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Thirty years ago, when the shy but enormously talented 17-year-old Anri released her debut single "Olivia wo Kikinagara"(Listening to Olivia) and first album Apricot Jam, the singer could scarcely have imagined that she would one day become not only one of Japan's most popular and influential songwriters, performers and musical icons, but a vibrant cultural ambassador for her homeland as well.

Infusing elements of American R&B, rock and jazz into her energetic J-pop style, she revolutionized Japanese pop music, scoring enduring hits with numerous songs that have become standards, including the theme song to "Cat's Eye" from the NTV animation series (which debuted at 1 on Countdown Japan) and the romantic ballads "Summer Candles" and "Dolphin Ring," which years later remain popular staples at wedding ceremonies throughout the country. Inspired by the American breakdancing film "Breakin'," Anri brought the popular dance moves to the stage for the first time during her national tour in 1988; her shows included two of the performers from the movie. Thanks to her unique influence, the traditionally reserved Japanese culture opened up to the very Western concept of incorporating dance with music in live performances. To this day, dance is a major part of the Japanese concert experience. An equally innovative force in the worlds of fashion, makeup and hair styles, Anri brought her music and elegant sophistication to a global audience for the first time by performing the official theme song for the 1998 Winter Olympics at Nagano.

After playing thousands of concerts, recording over 40 albums, composing 200 songs for herself and other top Japanese and Asian artists and creating some of Japan's most innovative pop music videos (close to 100 long and short form clips), Anri is still at the top of her game entering her incredible fourth decade of writing and performing. Her latest album, Tears of Anri, reached the Top 15 on the Japanese pop charts in 2007 and she appeared on every major Japanese music and talk show. One of her songs was chosen as the theme for one of the country's most popular morning shows, and another, "Natsuno Yume" (Summer Dream) was a 1 Japanese pop hit for singer Ryu Siwon in 2006.

She also enjoyed great success earlier in the 2000s with her greatest hits compilation Anri － The Best and her 2000 original recording The Beach House, which was based on her theme song "Return To The Sea." These were followed by her collections Quiet Storm (2002) and Sol (2006), which were produced by legendary American contemporary jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour and featured performances by him and other top Los Angeles based session musicians Jimmy Johnson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Alex Acuna, Luis Conte and Steve Tavaglione.

Truly a musical citizen of the world, Anri has recorded projects everywhere from Australia to London, but her role as a true innovator in Japanese pop music stems from being one of the first artists ever to come to the U.S. and work with top American studio musicians in Los Angeles and New York. Her first studio experience in L.A. was at the famed A&M Studios, where she ran into two of her greatest vocal influences, the late Minnie Riperton and Karen Carpenter. Over the years, she has returned to the West Coast numerous times to record with the famed "Toto guys" who were also top session players―Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather and David Paich―as well as Ray Parker, Jr., Lee Sklar and multiple Grammy winning producer David Foster. Her massive discography also features dynamic vocal duets with American vocal greats Peabo Bryson, Michael Franks, Philip Bailey and Johnny Gill. Anri has been a huge concert attraction in Hawaii since performing there for the first time in the late 80s, and would often fly the California-based musicians to the islands for recording sessions.

One of Anri's most popular American-influenced albums is 1988's million selling 1 dance-driven Boogie Woogie Mainland, which had a major Earth, Wind & Fire influence and included performances by many of EWF's backing musicians. "I felt that the American musicians had certain unique funkiness that would work perfectly," she says. "Having them work with me was exciting and part of my overall desire to always be original in everything I do and not mimic other artists just because they're popular." This project helped the singer pioneer the movement of bringing distinctly American dance music and performance styles to Japan. Her arena concerts in the late 80s in support of this album incorporated dancers and a horn section for the first time. At first, people were shocked and surprised at the difference from the typical concert presentation, but Anri succeeded in launching a trend that has since become a Japanese live performance trademark. In the 80s when she held auditions to hire dancers for her shows, there were very few to choose from, but now 300-400 routinely show up; thanks to her influence, Japan now recognizes the joyful expression and artistic importance of modern dance.

Ritenour observes, "One thing you can say about her is that her career has been long and innovative and she has pioneered so many different musical and performance styles. Before she came along, Japanese music or J-pop didn't have all of the American and British influences it has now. She's really been a wonderful ambassador for her home culture."

