January 13, 2016, while filming a travel program with Iyo Matsumoto, both of them allegedly trespassed onto the track of the Sanin Main Line near Saga-Arashiyama Station in Kyoto without authorization and were almost prosecuted. Both Matsumoto and Hayami were heavily criticized by the media and held separate press conferences apologising after the incident were made public. After the situation was assessed, and both were acknowledged as unaware of the regulations, the charge was dropped.^[9]

Discography