I'm surprised Ayu didn't spoil us with ANOTHER performance of MOWY.

Why not? they are 2 utahime who used to be huge. I personally compare how well they performed. Utada did very good, Ayu did OK.

Wasn't Utada also prerecorded elsewhere?

It was prerecorded, but I don't know where exactly.
Does anyone know why she couldn't be there live?
I wanted her and Ayu together again at Music Station like years ago.:(

The live was super cute, even tho I still don't like how many dancers she has doing all kinds of cr*p taking the focous of her. I'm not here for Cirque du Soleil.

Btw, her voice was fine, it could be worse... It could be like this:

@0:32

^ I'm speechless :dead2

She lives overseas now. I read somewhere that she recorded the live in August when she was in Japan. Something like that.

oh wow..that's really flat and no emotion whatsoever..

She sounds like a bad anime character singing X_X

'white swan' (ayu for 'M - SEASONS') and 'black swan' (Lico opening act for 'evolution') concept? really like it ayu's concept

really like new arrangement for 'evolution' ; nice intro

awesome!

Ooh I loved evolution--her vibrato actually sounds natural haha.

It was pretty random to use Cirque de Minuit CDL's arrangement of evolution but I do enjoy it ahaha.

It was prerecorded...in the same Music Station studio.

One's also rested for 6 years while the other's been constantly touring since she was like 20...

And Utada's was pre-recorded so she could've had multiple takes. We'll never know for sure. I've been to two TV recordings and there were at least 2 takes.

I think they both did fine.

I will complain all I want. God forbid a fan has an actual opinion about what he likes more or likes less about an artist he is a fan of. If you don't want to engage with the actual argument that's fine, but don't tell me what I should or shouldn't like.

She could have performed Mad World, or even You & Me, I don't know. Was Dearest not a hit? Was Voyage not a hit?

I would be completely okay if I never have to hear her perform SEASONS again. Ever.

The only reason I am 'comparing' is because it was a talking point to begin with - that both Ayu and Hikki would be on the show; it was interesting when you consider their rivalry back in the day, and it's equally interesting when you look at how different their careers are right now. (also, other things like musical integrity, etc)

I'm ok with her song choice. I mean, I would love to see her singing different songs but (as everyone said before) the program was about HITS that were important through the 30years of its broadcast. Even tho we may not accept this, Ayu is not as famous as she used to be, some japanese don't even know her (new generation) or don't know that she releases new music. I was in Japan last year and made two japanese friends. When I told them that I was going to Ayu's concert, they were surprised asking me: "Does she still releases new songs?? / The last song I heard from her was 'Days' / I used to love her when I was 13yo (almost 10 years ago)". So that's why she sang those old songs that we, as old fans that follow her career and new releases, are so tired of. But not the general audience of Music Station.

_

hmmm interesting! Didn't notice this concept. (it wasn't Lico tho. It was Marico, one of her aero dancers)

_

Interesting that she did a reference to "kanariya" with the numbers painted on dancers' arms. Maybe she'll sing it for the first time during TA Tour? :P

yes, every performance has its own concept and that makes the true artist.
P/s: the dancer opened for "evolution" isn't Licco. She is the new dancer, Licco is taller.

THIS....

My japanese teacher asked me who your fave singer? I said hamasaki ayumi... you know what he said, is she still releasing new song?? Its exactly the same question that you got... So, i guess if she chose M, SEASON and evolution.. because some japanese people still recognized those songs...

To be honest i don't care what song she will perform, as long as she let the world know she still exists. I think its the right thing to do, until she can get her second peak...

How did Namie get her second peak again?

I am ok with the song choice for this kind of event, since it's a greatest hits and they are some part of the most successful singles in Japanese music history and her current work isn't known much... But maybe if she was using those broadcasts to sing her knew stuff it could get more known... though there must be a reason why she isn't promoting her songs like she used to. She won't ever have a hit by only singing it in her tour. I believe if she wanted to, she could gain back popularity, cause she still producing quality music. When I play Her music in my house while I have guests who don't know her over, they mostly prefer the recent stuff. Though... I guess for the fans outside of japan (like me), The quality of her music and the quality of her tours is enough for us to enjoy, we are really lucky to still be able to enjoy the work of an artist after 2 decades.

I read many comments here that japanese didn't know that ayu still active. I don't understand how they didn't notice her. Yes, she didn't appear on TV that much as before, and don't have and advertisement contracts. But she's still on the radio, her new music videos still on TV. If they watch TV, they'll see her, if they don't, it doesn't matter how many tv-show she attend or miss.
Also magazines. Now it's only 2-3 at year (except regular Vivi deji deji diary), but again, if someone is interested in beauty magazines and buy it everytime, this person will see ayu.