Ayumi Hamasaki is the name of a Japanese fashion matriarch. Her words, deeds, and every move serve as a trend indicator for young people.
In January, she finally announced her first Asian tour. On April 8th at 8:45 PM, her show at the Hong Kong Coliseum—the sole performance of the Tour of Secret in the city—finally unveiled itself.
Throughout the night, she changed into seven different costumes and sang twenty famous songs, including massive hits from shortly after her debut such as "Boys & Girls" and "Appears". Finally, she sang the hidden track "Who..." from the Appears album, with the final section sung in Mandarin:
"From today until forever, through my singing voice, I send this to your hearts, this is my wish.
From today until forever, through my singing voice, I send this to your hearts, my wish."
These are Ayu's own heartfelt sentiments.
Regarding the concert arrangement, aside from the fact that the central fountain used in Japan couldn't be installed because the Coliseum is too small, all stage sets were identical to the Japanese concerts. Ayu, known for her strict standards, rehearsed for a full two hours or more the day before the opening before leaving.
The climax of the concert arrived just before the encore. To celebrate Ayu's 9th anniversary since her debut, the band leader distributed a paper at the start, leading the entire venue to sing her debut single "Poker Face". Others brought out a celebratory cake; Ayu was moved to tears and took a group photo with the whole audience.
Finally, in her customary style, Ayu put down the microphone and shouted to the whole venue: "Arigato gozaimasu" (Thank you very much) and "I will see you soon!" to end the show. Truly a night to savour.