AYUMI HAMASAKI: HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE

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From what I’ve been able to gather, Ayumi’s new single, the touching ballad “How Beautiful You Are,” is presently only available in digital format from the Japanese iTunes store and Mu-Mo (http://music.mu-mo.net/). It is reported to be the theme song to Fuji T.V.'s new 10P.M. Thursday drama Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi and, for better or worse, it does have a certain generic television theme song vibe to it.  Still, if you like Ayumi’s ballads and the acoustic and orchestral versions of her songs then you are sure to love it as  Ayumi sings most of the song softly over piano and lush orchestral strings.

The B-side is an instrumental version of the song, probably intended for use as a karaoke version as it does still have some of the backing vocals. 

“How Beautiful You Are” will appear on Ayumi’s upcoming 13th original studio album titled Party Queen, which will be released on March 21st of this year.  

Normally, Japanese artists release a series of singles then release an album compiling those singles along with a half-dozen or so new tracks.  Party Queen will be a rare exception to that way of doing things because it will feature 14 brand new songs, none of which will have been released previously, apart from the digital release of "How Beautiful You Are." -Michael McCarthy