Ayumi Hamasaki Becomes A First-Time Mum At 41

Japanese superstar Ayumi Hamasaki announced the birth of her baby boy early this morning (Jan 2) on her official fan site.

I gave birth to an angel at the end of last year and became a mother. Many times, I get disappointed in myself because I couldn’t achieve the life I want. However, I am very happy to take care of my child and he’s become a part of my life. I would like to thank everyone for being understanding and accepting of me. This also goes out to all the mothers in the world, you deserve [the] utmost respect,” the 41-year-old singer wrote, adding that she will work hard on her life and career.

Though the twice-married Ayumi didn't reveal who her baby daddy is, some sources believe that it could be her boyfriend Junaki Araki, a dancer who is 21 years her junior. The couple, who allegedly has no plans to tie the knot, was once spotted by Japanese tabloids holding hands while on a date and there was also talk that they were wearing matching rings.

Interestingly, the singer-songwriter didn't show any signs that she was pregnant even though she had been photographed a number of times over the year. This led to speculation that she had a baby through a surrogate, but Ayumi has yet to confirm any of these rumours.

The revelation that Ayumi is now a mum also came as a shock to her fans, who had no clue that she was pregnant.

Many of them thought that her being less active in showbiz was reportedly due to health reasons.

During her concert tour in 2000, Ayumi contracted a cold, which led to an ear infection. But instead of resting, the singer continued performing and by 2008, she became totally deaf in her left ear. She was thought to have developed tinnitus and over the years, the hearing in her right ear started deteriorating too. In 2017, Ayumi announced on her blog that she was going completely deaf.