Anri grew up in a very strict and proper family environment, but found a way of releasing her deepest emotions playing the piano. Finding her self-expression by playing middle of the road pop songs, mellow inspirational music and orchestral music, she also began developing her voice and singing along to songs by some of her favorite Japanese artists and American based heroines like Olivia Newton-John, Karen Carpenter, Minnie Riperton and Joni Mitchell. One day, a family friend who was a prominent TV director heard her and asked if she would like to be a professional singer.

"I was only 16 years old, and I didn't have the confidence at the time," she recalls, "but I thought it might be fun to try. He eventually hooked me up with different production people and a record company. They gave me songs to choose from and I had many favorites, but I picked a few of them, did a demo and this led to my recording of 'Olivia wo Kikinagara.' This became one of my most famous songs and I still sing it in concert. Shortly after that, on my one month summer holiday from school, I visited Los Angeles and had the incredible experience of recording at A&M Records. It was the most amazing thing to meet Karen Carpenter who was recording in another room and to walk down the hall and see Minnie Riperton."

Celebrating her 30th Anniversary as a recording artist in 2008, Anri is gearing up for a big national Japanese tour, a new album on Universal Records and a major environmental concert that has been close to her heart. "Thirty years is a long time to be writing, recording and performing," she says, "but I'm still as excited to make music now as I was when I was a teenager just starting out. I've always enjoyed doing new things that turned out to be successful and being able to look around, discover what I felt that the Japanese culture needed, and then start something fresh that nobody else had done. It hasn't always been an easy process, but there is so much to gain from taking the chance. I still am so moved when I'm performing my concerts and see the fans out there in such high spirits, sometimes crying tears of happiness, singing along to my songs and sometimes even knowing the lyrics better than I do myself. To me, there is nothing better than bringing my heart to the audience and touching them in such a joyful way."

三十年前，當害羞但才華橫溢的十七歲杏里(Anri)發行她第一張處女作單曲《Olivia wo Kikinagara》（聆聽著奧利維亞）和第一張專輯《Apricot Jam》時，她大概沒想到自己有一天會躍身成為日本最受歡迎和最具影響力的唱作人及演奏家之一。杏里不單是代表日本樂壇的一級巨星，她更是指標性的日本文化大使。

將美國節奏藍調、搖滾樂和爵士樂融入日本流行音樂旋律中，杏里在日本樂壇上牽起革命，把東西洋曲風連起線來，源源不絕的譜出多首燴灸人口的經典歌曲。其最受注目的作品包括有初登場便勇奪Countdown Japan排行榜第一位的日本電視台動畫【Cat’s Eye】主題曲，和到現在已成為日本婚禮上標準使用的浪漫情歌《Summer Candles》和《Dolphin Ring》。受到美國以霹靂舞為主題的電影【Breakin】影響，杏里在1988年把當時的流行舞蹈帶到巡迴演唱會的台上，還邀請了電影中的兩名演出者表演。

在杏里的積極推動下，日本傳統保守的演藝圈逐漸對西方的文化開放接受，例如把舞蹈融入音樂演唱會的表演中。而到今日，舞蹈已成為日本演唱會中不可或缺的原素之一。除了為音樂表演帶來新理念外，杏里也醉心於時裝、化妝及髮型設計，在1998年她更在日本長野舉行的冬季奧運會上顯盡其成熟風韻演繹奧運大會的指定主題曲。舉行過數千個演唱會，錄製過40餘張大碟，為自己及眾多頂級的亞洲歌手作過200首以上的樂曲，製作過近100個音樂錄像及短片，杏里繼續貫徹其專業精神和熱誠進入她第四個十年的唱作生涯。杏里在2007年發行的最新專輯《Tears of Anri》曾打入日本流行音樂排行榜十五位之內，她多年來亦出演過無數各電視台大型音樂及訪問節目作宣傳。杏里的歌曲除了曾被選為日本最受歡迎的早晨節目之主題曲外，另一首《Natsu no Yume》(夏日之夢)則是韓國著名歌手兼演員柳時元(Ryu Si Won)在2006年日本流行榜的冠軍作。

