I am...


 * Artist
 * Hamasaki Ayumi


 * Album
 * I am...


 * Released
 * 2002.01.01


 * Catalog Number
 * AVCD-17037


 * Price
 * ¥ 3,059


 * CD Tracklist
 * 1) I am...
 * 2) opening Run
 * 3) Connected
 * 4) UNITE!
 * 5) evolution
 * 6) Naturally
 * 7) NEVER EVER
 * 8) still alone
 * 9) Daybreak
 * 10) taskinlude
 * 11) M
 * 12) A Song is born
 * 13) Dearest
 * 14) no more words
 * 15) Endless sorrow ~gone with the wind ver.~
 * 16) flower garden (hidden track)

Information
I am... is the fourth full-length studio album by J-Pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki, released on January 1, 2002 in Japan. The album marked an evolution in Hamasaki's lyrical and musical style: Hamasaki began to move away from the themes of "loneliness and confusion" that had marked her previous albums and began to incorporate elements of rock music in her songs. I am... was a commercial success, both in Japan (selling over 2 million copies) and in other Asian countries. In Singapore, I am... sold over 10,000 copies, unusual for a Japanese album.

Influence
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Hamasaki had a "change of heart": although she had already been planning the album since 2001, she dropped her original idea for the album after the attacks. Influenced by the events, Hamasaki departed from the themes of "loneliness and confusion" that had marked her previous releases and focused on more worldly themes, such as faith and peace. The lyrics of "A Song is Born", in particular, were directly influenced by the attacks. Hamasaki also revised the album artwork to fit in with der new themes: she portrayed herself on the album cover as a "peace muse", clad in vines and with a dove seated on her shoulder - with the dove representing peace. The liner notes also depicted Hamasaki thus, as did the television advertisement for the album. The outlook inspired by September 11 attacks extended beyonf the album. Before I am..., Hamasaki felt that she would not enter an Asian market; thus, she never performed outside Japan and did not use English in der lyrics. However, shortly after the release of the album, she performed at the 2002 MTV Music Awards ceremony, her first performance held outside Japan.

Composition and musical style
I am... marked the beginning of Hamasaki's increased controll over her music, as she began to compose herself, under the pseudonym "Crea". The decision to compose her own songs came about when she was composing "M", the lead single of the album. None of the melodies composed by her staff fit her vision of the song, and she decided to compose herself. Finding that by composing herself, she produced songs closer to what she had in mind, she composed nearly all the song on the album. Many of the songs on the album shift keys; most shift to a relative key. "M" and "Still alone" shift to the parallel key; "evolution" and "Naturally" shift to the dominant and subdominant keys, respectively. Hamasaki began to incorporate rock and electronica into her music. The album uses a variety of instruments. "M" uses piano, strings, bells and electric guiltar; "A Song is born" uses a sythesizer; and "Endless sorrow" and "No More Words" uses piano and orchestral strings. The track "M" was also mistakenly called Maria, referring to the "Maria" in the song.

Oricon Weekly Ranks & Sales
Total Sales: 2,308,112 (Oricon) Total Sales 3,00,000 (Avex)