The GIFT music video
 

Through an introduction from a mutual friend last fall, Ayumi made a request to JJ to compose a song. A heartwarming wedding ballad, combined with a beautiful melody and tender lyrics, was thus born. With JJ starring alongside Ayumi as hero and heroine to bring the feelings of “Love” to life, JJ memorized the Japanese lyrics to “The GIFT” upon filming of the MV in Japan. There’s even a scene in the video where JJ and Ayumi sings a duet!

On “The GIFT”, Ayumi commented “JJ isn’t just amazing as an artist but he is also a wonderful person, you can just tell, it exudes his personality and it’s a beautiful song. The demo that he made with humming the lyrics was just amazing – I wanted to realize the song while staying faithful to the perspective that he had. I personally really love the song, it would make me really happy if this song would grow to become something that reminded you of the most important moments in your life.”
“The music video really matches the atmosphere JJ created, one that expresses the “purity” of the concept in its entirety. I’m really happy to have collaborated with JJ on both the song and music video.”

JJ Lin left a message saying “Before actually meeting Ayu, to me she was Asia’s J-pop queen. For someone who has challenged various song genres, this song is a ‘GIFT’ to her, as well as a ‘GIFT’ to her fans.”


Video clip

download : https://yadi.sk/i/3tW_Z7scfJ3dQ

Making of

download : https://yadi.sk/i/aoahS-8YfKKKV

Promo image
http://i.imgur.com/1p6LNTWl.jpg

Beautiful! :heart :heart

The song is lovely but not something I'll be replaying a lot.

I actually like this song. I prefer it to Zutto... thanks to her deeper voice that's not so high/squeaky. I also like the feeling behind it.

I think the PV is pretty!

Also...is this the full PV? :D

Wedding anthem of 2015.

Also when it panned out to show her on the piano I laughed a little.

JJ mouthing the words is a big no no in a PV IMO.

It's beautiful, but a bit...boring.
The song as well.
But I love, love, love that piano intro/outro!
Would have prefered somehow an acoustic piano ballad with it.

Still able to resist... I wonder how long I can do that xD

I lol'd every time they showed her standing up in that wedding dress. She looked like a centaur lmao.

I have to join Camp Zeke. now and agree that the vocals really ruin the song. She sounds schmaltzy and at the same time totally disconnected. Also, better mixing would've helped the song tremendously. It's not bad mixing (see: Last minute) so much as not really good and does nothing for the song. The arrangement is pretty boring as is, but the mixing is sooo flat. :[

I don't have much to say about the PV... It's pleasant enough and was competently made, so that's a step up from Colours.

OMG OMG! I love the song. It's so peaceful and beautiful. I like the pv too. It's simple, aesthetically pleasing and Ayu is so beautiful. :luv2:luv2:luv2

me too! stay strong sister :tired i'm gonna wait until whole album leaks and full PVs

The PV and song are extremely beautiful. I love this kind of ballads way more than the usual ones.

I think I will be hearing it a lot.

Visual-wise it's beautiful, the song itself is 8-9/10, it's pretty but not my jam, very classy though, but the video itself is top notch, nothing wrong with it, not even one flaw to me :)

Gosh this MV was perfect and her dress was beautiful (tho I kind of laughed when she sat on the piano and doing her iconic hand gestures but it's nice)

Loved completely ... The PV is magnificent, even though simple.
There is an energy that makes me feel an immense happiness, ,maybe because I love JJ Lin and Ayumi

https://scontent-mad.xx.fbcdn.net/hp...6e&oe=55832AE5

From twitter and For"A"ver Club.

I Love it :love

I'm still not totally sold on the song (still think it should just be piano solo like JEWEL) but the video is actually gorgeous :p great angles, lovely shots of ayu and the dress. Even having JJ Lin there adds to it. It's not like the most magnificent video I've seen but its a massive step up from recent stuff. Looking forward to Last minute and WARNING now :D

That's beautiful and not boring at all! <3

Lovely video, I like the full song more than I expected to after hearing the clips of it (the fact that it goes back to the darker-sounding piano for the outro really helps it, it makes you feel excited/nervous for what comes next).