在2000年早期杏里推出過多張深受歡迎的大碟，包括《Anri – The Best》之精選碟，還有2000年發行，圍繞主題曲《Return To The Sea》以《The Beach House》命名的原創大碟。繼後還有2002年的專輯《Quiet Storm》和2006年的《Sol》，由美國現代爵士樂傳奇結他手Lee Ritenour製作及參與演奏，更請來頂尖洛杉磯錄音室音樂人如Jimmy Johnson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Alex Acuna, Luis Conte 及Steve Tavaglione合作。

貫徹其世界音樂人的風格路向，杏里的音樂製作旅程帶過她到英國以至澳洲等地，但令杏里奠定其創作領航者殿堂級地位的原因，莫過於她成為最早期能到美國洛杉磯和紐約錄音室灌錄唱片的日本歌手之一，和當地資深音樂人之交流合作的經歷。杏里首次到美國錄音便是去到聲譽卓著的洛杉磯A&M Studios，還在當時遇上最影響杏里的兩位金嗓子Minnie Riperton和Karen Carpenter。歷年來杏里在美國西岸也留下不少足印，除了和夢幻組合Toto guys (Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather和David Paich)合作，還夥拍過音樂人Ray Parker Jr., Lee Sklar及獲多次格林美音樂獎的製作人David Foster。杏里的唱片分目之廣泛，和她合唱過的有美國著名歌手Peabo Bryson, Michael Franks, Philip Bailey以及Johnny Gill。杏里早自80年代在夏威夷舉行的演唱會已是叫好叫座，她更常邀集一些西岸加州的音樂人到島嶼上製作音樂。

杏里其中一張最受美國文化影響的個人專輯是1988年銷量過百萬的大碟《Boogie Woogie Mainland》，其中跳舞音樂的風格深受組合Earth, Wind & Fire的薰陶，而實際上演奏班底中也有不少EWF的伴奏成員。杏里說:「我覺得美國的音樂人擁有一種別具一格的藝術性，和我會是完美的配搭。能和他們合作令我很興奮，也配合我一向的意旨支持一切原創，不去隨波逐流模仿別的藝人或作品。」這張大碟給杏里機會把美國獨特的音律和舞蹈表演方式帶到日本。在80 年代的競技場巡迴演唱會上，除了演繹這張非凡傑作外，表演中還第一次加挿了舞蹈和喇叭演奏。當時看慣了傳統日本演唱會的觀眾對新穎的演出反應震撼，而杏里亦因此成功的為當代音樂表演奠定了新的風格和潮流。在80年代，只有少數的舞蹈藝員會應徵試演這類的公演，但到今時今日平均也會有300-400多人去應徵爭同類台上演出的機會。多得杏里，日本才能體驗到現代舞蹈愉快的表達方式和認識到其藝術價值。

Ritenour談及杏里時述:「你可以說在她悠長的創作和音樂事業生涯中，她作為先驅為日本導入了大量多元化的音樂和表演方式。在杏里聲名大噪之前，日本流行樂壇是沒有如現在那麼多美國及英國的影響。她真是一位優秀的日本文化大使。」

杏里在一個家教嚴謹的家庭長大，但她發現原來彈鋼琴可以助她宣洩內心深處的情感。找到了渠道表達自己，杏里便開始由彈奏一般流行音樂，至感人肺腑的啟發性音樂及管弦樂，然後更進一步努力訓練自己的唱歌技巧，常跟著她崇拜的日本及美國歌手如Oliver Newton-John, Karen Carpenter, Minnie Riperton和Joni Mitchell的歌曲哼唱。有一天，一位家族朋友兼電視台高層聽到杏里的歌聲，便問她想不想成為專業的歌手。

「當時我只得16歲，又不夠自信。」杏里憶述。「但我覺得很有趣所以便想一試。這位朋友後來介紹我給不同的製作人和唱片公司，當時我從很多我喜愛的歌曲中選了幾首歌曲來試唱，繼而便有機會唱到《Olivia wo Kikinagara》。這首歌是我最受歡迎的歌曲之一，我到現在還會在演唱會上演唱。在那首歌之後，正當我放一個月的學校暑假時，我有幸飛了去洛杉磯 A&M Records錄音，那是一個畢生難忘和有點不可思議的經歷。在那裡，會遇到Karen Carpenter在隔鄰的錄音室錄音，又或者在走廊和Minnie Riperton擦身而過，實在令我驚喜交集。」

