Birth name: Ai Otsuka, Ōtsuka Ai, 大塚愛
Nickname: Ai-chin, Ai-chan, AiO, Love
Birthday: 9-9, 1982
Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Genre(s): Japanese Pop
Occupation(s) Singer, Songwriter, Composer, actress
Instrument(s) Piano
Height: 157cm / 5'2"
Foot Size: 22.5cm
Hobbies: Swimming, Horror Movies, Piano-playing
Pets: 2 dwarf rabbits (Choco and Cocoa)
Active years: 2003-present
Ai Otsuka information
Otsuka Ai is a very popular artist on the avex trax label. She first appeared in September 2003 with the single Momo no Hanabira, but it wasn't until her 2nd single Sakuranbo that her talent was noticed. A piano player since age 4, Otsuka composes and co-produces her songs. She also writes her own lyrics. Her music ranges from upbeat catchy pop/rock music that can be heard in tracks like Happy Days and Sakuranbo to touching ballads like Daisuki da yo and Planetarium.
JAM PUNCH Tour 2005, her first tour began on April 24, 2005. It completed in June 2005 and a Live DVD with footage will be released on July 27, 2005. LOVE COOK, her 3rd album was released on December 14, 2005. Otsuka Ai performed at Makuhari Messe on July 7th, 2007, for one of Japan's two Live Earth concerts, alongside contemporaries Koda Kumi and ayaka.
Ai Otsuka's debut album LOVE PUNCH was released in March 2004 and was a huge success, earning Otsuka nicknames such as "The New Guru of Love". Her second single called "Sakuranbo" stayed on the Oricon charts for 101 weeks.
Surprisingly, Ai's second album, LOVE JAM, was released only 8 months after her first in November 2004. It debuted at NO.1. In other works, Ai has acted in the "Tokyo Friends" dorama. She also has a radio show called "Otsuka Ai ai-r Jack" and has appeared in various CMs. Furthermore, Otsuka pens column in two Japanese magazines; "Love Column" in Zipper and "Love World ~ Eye Love Pictures" in B-Pass. Kimi iro Omoi, Otsuka's first photobook, was released on March 1st, 2005. A talented graphic artist as well, the first pressings of her albums and some singles have included a limited edition picture book illustrated by Ai herself. Many of her illustrations can be seen at the Gallery section of her official website.
