She looks beautiful!

Princess ayu, I love it.

The picture is lovely but the text bothers me. It looks like the guy who wrote them just picked the usual text layout without matching them with pic.

The guiding principle of up plus seems to be the same than Bea's up. I don't get the point to do the same magazine with another name.

It's focused on Beauty.

Loving that cover pic!

Anyone noticed that she unfollowed everyone on insta? So Beyonce

^ How many people was she following??

Showing off all the flowers and kind gifts she got for her 20th anniversary then unfollowing everyone who gave her the flowers : iconic lol

Kidding, i have no idea if her followed people are the one who gave her the flowers, i was just imagining if that was the case lmao

I do not know how many people she followed, about 100 iirc. From people who are close to her, even Leslie Kee and Urata Nagoya to magazines and celebs like Elle Hongkong and Blake Lively, J.Lo and Rihanna haha

She had a lot of lifestyle / celebrity follows, which I think were mostly a remainder from when she really used that account a lot (personally). I think it's safe to say that account is (almost) exclusively managed and updated by staff at this point. She keeps the follows to her private account.

I wonder when it hits news stands... ��

Well the content of the posts are written by her for sure, but now the exact same posts are posted on her instagram, twitter and facebook pages almost at the same time, so i do wonder if she has one social media that she manages and then the staff's work is to duplicate her original post to other platforms as quick as possible? :laugh
Or mayyyybe there is an app or some kind of magic software which can do it automatically?

Her last twitter post with the flowers was posted 13 hours ago, while instagram and facebook are marked as 12 hours ago, so she might be managing twitter? Now i remember that twitter drama when she deleted all her tweets and then there was this announcement that the twitter account was gonna get managed by staff from now on :P

There are apps that will post to all media - many celebrities and brands use them. Also, a lot of her captions are song lyrics, so she really doesn't have to be the one behind them. Most likely someone gets a post ready and she signs off on it or adds a little personal touch.

About someone who her followed, I'm kinda surprised she didn't follow Peco-San or Yo-chan. Peco has, don't know about Yo-chan. Then again, it's not a policy to do a follow back.

Is up PLUS = bea’s UP? ~> See below “Edit”

I received notification from CDJapan on “new released from my favourite artist” as follow:

But no mag cover picture on the site.



========


EDIT: bea’s UP changed name to “up PLUS” from 12.03 issue onwards.

So it looks like ayu posted on twitter about drinking too much tequila at a surprise party after the 20th anniversary show. Apparently she had a bad hangover, coudnlt get out of bed, and continued to sleep and sleep. Japanese fans in the comments are ridiculing her saying she should respect the fans who pay a lot of money to attend the lives and avoid drinking since it leads to her voice not coming out. “Aren’t you touring???” People are saying the tour should be the priority and things she’ll “make a fool of the guests” who come to the show.

I think that’s a little ridiculous. It’s her 20th anniversary, she deserves to celebrate a little!! At least one Japanese commented something similar to that extent. But what’s shocking is that fact that those who posts ridiculing comments are getting a lot of likes / hearts...

That's no good. As if it happens to nobody but Ayu to drink a bit much at a celebration. She didn't ruin any show or pulled an Amy Winehouse so why are these people mad?

But then again; especially the Japanese won't be telling if they have hangovers, even when they do. It is very unusual to own up to anything that is out of the ordinairy for them. This might look unprofessional from Ayu's side, but let her have some fun in life. Gosh. Why do they care? Why do we even care? Heck, bet they have all sort it out together.

lol, having one night of fun won't kill her voice forever. Sounds like these people are the same "fans" that like to gripe. She used to smoke a lot back in the day, at least she's quit that (as far as we can tell).

^she used to smoke? A LOT?

As if there wasn't a big alcohol consumption culture in Japan.

I probably shouldn't have included "a lot" as I don't know her personally, lol. However, I remember candids and other shots of her smoking used to generate a lot of chatter.