踏入2008年，為慶祝紀念杏里邁向三十週年的歌手生涯，杏里現正養精蓄銳籌備全國巡迴演唱會及將由環球唱片發行的新專輯，還會準備參與一個她一直都關心支持的大型環保演唱會。杏里說:「要寫作、錄音和演出三十個年頭，實在是一段很長的時間。但我對製作音樂依然覺得興奮，心情就如當初學生年代的我一樣。我一向都喜歡參與創作一些成功的新嘗試，還有就是不時留意和研究日本文化欠缺了什麼，然後去開拓一些別人沒做過的計劃。這條不是易走的路，但回報是值得的。我到現在仍然在演唱會表演時會很感動，尤其見到支持我的觀眾朋友都情緒高漲，有些還開心得哭出來，又或者歌迷跟著我唱歌時我會發現他們比我還要記得歌詞。對我來說，沒有比將心交出來給觀眾和他們分享快樂更美妙的事了。」

三十年前，当害羞但才华横溢的十七岁杏里(Anri)发行她第一张处女作单曲《Olivia wo Kikinagara》（聆听着奥利维亚）和第一张专辑《Apricot Jam》时，她大概没想到自己有一天会跃身成为日本最受欢迎和最具影响力的唱作人及演奏家之一。杏里不单是代表日本乐坛的一级巨星，她更是指标性的日本文化大使。

将美国节奏蓝调、摇滚乐和爵士乐融入日本流行音乐旋律中，杏里在日本乐坛上牵起革命，把东西洋曲风连起线来，源源不绝的谱出多首烩灸人口的经典歌曲。其最受注目的作品包括有初登场便勇夺Countdown Japan排行榜第一位的日本电视台动画【Cat’s Eye】主题曲，和到现在已成为日本婚礼上标准使用的浪漫情歌《Summer Candles》和《Dolphin Ring》。受到美国以霹雳舞为主题的电影【Breakin】影响，杏里在1988年把当时的流行舞蹈带到巡回演唱会的台上，还邀请了电影中的两名演出者表演。

在杏里的积极推动下，日本传统保守的演艺圈逐渐对西方的文化开放接受，例如把舞蹈融入音乐演唱会的表演中。而到今日，舞蹈已成为日本演唱会中不可或缺的原素之一。除了为音乐表演带来新理念外，杏里也醉心於时装、化妆及发型设计，在1998年她更在日本长野举行的冬季奥运会上显尽其成熟风韵演绎奥运大会的指定主题曲。

举行过数千个演唱会，录制过40馀张大碟，为自己及众多顶级的亚洲歌手作过200首以上的乐曲，制作过近100个音乐录像及短片，杏里继续贯彻其专业精神和热诚进入她第四个十年的唱作生涯。杏里在2007年发行的最新专辑《Tears of Anri》曾打入日本流行音乐排行榜十五位之内，她多年来亦出演过无数各电视台大型音乐及访问节目作宣传。杏里的歌曲除了曾被选为日本最受欢迎的早晨节目之主题曲外，另一首《Natsu no Yume》(夏日之梦)则是韩国着名歌手兼演员柳时元(Ryu Si Won)在2006年日本流行榜的冠军作。

在2000年早期杏里推出过多张深受欢迎的大碟，包括《Anri - The Best》之精选碟，还有2000年发行，围绕主题曲《Return to The Sea》以《The Beach House》命名的原创大碟。继後还有2002年的专辑《Quiet Storm》和2006年的《Sol》，由美国现代爵士乐传奇结他手Lee Ritenour制作及参与演奏，更请来顶尖洛杉矶录音室音乐人如Jimmy Johnson, Vinni Colaiuta, Alex Acuna, Luis Conte 及Steve Tavaglione合作。

