PROFILPELAJAR.COM

My Name Is Ai
My Name Is Ai
Studio album by Ai
Released	November 2, 2001
Recorded	2000–2001
Studio	Flash Light (Tokyo, Japan)
Genre	R&B; J-pop; hip hop;
Length	67:11
Language	Japanese; English;
Label	RCA; BMG Fun House;
Producer	Shinnosuke; Junkoo; Ars Wizard C-VE;
Ai chronology
Singles from My Name Is Ai
	"Cry, Just Cry"; Released: November 22, 2000; "U Can Do"; Released: May 23, 2001; "Shining Star"; Released: September 5, 2001;

My Name Is Ai (stylized my name is AI) is the debut studio album by Japanese–American singer-songwriter Ai, released on November 2, 2001, by RCA Records and BMG Fun House.

Three singles were released from My Name Is Ai, "Cry, Just Cry", "U Can Do" and "Shining Star". Although the latter of the two did not chart, "Shining Star" charted and peaked at number 98 on the Oricon Singles Chart.^[1]

Although not commercially successful, My Name Is Ai peaked at number 86 on the Oricon albums chart.^[2]

Background

Ai developed an interest to become a singer in her early adolescence.^[3]^[4] After graduating from junior high school in Japan, Ai returned to her hometown, Los Angeles, California, to attend high school. Initially attending Glendale High School, Ai later switched to Los Angeles Count High School for the Arts, majoring in ballet. In 1998, she appeared as a dancer in Janet Jackson's song "Go Deep".^[5]^[4]

In 1999, Ai joined an Asian girl group called SX4. While on holiday in Kagoshima, she performed Monica's "For You I Will", which led to her being scouted by BMG.^[6]^[4] Deciding to take the offer, Ai left SX4 and moved to Tokyo after graduating high school in 2000, signing to BMG Japan's RCA Records label.^[3]^[7]

Track listing

*My Name Is Ai*
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Born to Sing" (Introduction)	Ai Carina Uemura		0:47
2.	"Inori"	Uemura Takuya Harada	Shinnosuke	4:47
3.	"Triangle"	Uemura Shinnosuke	Shinnosuke	4:22
4.	"U Can Do"	Uemura Diggy-Mo Shinnosukue	Shinnosuke	3:57
5.	"Shining Star" (R&B Version)	Uemura Harada	Junkoo	5:12
6.	"Protect You"	Uemura Yukio Mitsui Genki Hibino	Shinnosuke	4:38
7.	"Memory"	Harada	Ars Wizard C-VE	4:22
8.	"Depend On Me"	Uemura Junkoo	Junkoo	5:33
9.	"Thank You Lord" (Interlude)	Uemura		0:47
10.	"Shut Out" (featuring Diggy-Mo of Soul'd Out)	Uemura Diggy-Mo Takashi Shimizu	Ars Wizard C-VE	5:07
11.	"Why U Trippin?"	Uemura Shimizu	Ars Wizard C-VE	4:53
12.	"I Wish"	Uemura Junkoo	Junkoo	6:23
13.	"Hold On"	Uemura Junkoo	Junkoo	4:41
14.	"Cry, Just Cry"	Uemura Junkoo	Junkoo	5:12
15.	"Show Off!!"	Uemura Masaaki Iwami	Junkoo	3:19
16.	"Love" (Interlude)	Uemura		0:29
17.	"My Destiny"	Uemura Shimizu	Ars Wizard C-VE	6:02
Total length:				67:11

Notes

Tracks 2–4, 6, 10, 12, and 15–16 are stylized in all capitals.
Track 14 is stylized as "Cry, just Cry"

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.^[8]

Musicians

Ai Carina Uemura – lead vocals, songwriting
Takuya Harada – songwriting
Shinnosukue – arrangement, songwriting, production
Junkoo – arrangement, songwriting, production, piano
Genki Hibino – songwriting
Yukiko Mitsui – songwriting
Ars Wizard C-VE – arrangement, songwriting, production
Diggy-Mo – songwriting, vocals
Takao Sugiyama – piano
Masahiko Rokukawa – bass
Ichiro Hada – guitar
Kazu Minamisawa – guitar
Kouyo Murakami – trombone
Kazuo Kamata – sax
Mikio Saito – trumpet
To-Go – guitar
Aogu – DJ
Dave Fromm – background vocals
Jun – background vocals
Tsuyoshi – background vocals
Peco – background vocals
Masaaki Iwami – songwriting

Technical

Masaaki Iwami –mixing
T. Takizawaa – mixing
T. Kobayashi – mixing
Don Katsumoto – sound production
Ars Wizard CV-E – direction
Junkoo – assistant direction
Shinnosuke – assistant direction
Yukihiro Yahagi – mastering

Visuals and imagery

Anthony Nishikawa – art direction
Yoshihiro Sugawara – design
Kazuya Morishima – photographer
Ai Carina Uemura – photographer
Rie Inada – hair, makeup
Shuhei Yomo – styling
Mika Itagaki – styling

Charts

Chart performance for *My Name Is Ai*
Chart (2001)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[2]	86

Aftermath

Following BMG selling its 50% share of Sony BMG in 2008 to the Sony Corporation of America, RCA's Japan division was rebranded as Ariola Japan. Subsequently, the ownership of the masters of My Name Is Ai was transferred to Sony Music Japan. Though physical copies are still manufactured by Sony Japan under their Ariola Japan label,^[9] the album was never formerly released to digital stores.

Release history

Release history and formats for *My Name Is Ai*
Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
Japan	November 2, 2001	CD	RCA BMG Fun House	^[9]

References

^ "AIのシングル作品". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "AIのリリース一覧" [List of Ai's Releases]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 9, 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Biography" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Special Interview Vol. 5 – Ai talks about Boombox" (in Japanese). TDK. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
^ "AI-Soul Profile in English". BMG Japan. Archived from the original on April 8, 2001. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
^ "Special Interview Vol. 5 – Ai talks about Boombox" (in Japanese). TDK. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
^ "She, herself and AI". Robert Michael Poole. The Japan Times. September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
^ My Name Is Ai (CD). Ai. RCA/BMG. 2001. BVCR-11034.
^ ^a ^b "My Name Is Ai". Sony Music Shop. Retrieved July 4, 2022.