Masaru (Yu) Hayami (born September 2, 1966, in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture) is an idol singer who debuted in 1982 with the single “Isoide! Hatsukoi”, which peaked at number 36 on the Oricon chart. Known for her wide range of musical styles spanning idol songs, J-Pop, pop, and rock, she quickly rose to fame in the early 1980s. Representative singles include “Natsuiro no Nancy (Nancy in Summer Color)” (1983), which reached number 7 on Oricon, and “Nagisa no Lion” (1983), which reached number 10. Her major albums include AND I LOVE YOU (1982), which peaked at number 23, and LANAI (1983), which reached number 5. In 2022 she released the best-of album Affection – YU HAYAMI 40th Anniversary Collection, which received high acclaim. In 2025 an analog edition of the single “Meltingly Kiss Me” was issued and became a hit. Hayami won the 24th Japan Record Award for Best New Artist in 1982 and also appeared on the prestigious NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, securing her legacy in Japanese pop history.