贯彻其世界音乐人的风格路向，杏里的音乐制作旅程带过她到英国以至澳洲等地，但令杏里奠定其创作领航者殿堂级地位的原因，莫过於她成为最早期能到美国洛杉矶和纽约录音室灌录唱片的日本歌手之一，和当地资深音乐人之交流合作的经历。杏里首次到美国录音便是去到声誉卓着的洛杉矶A&M Studios，还在当时遇上最影响杏里的两位金嗓子Minnie Riperton和Karen Carpenter。历年来杏里在美国西岸也留下不少足印，除了和梦幻组合Toto guys (Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather和David Paich)合作，还夥拍过音乐人Ray Parker Jr., Lee Sklar及获多次格林美音乐奖的制作人David Foster。杏里的唱片分目之广泛，和她合唱过的有美国着名歌手Peabo Bryson, Michael Franks, Philip Bailey以及Johnny Gill。杏里早自80年代在夏威夷举行的演唱会已是叫好叫座，她更常邀集一些西岸加州的音乐人到岛屿上制作音乐。

杏里其中一张最受美国文化影响的个人专辑是1988年销量过百万的大碟《Boogie Woogie Mainland》，其中跳舞音乐的风格深受组合Earth, Wind & Fire的薰陶，而实际上演奏班底中也有不少EWF的伴奏成员。杏里说:「我觉得美国的音乐人拥有一种别具一格的艺术性，和我会是完美的配搭。能和他们合作令我很兴奋，也配合我一向的意旨支持一切原创，不去随波逐流模仿别的艺人或作品。」这张大碟给杏里机会把美国独特的音律和舞蹈表演方式带到日本。在80 年代的竞技场巡回演唱会上，除了演绎这张非凡杰作外，表演中还第一次加进了舞蹈和喇叭演奏。当时看惯了传统日本演唱会的观众对新颖的演出反应震撼，而杏里亦因此成功的为当代音乐表演奠定了新的风格和潮流。在80年代，只有少数的舞蹈艺员会应徵试演这类的公演，但到今时今日平均也会有300-400多人去应徵争同类台上演出的机会。多得杏里，日本才能体验到现代舞蹈愉快的表达方式和认识到其艺术价值。

Ritenour谈及杏里时述:「你可以说在她悠长的创作和音乐事业生涯中，她作为先驱为日本导入了大量多元化的音乐和表演方式。在杏里声名大噪之前，日本流行乐坛是没有如现在那麽多美国及英国的影响。她真是一位优秀的日本文化大使。」

杏里在一个家教严谨的家庭长大，但她发现原来弹钢琴可以助她宣泄内心深处的情感。找到了渠道表达自己，杏里便开始由弹奏一般流行音乐，至感人肺腑的启发性音乐及管弦乐，然後更进一步努力训练自己的唱歌技巧，常跟着她崇拜的日本及美国歌手如Oliver Newton-John, Karen Carpenter, Minnie Riperton和Joni Mitchell的歌曲哼唱。有一天，一位家族朋友兼电视台高层听到杏里的歌声，便问她想不想成为专业的歌手。

「当时我只得16岁，又不够自信。」杏里忆述。「但我觉得很有趣所以便想一试。这位朋友後来介绍我给不同的制作人和唱片公司，当时我从很多我喜爱的歌曲中选了几首歌曲来试唱，继而便有机会唱到《Olivia wo Kikinagara》。这首歌是我最受欢迎的歌曲之一，我到现在还会在演唱会上演唱。在那首歌之後，正当我放一个月的学校暑假时，我有幸飞了去洛杉矶 A&M Records录音，那是一个毕生难忘和有点不可思议的经历。在那里，会遇到Karen Carpenter在隔邻的录音室录音，又或者在走廊和Minnie Riperton擦身而过，实在令我惊喜交集。」

踏入2008年，为庆祝纪念杏里迈向三十周年的歌手生涯，杏里现正养精蓄锐筹备全国巡回演唱会及将由环球唱片发行的新专辑，还会准备参与一个她一直都关心支持的大型环保演唱会。杏里说:「要写作、录音和演出三十个年头，实在是一段很长的时间。但我对制作音乐依然觉得兴奋，心情就如当初学生年代的我一样。我一向都喜欢参与创作一些成功的新尝试，还有就是不时留意和研究日本文化欠缺了什麽，然後去开拓一些别人没做过的计划。这条不是易走的路，但回报是值得的。我到现在仍然在演唱会表演时会很感动，尤其见到支持我的观众朋友都情绪高涨，有些还开心得哭出来，又或者歌迷跟着我唱歌时我会发现他们比我还要记得歌词。对我来说，没有比将心交出来给观众和他们分享快乐更美妙的事了。」