Ayaka is marking two decades in music with "20 Lights - The Collection -," a comprehensive best album arriving September 9. The release celebrates her February 2006 debut with "I believe" and captures her evolution from indie breakthrough to established artist.

The album spans three CDs, each with its own identity. DISC 1 "絆" (Bonds) collects fan-voted favorites, DISC 2 "光" (Light) features Ayaka's personal selections, and DISC 3 "縁" (Connections) brings together collaborations with major artists including Kobukuro, Daichi Miura, KREVA, Taka from ONE OK ROCK, and legendary vocalist Koji Tamaki.

Artist and art director Tetsuya Chihara (who previously designed the artwork for Ayaka's "Nijiiiro") created the visual identity. His concept visualizes "20 lights" drawn from the words and artistic worldview Ayaka has built over her career. The standard CD-only edition includes this new artwork, while a special "20th Anniversary Memorial Edition" adds extra touches: personalized printing of buyers' names on the sleeve jacket, an acrylic keychain, a CD display stand, and a DVD featuring intimate session performances.

The DVD portion captures Ayaka's November 2025 "Wonder! Tour" concert at Tokyo International Forum, plus exclusive "20th Anniversary Room Session" videos (available only in the memorial edition).

Ayaka is supporting the release with an extensive national tour running September through November, with stops across major cities including Tokyo, Sendai, Kanazawa, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima. The tour closes November 29 at Tokyo's historic Nippon Budokan.

Preorders for the memorial edition run through June 21. The best album represents a natural capstone to a career that's seen Ayaka evolve from a breakthrough acoustic artist into a versatile performer comfortable in small club settings, full band arrangements, dinner shows, and symphonic concerts. Her influence extends beyond her own releases—her catalog has become a staple of covers across generations of Japanese artists.