Mai Kuraki is a J-pop icon, having stormed to chart success in the early 2000s
and remained among the upper echelons of Asian pop music ever since. Anyone
needing proof of her success need look no further than her record for the most
consecutive Top 10 singles in Japan after a string of more than 30 hits. Born on
October 28, 1982, in Funabashi, Chiba, Mai Kuraki decided to make a career out
of music early, having been captivated by the music of Whitney Houston and the
energetic dance performances of Michael Jackson. She sent a demo tape to Giza
Studio while still in high school a...