They sing low and they're aiming high.

Unlike the chipmunk-on-helium vocal style favored by most Japanese female pop singers, newcomers Asuca Hayashi and Ai have remarkably mature, almost husky voices. And in contrast to the squeaky-clean idol crew, they're cultivating sophisticated public images that appeal to a wide spectrum of pop music fans.

I heard Hayashi sing at a showcase gig a few weeks ago and was blown away by her amazing voice and her confident, charismatic onstage persona. The girl performs like a real pro -- and she's all of 13 years old!