REALLY not sure about the jazz-lounge style reclining on the piano though, seems REALLY out of place... lol

Allright, I already explained in the downloads section, but seriously this video made my day. It was so nice and pretty to look at + Ayu and JJ Lin are so cute. I officially like The GIFT now.

This is nice and warm video. Not going to watch it again =) But I'm glad it exist

The song has just like a totally genuinely innocent feeling to it, like it should be sung by some young virgin. But ayu is a fully developed woman now and you can hear that in her voice, which contrasts too sharply with this piece.

Anyway, is the PV about remarriage? I think the images of the first girl was the first wife? And it is about the gift of remarriage?

Meh. Give me WARNING

^^ yes maybe she's glad she got rid of Mannie and married her current husband but they decided to change the wife in the video so it wouldn't be too obvious

The best Ayu PV in ages imo

This pretty much.

Both the song and the video do absolutely nothing for me :\ But I'm glad other people are enjoying it.

I appreciate what you say, but to me the match is good! She's much more mature but still cute :P Which really engaged me this time.

Too bad the song is so forgettable, and the pv too monotone overall.

omg, that ending piano is haunting
The pv is so beautiful...I just felt the emotion behind ayu's voice and I saw the glitter in her eyes. She really is happy these days. The dreamy white & blue background reminds me of Zutto/Last Minute/Walk covers. I love how everything starts to connect.

I like the song, the video (all though I find it super cheesy) and I think Ayu looks great in it. :D

Her voice in this song isn't too good though. :(

Its... nice I guess? :P

I need a translation already!! ^^

+1

So I decided that since the PV was uploaded to her YT channel, I might as well listen to this one song before I get the album in my hands and wow... that PV was very heartwarming. Simple, and definitely not flawless, but quite amazing still and I think I wouldn't have liked the song quite as much without it.
While I agree that her voice sounds weirdly different in the song, I don't agree that it's bad, hearing how it melded into the ballad to make it sound much less generic. In my opinion, one thing that makes many ballads sound generic is the fact that they "spill over" with emotions to such a point that the emotions start feeling overbearing rather than significant, but "The GIFT" definitely didn't suffer as much from that fate (once again, in my opinion). Ayu's vocals helped a lot a with that, and I'm feeling very optimistic about the sound of the rest of the album songs, including the ballads. As if I wasn't excited and anxious enough after reading people laud several songs already!

I didn't LOVE the song, but the video looks really nice and it complements it well.

The GIFT is like HEAVEN's less ethereal little sister imo.

I actually really like that song. It's so warm and cosy and she sounds absolutely beautiful. She sounds calm and safe, somehow. I dunno how to explain it.
The theme of the PV is a bit megh, but it's gorgeous. Though i did think that dress bottom was not the best thing lol other than that Ayu looks stunning, over all it's a well done piece :)

I really like this song. But my favorite wedding ballad is still virgin road.

Wow. I feel like this video aged Ayu quite a bit. She just feels old in it. Again, the video seems characterized by the lack of action in her videos over the last 5 years. The video fits the song, but it's just hard to watch and feel excited about a video that consists of two or three shots of Ayu in the same outfit.

This is the full version of the song too, right? I think it could've been 55 seconds shorter and may have felt more special. It's the same thing with curtain call. If curtain call was only like 3 minutes, I'd probably be more entertained by it, but the extra 44 seconds makes it seem like it just drags on and on after the point was made.

EDIT: I also feel like I missed the point of this video in contrast to videos similar to it. Like, I got the point of crossroad's PV but could never sit through MOON's PV. I hate to say it, but I do somewhat miss the PVs from Party Queen right now. At least NaNaNa was fun to watch.

Wow! Some of you people are so hard to please ... visually probably the best music video she has done in a long time, and the song was nice and what i expected when i heard the teaser clip. ... I dont understand the critisim .. Maybe 'Warning' was dedicated to some people here :yes

The PV looks really pretty - can't wait to watch it when I get my copy of the album.

Ayu looks beautiful but her position on the piano looks awkward. She should have sat with her legs over the edge without resting on her arm? Nicely shot though
Something about the song reminds me of HEAVEN and Ayu's vocals sounds good

Boring.

Such a gorgeous video. How I missed this part of her hahaha :love

ΘェΘ gotta agree

I almost stopped watching, I hate ballads so much but
When she hit those high notes I got goose pumps.
Such a beautiful pv.

And JJ Lin when you get married you're supposed to kiss the bride but
I thought that the head kiss was cuuuuute.

Same here.

I mean she's 36 but she doesn't look old at all. She looked gorgeous.

It was better than i expect for a ballad, this i had to say

That voice OMG!!!!

It's nice.

I think the editing is really good, everything is crisp. I have my reservations about some things, but really it's a pretty video.

I think the song is pretty too, I'm excited to see it live! Hopefully some fantastic wedding dress flanked by another wedding dress song lol.

I really like it! Even if its a some what typical ballad its so beatifully made that I just want to keep listening, and the PV so pretty!!!

After the Colours PV mess this is sooo refreshing and it please my eyes. It's still pretty boring since it lacks some action, but whatever. There's still Virgin Road's PV for that lol.

I feel the same :D.
The song it's so warm and calm, also really innocent. Maybe people would hate me for this, but I kinda feel the same when I'm listening to JEWEL. Not like The GIFT would ever beat JEWEL as one of my ever favorites Ayu ballads, but I like it even more now after listening to the full version.

I like it a lot, more than HEAVEN, which I didn't like because I found it boring. >.>

Really enjoyed the video :heart She looks amazing on that piano =)

I loved the PV. It's relaxing and beautiful.
I am a bit disappointed, though, that the we practically got to hear the whole song in the beginning when we got the preview... I thought there'd be more to it than the preview. I'm probably gonna cut the piano intro/outro when I get the song hahaha

This PV is very Angela Aki's Sakurairo meets Ayu.

^^ It does have a slight resemblance to JEWEL, kind of a 'safe' feeling. I wasn't sure what the PV was about, but the remarriage thing makes sense. The bit where she's singing on top of the piano did make me chuckle, it seems so out of place lol I also thought the song would be longer, since the preview practically gave it all away, but any longer than that and it might have dragged.

I'm really love this pv and the song is so emotional and that's is the feeling of the bride in her weeding, the most happiness day.

and yes the song, the melody is like the gift from the sky.

3 screencaps of the PV (from the official fb account :))

So where is the duet version where JJ's vocals are added in? He's already mouthing the words in the PV, so... XD

I love the beginning and ending piano parts. I wish that there was a piano solo of an extended/elaborated version of the melody in the middle of the song instead of just rehashing the intro part at the end.

Simple and beautiful song. Simple and beautiful PV. Forgettable? Probably. But I love the intro/outro piano part.

Aww, what a sweet song and video. Its a lovely song, I like it :)

come on guys, this is what Asian favourite type of ballads, ayu got the beautiful and happy MV, sure Taiwanese and Chinese fans will love it, oops I forgot Japanese fans as well <3

I hope JJ has a chinese version as well..Would love to hear him sing it.

I love the feel and tones of the PV. SO RID OF COLOURS OMG..literally..and figuratively

The Chinese color filter, lol.

Her voice in some parts is bad. It's like she can't hit it but try so hard to. Otherwise the dress is beautiful <3

song is ok

but the PV is too simple for my taste...no twist or highlight or climax...very literal and straightforward...

Probably because JJ was there.

@ ayugame I was expecting some dramatic scene like she died or JJ died and when they show another 2 couple I was thinking maybe it's her dream wedding or something, oh whatever

I'm just glad the whole video is up. It's not like it's hard to put it up...

She looks like a Goddess! OMG it's been long since I ever said this about her.
I love how simple the PV is, and her make up and styling. Her dress is GORGEOUS!

The song is standard though, nice but that's it.

Boring and she looks old.

