In early 2003, Ueto starred in a remake of the 1993 drama "Kōkō Kyōshi", alongside Naohito Fujiki. She released her third single, "Hello," followed by her first studio album, "Ayaueto". In April 2003, it was revealed that Ueto had taken a leave of absence from school to focus on her career. In a 2007 interview, she stated that, at the time, she was only getting two hours of sleep, trying to juggle work and school. In May 2003, Ueto launched her first tour, "Ueto Aya First Live Tour Pureness 2003", released a fourth single, "Message/Personal," and "Azumi" opened nationwide. Ueto won several awards for her performance in "Azumi". She swooped the Newcomer of the Year category of the Élan d'Or Awards, Japan Movie Critic Awards, Japanese Academy Awards, and Golden Arrow Awards; becoming the only actress to win two consecutive Golden Arrows for Newcomer of the Year. Ueto received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role at the Japanese Academy Awards and won the Popularity Award. In July 2003, Ueto landed her first TV leading role in the TBS drama "Hitonatsu no Papa e", for which her fifth single, Kanshō, served as theme song. Despite low ratings, the single was well received on the charts, peaking at number 9.