I'm also of the opinion that she looked uncomfortable through the whole episode, and in a different way than usual.

Listen, no artist is or should be invincible to criticism. Let's be real here, this performance was not good vocally. It's okay to have a critical opinion of Ayu at times. Or any artist.
Having a negative opinion of Ayu's performance does not make you a bad fan or a traitor or "hater" as many people online like to say. Defending her poor performance does not make you a better fan either. Actually, these people are part of the problem.
We love Ayu and want to see her succeed and give a powerful performance just like we know she is capable of. It upsets us when she fails to deliver, whether it is her fault or not. I think her inconsistent vocals are largely beyond her control.
It is because fans love her that they feel disappointed and criticize her. Sure perhaps some people just are rude or being jerks, but based on the posts I would say many fans just want Ayu to do well! I know me personally, I want Ayu do deliver an awesome performance so she can finally give a big middle finger to all of the nasty people who heartlessly bash her. It would be sweet revenge.:yes

I mean, the performance was pretty bad but no worse than the millions of times she's butchered SEASONS and many of her concert performances the past 5 years....

I agree with most of the comments here - not a great performance on Ayu's behalf.

I'm interested in the future however. How often has Ayu trended on Twitter for a performance? Or at least, largely negatively? Surely this is going to have an impact upon how she and her team will approach their marketing strategy with her 20th anni approaching...

Ayu needs another evolution. I feel so disconnected from her music and image at the moment.

I think she used to use a bit of falsetto in the past and I think she can still use it in the right circumstances. However, we rarely hear her sing in such environments. I thought she sang pretty well from what we heard of that piano live minus the shouty parts of ourselves which were probably expected to be the same as MS but one thing I'll note is that she always sounds like she never warms up for her MS performances and it has always been that way while for that piano live she actually rehearsed for it and probably prepped for it as she does for other lives.

This post is perfect. It's everything that I want to say but with much nicer delivery. Lol

Well said. I agree with all of this.

I think the general lack of Ayu (especially lately) makes it easier to get into "this is the end of Ayu as we knew her" mode, since we don't get magazines and we get maybe one TV live every 3-4 months that isn't really indicative of much and generally only serves to make the "Ayu doom and gloom" worse.

This four month period of almost complete silence from Ayu aside from Instagram photos and the piano live/this MS live probably doesn't help much either. On top of the 'delayed' tour dates that took a while to come out, she isn't really doing herself any favors to most fans. I would say she really needs to announce some music soon or say she's recording so there's something to look forward to rather than whatever situation we're in now.

I don't know I just didn't really see it as a horrible performance, so I guess that's why I don't see everyone's views. I'm not a delusional fan, and I can easily call out something I dislike or don't approve of from an artist. Heck, I don't even like Ayu's last four or five albums. However, I have seen a lot more worse performances from other artists that deserved the meltdowns they got. I don't even think this performance is worth having a meltdown over.... Then again I'm a Mariah Stan... Which, everyone knows Mariah has had many hiccups with her recent performances stringing back from 2014. So I guess I'm just used to a lot more worse performances from other artists?

Also, we don't know what goes on behind closed doors, and a couple of people stated Ayu didn't seem like herself, so maybe something was or is happening in her personal life that fans are unaware of? I think we should also take that factor into consideration. Maybe even her hearing has gotten a lot worse? I hope my opinions don't offend anyone lol! I just want to see everyone stick by Ayu when the general public are so harsh to her. After that April fools joke yesterday, I kinda been on the defense over her. I just would hate for everyone to really make her retire or leave over just one "bad performance" that I don't think was all that bad. Twitter and the general Japanese public are too harsh on artists. T^T

What I hate the most is the overacting. I kind liked listening to this performance, and the new version of ourselves is quite good. I'm a long time fan of Laura Pausini and other angst screaming singers, so I don't care when Ayu does it, I actually like it, but the overacting is painful to watch, it's so embarrasing! So I don't watch her live, I just listen to it in the background

The thing is that it although it might not be a one of the most TRAGIC performances in the history of bad performances by all other artists, it certainly isnt doing anything to help her cause. And I think those who see it that way are frustrated by it. We all want her to succeed, and it's like she's blindly walking into a path of further destruction. At some point, the fans who feel she'll still be able to turn it around lose their faith, when it seems she isn't conscious of what needs to happen in order to make that a reality.

It's not about living for the expectations of others; it's like, she doesn't even have expectations for herself anymore. The morale isn't there, so it comes off as uninspiring.

In terms of looks, I think she just needs some lighter outfits that could lift her up instead of the big dresses that weigh her down.

It seems like she got her big-dress persona during the Secret/GUILTY era and never changed. (I know she's had big princess dresses early in her career, but it never was so prevalent)

im fine with this performance.. so what the fuzz?

Thank you.:thumbsup:heart
I would also agree that Ayu should maybe announce an upcoming release or event. Anything to take the spotlight off this performance. My vote is for a new photobook. An album would be wonderful too but we can't tell if she is even working on one at the moment:shrug

loving the new version of ourselves! really enjoyed the performance.

going to have to watch her interview and re-watch the perf to see what all this hooha is about ..

she was looking down, she looked like she didn't wanna be there, she seemed like she didn't want to be involved, be engaged with what's going on during music station live... but in my heart, still hoping she would put in that bit of effort, that bit of heart, that bit of passion or motivation to sing or perform a song properly during tv lives. really, it was sad to watch her live tv performances these days... even if she has on-going ear, whatever medical issues or even if she really has a nasty cold/flu on any another day, fans will know and understand her situation and applaud her effort regardless of her vocals, performance that day because she gives her all for her fans. During the days when her vocals were shaky in the beginning, she would somehow rescue it back by getting it back into the song by putting her emotions or vocally back (without shouting or screaming) in the chorus, bridge and outro thus the ending of a song. but really, totally didn't feel that live from ayu. still love and support you, ayu. :)

so I've rewatched the performance.

well, it wasn't that bad! I'm surprised that most people here are so disappointed. TO BE was very good except her shouting and overreacting. for ourselves she should have changed clothes, then it's ok to shake head and shout, I guess.

I liked TO BE , except the strong last chorus , which came all of a sudden to me.
I really liked ourselves, even those 2 seconds of head banging were totally fine to me. I do that too :D I was expecting head banging throughout the whole perfomance after reading all the comments here
The only strange thing was her hair :o

I really fail to see where she sheems uncomfortable or that she doesn't want to be there? to me it seems like always, like any other Music Station live. Even on this Music Station she has more fun in the interview like for example when she performed FLOWER when she was all this serious most of the time.

i have to say that she sounds really bad. ourselves was better than TO BE, but i liked the new arrangement ...