Honestly why did she have to post that.. she knew she'd get backlash, this was easily avoidable as much as I agree that she has every right to celebrate and have a good time, this didnt need to happen

F*** japanese fans, seriously. Because of this ayu might block people from commenting on anything and she will never open up anymore because of judging japanese fans. If they love her, why are they so mean? I guess it's ok to think that it's bad, whatever, one can think what they want, but talking s*** to her face like that :grumpy
Hope she doesn't see any of the comments on social media, but the staff does and might tell her :no

She always say "i'd do anything for TA" but girl TA is full of toxic people, run! lol

I don't see why it's bad, at least we get to know what she did at her 20th anniversary and what she did the day after. I'd rather know what she's doing even if it's not interesting or good for her ~image~ than know nothing at all and just get rehearsal pictures.

^ She mentioned that her staff was telling her to lose weight, so they probably will mention this, too.

You can't stop comments on Twitter, however she doesn't even respond to fans anymore. Her fans, and otherwise, have gotten her so rattled up. Social media is insane.

^ I think it was an error of translation, the first translation posted was that the staff themselves told her to lose weight, a corrected translation by another member stated that the staff had read the comments and told ayu that people where telling her to lose weight :laugh

These japanese fans are so fussy, not supportive at all.

Jesus Christ, let her be human. The fans are always complaining, whether it's her tweeting with fans or not tweeting with fans, whether she's drinking to celebrate something (like 90% of adults would be) or whether it's just using her social media to share her life like we're all doing. I feel so bad for her, always working so hard and her fans are so ungrateful and hateful.

Let's send her positive, supportive tweets!!

I knew japanese fans wouldn't like when she posted it but I thought it was so cool that she shared something so candid lol.

it wasn't her staff. fans were telling her staff that she needed to lose weight, it was a translation error :)

I remember seeing one candid which it looked like she was holding a cigarette. it was around 2002 I guess, but I never saw her doing such thing again. just this infamous photo from the AT08 ending party where Shuya was about to smoke and people said she was smoking too lol

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f3/10/35/f...-champagne.jpg

I'm ZIN in this picture lmao klçsdfksdf

Ahh, I see. Thank you both!!

Social media is a double edge sword, if I ever saw one. You do need to be careful about what you post, no matter who you are. The internet isn't fooling around and loves to comment. However, no matter what, I still don't support people using it as a way to be mean behind a screen name.

And I feel like Ayu's fans are the worst group for dragging their supposed favorite singer. I swear I don't see this from other singers' fanbases.

+1

I never saw it

At TA message Ayu said she didn't drink at the JTB tour end celebration (and maybe she didn't drink during the tour) so got drunk after two cups of tequila

I love a good day in bed when I have hangover! Seriously though, I like that she posted something personal so it's a shame she's getting negative comments as this will probably discourage her. It's her 20th Anniversary - a huge event! She's allowed a few bottles of fizz to celebrate.

It's not like she had a show the next day and you'd think her fans would realise that she wouldn't do anything to risk her voice for a live performance.

Geez, her next show will be on the 21st. She has many days to recover after one night of celebration. She's not a young idol who has to pretend to be innocent...
As mi|kshake said: It's her 20th Anniversary, she's allowed a few bottles of fizz to celebrate.

While I wish she wouldn't drink in excess to point of having a hangover. Alcohol isn't healthy for us. But it doesn't make Ayu a bad person in the least. It sounds like she did it accidentally anyway. I'm glad she had a nice anniversary party.:heart
I don't know why everyone is upset. You aren't numb yet? It's typical for the asian netizens to behave that way. This why everyone always says, "never look at the comment section".:tipsy
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http://i66.tinypic.com/28gxsts.jpg

Anniversaryツアーの幕開け��20周年記念日ライブ��サプライズPink Pink Party(ともきにテキーラ責めで潰される)��二日酔いでベッドから出れない��ひたすら寝続ける�� 現在に至る笑。よう寝た����

本番中に作った薬指の傷がニコちゃんマークみたいになってるのに気づいてほっこりさんな今日☺ ️✨

I enjoyed such a simple, cute, and relatable post from ayu. And I'm glad she feels okay to share such things and probably understands that some fans are more chill and aren't going to be so up in arms about it.

These people are wild lol

Dear Ayu,

Run away from home!!


just kidding...

ooooo Finally a nice manicure!! I miss Ayu walking around with her humongous square nails :cry

Was gonna comment this too. Such hypocrites how enkai happens on weekdays and people still show up for work the next morning.

I understand people being upset if she did this the night before a show and it caused delays or affected her performance, but the next show isn't until a little over a week.

http://i66.tinypic.com/i3do3a.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2evt8gg.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/ru2pg0.jpg

New Day✨
残酷で美しい世界へ戻る準備を再開しよう。
#powerofmusic2018
#ayu20thTOUR
#次は名古屋公演

Photo by masayuki kamo

These pics are everything!
Will Bea's Up Plus also release the photoshoot today?

Two glass of Tequila? Lol I wonder if she really got an hangover or if it just helped her to release her stress and to sleep. No matter the reason I'm happy she finally rested a lot. She was too tired this last week.

AyuAngel also posted this video from AT18

https://i.imgur.com/GmX4kCN.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o4Sg5bz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qC6JuY4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FVFv8lu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/r6Iiely.jpg

Posted on up PLUS

I love it so much. Beautiful. I don't think I have enjoyed a look from Ayu this much since the original Power Of Music tour or maybe even the Love Songs era.:inlove
It's like Green/Days mixed with A Complete and A Best 2 Black/White.
Also,
I really hope this means the Who... moment was recorded for the DVD/Bluray release.:nervous

I LOVE the black dress, but I don't like the makeup... makes her look lack of sleeping... :(

Is it a coincidence or the photographer blatantly copy the pic concept?

https://3.share.photo.xuite.net/js74...03118052_m.jpg

I like the eye makeup on this pic more. Deep, smoldering and sexy.

^ Well, using flowers in photoshoots is barely an original idea :D

(also, it's bea's up's picture also!)

^^ I noticed that before amigo.

But YES BABY YES I love the shoot! The black is perfect! She looks gorgeous in it!
Is this it by the way? I expected kinda more...

The black dress photos are awesome :love

I thought Ayu had tattooed a wi-fi signal on her finger lmaooooo

What a ridiculous "controversy"! Japanese people drink more than your average Aussie and we're stereotyped as drunkards. I sent her a TA message saying I hope she drinks 5,000 tequilas for her anniversary (as long as it's not in one day)

That beas up spread is so good, I really want to order the magazine but I blew my budget on the tour goods and other stuff :(

is avex's moneys that tight nowadays that ayu's 20th Anniversary tour pictures have to be taken from a magazine photoshoot? and actual pictures used in t-shirts AND magazine, like really avex?? it's her god damn 20th Anniversary!!!

From Twitter

Is this an album teaser??? I did a poor translation with google and I'm freaking out

I think so, she wants to get out her thoughts for the last 2 years, I’m so readyyyyy

The canary with the stifled voice is no more.

I have decided to spell out my thoughts after two years.

I’m going crazy!! Please release album!

Ayu posted teaser for something on twitter, saying

“The canaries whose voices were crushed to death are no more.
Because I decided to sing, spelling out two years worth of thoughts.”

Edit: lol oops, guess it was posted already.

I noticed someone mentioned something about avex’s budget / financial situation. When I asked why the show for next years April would be a part of the current years tour theme (POWER of MUSIC) and not part of some new concept based off an impending album release, he said it’s because of budget. He said avex is having a very difficult time lately.

Yaaay! I am so hyped (it'll be so amazing after the long 'writing break')

I hope that is not A BEST 3 with just a couple new songs

I really like the picture! I saw it on Instagram. I hope it’s a new album!

That picture could be a great concept for an album cover. Very excited!

She better call out all the annoying people who bother her because of every little shit (I mean she kinda did that in WARNING but can't do it enough) I hope this is an album teaser like come on you can't not release one for your 20th anniversary. She went through a lot these 2 years so I'm hoping for an emotional album with the honesty of the party queen ballads. It sounds like I'm expecting a lot lol but I've literally never been disappointed by an ayu album so.. (- some songs from colors but whatever, doesnt count)

I thin I the budget issue has been getting more and more apparent over the years.

But anyway, a post so simple has really got me hyped about a new album. I didn't realize how ready I was

I am SO excited for new music! I mean, I already was - but THIS is how you tease something. I hope she comes out on fire with the music and lyrics.

As for Avex's budget, I think it seems pretty obvious they are struggling a bit. They are about to lose Namie, who is probably their top selling act at this point. Their other top sellers are mostly legacy acts, who are ageing and less popular than they were before (Ayu, Koda Kumi, etc.). TK, who was trying to produce a lot of new acts for them, has retired - I'm not sure where that leaves some of these groups. And they just haven't been able to bring any high-selling new talent to the table. Where do they go from here?

That new album teaser, omg, i'm soooo ready for that album!

About the lack of budget, i think Ayu has enough money to back up for the lack of money from avex lol It's something i actually have wondered sometimes, not for tours because they are really expensive to make but for PVs for example : avex doesn't give her money to do those grand PVs she used to do before, but well she has a looot of money herself, so if the lack of budget was really bothering her she could just put her own money in her music career instead of spending it in her shoes collection. I'm not saying she should! Don't get me wrong. It's just that she could, but she doesn't, so to me it means she's not that bothered by the lack of budget.

^Yeah I wondered that too. Although there could be another reason she's not using her own money, who knows.

It's a shame Avex aren't doing that well. They have so many classic acts who, understandably, aren't selling the same as they used to.

Anyway, so excited by the new Twitter/Instagram post. I love the photo and the text is getting me hyped! How soon is "coming soon"? I hope the new album (if that is what it is) has more than 10 tracks.

Maybe ayu just decided to start working on writing songs. I'm looking forward new music, but don't want to expect anything. I was disappointed with WORDS and don't believe ayu can do something interesting. Something that will not sounds like Last minute or Flower

omg, she really is about to slay me again isn't she...

http://i.imgur.com/rTJzOOb.gif

I want her to release anything. I just want new music, new lyrics to mess with my mind and make me cry...

lovely pics for up PLUS

I read some months ago an article stating that an Ayu concert even sold out makes barely any profit because of the production cost ... it might explain why some things are recycled...

^She said on one of those recent TV appearences that her current profit comes mostly from the tour goodies.

I think I'm finally ready for some new stuff from her.

all her recent albums sound similar to me, no gems at all. everything felt rushed and nothing stood out.

so I'm very eager to hear something new!

I feel this way sometimes, even if I do think that A ONE, Sixxxxxx and Made in Japan have standout tracks. I'm unsure if its due to lack of singles being released but her sound is too consistent nowadays. I don't want her to go back to 1998-2005 but even in the latter years of her career she presented musical variety (Party Queen - Colours).

I don't really get the level of hype from the new post. We knew she was writing music and an album was coming.:P
But if the photo is any indication of what the album aesthetic will be, I am excited. It will be interesting to have a reflective album again.:heart

she addressed it. it builds hype. we know she's working and she's going to release something soon, but it's nice that she addresses it. :rolleyes

Love that she actually teased it.

I feel 100% the same way. I might say that that post got me extra hyped because it's been almost 2 freakin years without an album and I NEED new stuff, but, seeing how things have been going since A ONE, I'll not set my expectations high.

Terminal, WARNING, NO FUTURE, Last minute, Walk, Out of Control, FLOWER and Mad World sound similar? I think A ONE is one of her best albums ever.

Wonder if Timmy will compose any song, if new album really on the day, not just teasing.

No wonder why they don't stop scalpers from buying 20 of the same damn towel at the venue, lol.

I wonder if there is any chance of WORDS being on her new album.

What would be really cool is if she had a Kanariya~part II or something, but that is pure wishful thinking.

Her post + that amazing photo with the feathers got me really excited! That photo is simply brilliant and I really hope that photo shoot is for her album/mini album!

Also, about the copying accusations of the photographer for that flower shot, a flower concept like that is very, very common. I'm studying photography right now and I come across it in other photographers work all the time. It's done so often because it's beautiful, pretty simple, and never gets old :)

I didn't say it wasn't nice.:P

May I add Survivor? That's also one of the standout tracks in her discography. She did something tribalish for the first time and I really like that song:luv2

This photo was also used for the special mirror or TA member card holder that was/is being given away at the tour.

Lol funny you mentioned this cause I thought thank God “Survivor wasn’t given a shoutout cause that song is tragic.” I even scrubbed it from my hard drive.

