Hamasaki Ayumi in Paris

You know I love music and Japan... Guess what happened today as I was strolling with my Nikon camera homebound? Near the very classy B****** hotel [I was inside one late evening to have a drink with PN and one of her favourite customer], I saw a group of youg people. I approached and asked them why they would gather on a cold saturday afternoon.

They were here to talk about, greet, praise, and eventually cry for Hamasaki Ayumi. How ashamed was I! I do not know this lady. Yet I enjoy Japanese music : Utada Hikaru (I love "automatic" which is PN's song forever) and the talented Sakamoto Ryuichi. Still this lady was unknown to me until one young lady fan said that she will be arriving soon in a black german branded car. When I asked her how she knew about the details, her answer really surprised me. Yet I will not disclose the source.
Some of the fans speak a little Japanese! All had mobile or real cameras.

5 minutes had elapsed since my fortunate arrival when the black car arrived. German brand indeed. I did not notice the singer immediately.
I followed the fans and got into the exciting moment. I had to extend my body and make full use of my size to get some pictures too. I managed to get this one which is pretty much showing the star behind her shades, surrounded by papers with her name printed on and so many hands trying to pass the paper in order to get her autograph. I asked a girl to show me her autograph as I could not get one : no paper!

One teenager male next to me suddenly started to cry and shiver saying "this is too much for me". He cracked under the pressure of waiting and eventually getting closer to his dream singer... She did not look at him or speak at all. She must have come straight from the airport (with 2 mini bus filled with suitcases).

Anyway, the crying boy scene hurted me a bit and it reminded me of Prince's concert in Paris Bercy in the 80's [the one with the Brazilian "trio esperanza"]. I was so disappointed and left alone when the concert was over... Even a real encounter with him would not have changed anything to my state of mind at this time. I even left the concert tickets to Sandy S (my short time girlfriend).

I was really touched by the close relationship between the singer and her fans : an adult had a small transparent plastic box with small sized presents, many had postcards and printed pictures, albums, CD jackets... Hamasaki san's attendant eventually stopped the short encounter. And she disapperead inside the hotel. The fans immediately gathered on the walkway in front of the hotel : good people.

I cannot measure how lucky I was today : Ayumi, you still don't know me but I do!