Someone from Ayu's staff was apparently there to present her with the signed You were.../BALLAD, which was signed "Mao-chan, ganbatte in Vancouver!"... so sweet! Also, apparently a lot of news articles that mentioned Mao also mentioned Ayu in them, haha. (see article at bottom of post) And it's a bit random, but Mao was at Ayu's 10th anniversary concert two years ago, and visited Ayu in her dressing room during a-nation '05! Cool beans.
Mao reportedly listening to Ayu's You were... / BALLAD on her iPod before going up to skate. **she did not hear Yu Na Kim's score apparently because of this**
Quote:
フィギュアスケート女子の浅田真央選手（１９）がバンクーバー五輪で銀メダルを獲得したニュースに芸能界 も沸いた。真央が自分の大ファンと知り、五輪直前にサイン入りＣＤをプレゼントしていた歌手、浜崎あゆみ（ ３１）は「勇気と感動をありがとう」とねぎらった。
真央が銀メダルを手にできた裏には、大好きなあゆの存在があった。
関係者によると、五輪直前にあゆがスタッフを通じて新曲「Ｙｏｕ ｗｅｒｅ…／ＢＡＬＬＡＤ」のサイン入 りＣＤをプレゼント。そこには「真央ちゃん、バンクーバーがんばってね」と書かれており、真央はＣＤをお守 り代わりにしていたという。
直前に滑走を終えた金妍児に沸く会場の“騒音”から耳をふさぎ、心を落ち着けるため出番直前までイヤホン で聴いていたのが、贈られたあゆの楽曲だった。
テレビで観戦したあゆは「終わりの見えない、長い永遠のような４年間であり、幻のようにあっという間に過 ぎ去った４年間でもあったと思います」とねぎらい、「大きな偉業を成し遂げた今、真央ちゃんは何を想ってい るのでしょうか」と真央に思いをはせた。
２人は強い絆で結ばれていた。出会いは２００５年８月のａ－ｎａｔｉｏｎ名古屋公演。真央があゆの楽屋を 訪れて以来、何度もライブ会場に足を運んだ。０８年１月にあゆが左耳の聴力を失ったときも、真央が「頑張っ て歌ってほしい」と周囲に漏らした言葉があゆに届いていたという。
同年４月９日のデビュー１０周年公演。アンコールで１万２０００人の観客が「Ｗｈｏ…」を合唱して祝うサ プライズがあった。あゆは号泣。観客の中には真央の姿もあった。
そして今度は、あゆが真央の銀メダルを後押しした。「キラキラした笑顔で日本に帰って来てくれる日を、本 当に本当に楽しみにしています」と真央との再会を心待ちにするあゆは、「深い感動とあきらめない勇気をあり がとう！！」と結んだ。
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Translation from Misa-chan:
The news of figureskater Asada Mao (19) winning the silver medal at the Vancouver Olympics has excited even the entertainment world. Singer Hamasaki Ayumi (31), who knew Mao to be a big fan of hers, sent an autographed CD to her just before the games, with the words of appreciation "Thank you for your courage and passion".
The presence of her love for ayu helped Mao to achieve the silver medal.
According to insiders, Mao received an autographed copy of ayu's new "You were.../BALLAD" CD just before the games from an ayu staff. On it was the message "Mao-chan, good luck for Vancouver". Mao was said to have treated the CD as a good-luck charm.
Hearing the excited crowd's thundering after Kim Yuna's performance, Mao listened to the tunes ayu gave her just before her own performance to calm herself down.
ayu, who was watching the games on TV, showed her appreciation with the words
"With no end in sight, just like a lasting forever, these 4 years have passed by like a dream in just the blink of an eye". She also added
"Mao-chan, who has accomplished such big things in the past, what is she thinking of right now?"
The 2 share a strong bond. They met in August in 2005, at the a-nation event in Nagoya. Ever since visiting ayu backstage then, Mao has attended more of ayu's lives countless times. When ayu lost the ability to hear in her left ear in January of 2008, Mao's personal words of encouragement were leaked and managed to reach ayu herself, "I wish for her to stand strong, and continue singing".
During the same year, on 9th April, 10th anniversary live performance, 12,000 audience members sang "Who..." as a surprise for ayu, moving her to tears. Mao was in the audience as well.
This time, ayu's support has helped Mao win her silver medal. ayu, who is looking forward to meeting up with Mao after her return, says
"I really really look forward to the day when she comes back to Japan, with a brilliant smile on her face". She also added,
"I thank Mao for her deep passion and courage to not give up!!"
Sources:
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/entertainme...0701000-n1.htm (Article in post)
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/chuspo/art...702000131.html
http://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/articl...02744199.shtml
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertain...m?from=related
Random article that summarizes the article here: