| Ayaka Hirahara 平原 綾香 |
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| Birth name | 平原 綾香 (Hirahara, Ayaka) |
| Also known as | A-ya (あーや) |
| Born | May 9, 1984 |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Japanese pop, Classical |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Dreamusic |
| Website | ayaka-hirahara.com |
Ayaka Hirahara (平原 綾香 Hirahara Ayaka, born May 9, 1984 in Tokyo) is a Japanese pop singer affiliated with the Dreamusic label.
Hirahara comes from a musical family; her father, Makoto Hirahara, is a saxophone player, her grandfather, Tsutomu Hirahara, was a trumpet player,[1] and her older sister, Aika Hirahara, also is a singer under the EMI Music Japan label. Ayaka was a member of the Matsuyama Ballet for 11 years, beginning at age 6. She started playing saxophone when she was 13 years old, then learned classical saxophone at Senzoku Gakuen High School. Currently, she is studying in the Faculty of Jazz majoring in saxophone at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. Her first single, "Jupiter", was released in Japan in December 2003, and went on to be one of the biggest selling singles of 2004. The melody of the song is based on the "Jupiter" movement in The Planets Suite by Gustav Holst. Similarly, the melody of her song, "Siciliana", is based on "Siciliano" by Johann Sebastian Bach.
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Hirahara's song Reset, from the album 4tsu no L was used in Capcom's 2006 title, Ōkami, as the ending song. A orchestral version, "Reset - Thank You Version", also was made by Hiroshi Yamaguchi.
Also appearing in the anime Saiunkoku Monogatari was Hirahara's song, "Hajimari No Kaze" (also from 4tsu no L). The song was used as the show's opening theme song for the two seasons that were aired.
Her version of the song "Tsubasa wo Kudasai" appeared in episode 5 of the drama Orthros no Inu sung under the stage name Ray.
"Sailing My Life" (featuring label mate Norimasa Fujisawa), from the album "my Classics 2", is the official OST for the Japan release of the Disneynature film Oceans.[2]
Ayaka Hirahara has recorded a cover version of the song "The Name of Life" (いのちの名前 "Inochi no Namae") by Joe Hisaishi from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away.