On New Years Day 2002 , Hamasaki had released her fourth studio album '' I am ... '' . During the album process , Hamasaki had learned about the breaking news of the September 11 attacks in 2001 , that had hit New York City and the Washington , D.C. , metropolitan area . The attack itself had killed over 2,996 people and caused at least $ 10 billion in property and infrastructure damage . Because of this , Hamasaki had sought a new inspiration for her then-forthcoming album ; instead of writing songs about confusion , loneliness and love like her previous efforts , she was encouraged to engage in more peaceful and worldly themes . The response was positively received from the Japanese audience and became successful in her native Japan ; over 2.3 million units in Japan were sold , and the track was certified triple million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan ( RIAJ ) for shipments of three million copies
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Evolution (Ayumi Hamasaki song)