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the new paperAyumi Hamasaki loses hearing in left earWill she sing like before?Fans say performance has suffered. Industry insiders say practice will help. By Chang May Choon, January 10, 2008IT started with an ear infection in June 2000.
Then came a bout of ringing in her ears a year later.
Now, J-pop queen Ayumi Hamasaki has announced that she is completely deaf in her left ear and that it is not treatable.
But the 30-year-old has vowed to continue singing and will 'use what's left of the hearing in my right ear to sing to my limits, until the very end'.
Still, one cannot help but wonder how the affliction will affect the singer who has built her career on staging spectacular concerts.
Already, some fans have noted on online forums that because of her deafness, Ayumi's performance during the recent NHK Red & White Singing Festival on TV was not up to mark.
Local singer Sing Chew Sin Huey agreed, telling The New Paper that she saw Ayumi's clip on YouTube and felt that she was 'not her usual self'.
'Her voice was different and she sounded like she was sick, and she couldn't hit some of the notes.
'It felt weird because it was such an important occasion.'
Click to see larger image
It was only later that Sing found out about Ayumi's hearing loss - which would explain her unusually flat performance.
A check with industry sources also revealed that Ayumi would have to make certain adjustments to cope with her lack of hearing on one side.
Music producer Goh Kheng Long said performing live can be 'very tricky' if Ayumi can only rely on one ear to monitor the music on stage.
'You can't make good judgement if you're so used to using both sides of your ears,' he said.
It is also likely she might sing out of tune more often if she cannot hear herself so clearly through her earphones, he added.
Mr Goh has not come across singers with hearing impairment, but he figured that Ayumi would have to work closely with the sound engineer for her concerts to help her perform better on stage.
Songwriter Roy Loi, however, said it only takes practice for Ayumi to overcome her hearing disability.
Mr Loi, who also manages a music school, said he has two students who are deaf in one ear, but they both have no problems singing or doing studio recordings.
He added that the biggest problem Ayumi might face is her pitching, but that could be corrected with practice.
'As long as you put your heart into it and practise hard, you can strike a balance. Ayumi is musically inclined, so even with just one ear, she can still sing.'
The cause of Ayumi's hearing loss is not known but Dr Nelson Chee of Chee Ear Nose Throat Surgery at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre told The New Paper that it seems from reports it could be caused by the dysfunction or damage of her inner ear hearing organ or hearing nerve.
'Nerve-related hearing loss is usually permanent and not reversible,' he said.
But there are possible rehabilitative options.
This could include wearing a hearing aid or undergoing surgery to install a device in the skull to 'divert sound to the good ear'.
Dr Chee's advice: 'Take good care of the good ear since you're very much reliant on it and be careful of over-exposure to loud sounds that might cause damage to the good ear.'
Luckily for the J-pop queen, her fans have been showing their strong support.
Since the news broke, many have flocked to online forums and fan websites to express shock, sympathy and concern for her health.
Netizen Imuya wrote on the Ayumi-hamasaki.net forum: 'Ayumi, if I could give you my left ear, I would do it in a heartbeat.'
Others, like Minlichi, felt sad for Ayumi but admire her attitude nonetheless.
'I can't even imagine what it's like to have music be such an important aspect in one's life and only have the ability to experience it with limited senses. She's so strong.'
Keikeiaznqueen wrote: 'She reminds me of Beethoven - what great, dedicated musicians they are.'
Other fans suggested that Ayumi should go on a hiatus instead of pushing herself so hard.
Her new album Guilty is just released on 1 Jan and she is slated to embark on an Asia concert tour that starts in Japan in April. Her label Avex Trax told the Japanese media that it will go on as planned.
An industry insider said Ayumi taking a break now would give her rivals a chance to overtake her as the reigning J-pop queen.
'In Japan's competitive music scene, whoever works the hardest will get the biggest rewards.
'Ayumi has always been a hard worker and with people like Kumi Koda catching up with her in terms of success, she'd definitely have to work harder than before to maintain her status.'
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7 1/2-year fight with ear problems
June 2000: Suffers ear infection. Forced to postpone two concerts
June 2001: Starts to hear ringing in her ears. Loses balance and falls from the stage during a final rehearsal. Sent to hospital but still performs despite a sprained ankle
2004: Admits she can't hear very well
2005: Rumours spread among fans that she is going deaf
Sep 2007: Found to be wearing a hearing aid while performing at the Music Station programme on TV
Jan 2008: Announces on her fan website that she is completely deaf in her left ear. Doctors tell her surgery will not help