Songs I can’t even stomach from ayu are:
Survivor
Letter
call
meaning of Love
(I might also add Out of Control cause it’s similar to Letter & call)

^I love Out of Control, Call, letter and meaning of love lol

I think Survivor is the only song I would skip while listening to Ayu.:dead2

I like Survivor but I agree with the rest lmao

The post she made about being hungover has since been deleted...

I really love this picture. It has the Mirracle World vibe

I need to be in a very specific mood to get into Survivor. It’s definitely not one pf her best songs and mostly because of the awkward wo wo yea yeah parts.

Out of control, Letter and meaning of Love are among her very best according to me :D

Well, agree to disagree then, ha ha.:)
I just adore Party Queen album section from call to Eyes,Smoke,Magic.
Out of Control is my favorite from A ONE

WHAT!? I didn't know Avex is in a budget crunch!

I have to agree what you said. Other things to say: SKE48 is part of the AKB48G family that is signed to Avex, but they're nowhere big as the mother of all AKB48G groups (AKB48, that is). That certainly isn't helping Avex very much. Or Johnny's Kisumai - just one artist alone won't completely paint the picture. Mostly, though, the hits (in terms of Avex's budget) could be because of the departure of Namie and TK (obviously the latter was caught in some very big trouble), which are big names in the Avex roster alongside Ayu, and Ayu's nowhere to a point where she can save Avex. Faced with stiff competition from AKB48 (which is signed to another label, King Records), Nogizaka46 (Sony) and Johnny's (most aren't signed to Avex, except for V6 and Kisumai), not limited to those, and Avex is in somewhat at a bad shape. I mean, I don't know really why in the world Avex would be financially struggling today...and I was surprised to hear why Ayu's essentially 'carrying over' her concept for her currently ongoing Arena Tour - it could be this.

Man, we really miss those old days of Ayu when she was still topping the charts, she was Avex's prime artist during those days.

I am happy she is teasing new music.
But I won't get too excited yet,cause with Ayu in recent years, coming soon doesn't have to mean it really is coming soon. xD
If they would have something ready, they'd have already announced or teased it with the tour or with the first dates. And Ayu wouldn't use a pic from the tour shoot like she did.


Did you aks a user on Twitter about avex and ayu's tour budget?
Or who?
Cause honestly, I wouldn't put too much credibility on that, if it is not coming from an avex insider or official.
avex still is one of the biggest recored companies Japan has and they still have good selling domestic acts like the whole EXILE franchise, AAA and Wagakki Band, not to mention the Korean big names like Tohshinki or BIGBANG.
They may have cut the budget for Ayu, but no way they have problems with their current big acts.

All the groups you are mentioning doesn’t have astonishing sales either. Of course way better than their solo acts but Exile for exemple had very declining sales in recent years... I won’t be surprise if they can’t invest in their artist if they don’t have a return in profits. I think the exile franchise incomes are redistributed to the artists from LDH not for acts like Ayu, ELT, Koda Kumi, AAA, etc... Avex definitely has no new big name at the moment.


On a side note Ayu concerts are still far from looking cheap. They might be less elaborate but they are more suffering from real concepts behind them still it concern really only the last two tours IMO.

EXILE has declining sales, but their subacts and solos haven't (the #6 selling album of last year with half a million sales was a EXILE subgroup).
Overall you're right with the very big sellers being from other companies, but avex and its sublabels have a big amount of artists in the yearly Top rankings.

Call, Letter and Out of control are great!!

The only Ayu song I can't stand still is Greatful Days

For me that would be Thank U, probably heard it just once appart from the performances

Thank U has some charm, but it ain't a great song.

I really enjoy meaning of Love and Letter.

call is horrific.

I appreciate Sexy little things for sticking out like a sore thumb in Ayu's vast discography, but it does absolutely nothing for me. I don't remember the last time I bumped it.

I don't get the hate for slt. Is one of her best songs for me :x

I really love the mix of jazz swing and 8bit, and how she sings it on a way it sounds like she is making fun of the target of the lyrics.

i tend to avoid Close to you and both untitled songs. For everything else it depends on my mood.