In 1974, while attending high school, Yamasaki won the Grand Prix Prizef at the, "Join Us Folk Competition".
[3] During her debut, she received the nickname "a rival to Miyuki Nakajima", who similarly wrote dark lyrics about love.
[3][4] In 2002, Yamasaki made her major musical comeback with her single, "Yasashii Uta" which was released under the Tokuma Japan label.
[5] With the 2020s, Yamasaki's popularity has seen a rise online worldwide, with millions of views of her songs on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.
[6] Following the bankruptcy of her musical agency, "Imadoki" in 1998, Yamasaki was left on the verge of homelessness, working part-time as a dishwasher to make a living.