Her sitting posture was kind of weird and awkward...

Anyway, the song actually grows in me. :)

Is beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 I can't T__________________T

"THE GIFT" is such a beautiful PV...I absolutely love it! :love I must say how breathtakingly beautiful ayu was in that wedding dress. :luv2 :heart And also, just the whole setting/theme of the PV, was so simple & lovely. :heart I loved that last scene where JJ Lin kissed ayu on her forehead! So sweet! :heart As for the song itself, it's such a sweet ballad & I really do like it. :)

I always like bridal images, but the song doesn't really do anything for me. Also, I thought JJ was going to sing, so I was a little disappointed.

Love how her voice sounds.

Because I know it's ayu, it's boring for me.

But if it's another artist, asian artist to be exact, it would be different.

The PV is whatever, didn't care much for it, even though she's pretty.

The song though, I like 10 times better after listening to it in full. I liked that it was just one chorus, one buildup, and that's it. No repetition of verses to a long drawn out snoozefest like some of her ballads can be. It really works. Her voice was also perfect for me.

so warm.. such a lovely feeling from this song. didn't expect to like it. doesn't help that one of my friends is getting married next year!

I love the PV, so heartwarming, so elegant and so romantic and ayu is absolutely so gorgeous and stunning in that dress, i wonder whose dress is that.. hope alvin goh will give a hint soon or some fans could find out the designer, i'm really curious.
the song is very typical ayu ballad, it's simple but coz of the beautiful PV, the song sounds much better now.

Finally, a real wedding song :)
can't wait for the translation of the song.

Preview showed to us almost full song, so I think we already have almost full translation.

I want Last minute PV now. I hope is something like "is this LOVE?", something with deeper meaning T_T

The GIFT lyrics

If the song end at 3:21 then would be perfect (in my opinion), the finishing piano part weird to me.

Since when Ayu has Kim Kardashian butt? lol
Okay, the song I enjoy most at intro and outro, other than that it's not that good. Her vocal was okay but at some part I lost her. The video was beautiful, simple hair and makeup and hair piece. Her wedding dress is beautiful, I love the embroidery even the fact that the dress was long sleeve. The Victorian petticoat though, a bit too much. The backgrounds pretty simple, divine and calm. Overall, pretty.

She looks pretty but it is a bit boring, Virgin Road is how all wedding PVs should be done haha. It's still better than all the Colours PVs though.

I like the song when it gets going but then it feels like it drags on a bit.

I like it.

No comments about how improved Ayu's vocal technique is? I absolutely love it!

A Museum on steroids please!

^Didn't we got something similar on RnRC 7 days final tour ?
How more grandeur can that be but not to look like already seen and cheesy ?

Has anyone posted this already? Making of The GIFT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc3Sh4ZkaIo

Wished there's actually more interaction between them. And a storyline instead of Ayu just singing. lol.

^^lol i totally didn't realise they had to speed the actual song to film this in slo-mo, that just slipped my mind lol
also they seem to have not used that bit in front of the window in the final cut.

i might get killed for it but Ayu and him would make such a cute couple lol

I gave up on her PVs having plot long time ago:-) Most of her videos can be described very easily: she's singing and she's looking pretty:-)
I like how this music video turned out, it's beautiful. I find the part with JJ mouthing the words unnecessary though.

I LOVE THIS SONG EVEN BEFORE THE MV CAME OUT.

It's simple. I play this song every morning and it gives me good vibes all the time. I'm pretty impressed with how they made the lighting look like dawn cause that's really how I picture this song in my mind.

Sometimes I just want to see effortless mvs from Ayu. That way I don't have any expectations.

I agree with some people here that JJ should not have mouthed the words and Ayu shouldn't be sitting like that on the table but other than that, I am very satisfied. I now forgive Feel The Love MV XD

Can you forgive XOXO as well?:-)
Thank you for sharing! Very entertaining making of :-)

Love the song and the PV is very beautiful. Big step up from colours!

The song is going to have to grow on me a bit. But over all I am very satisfied with the song and PV. Her vocals I think are the best of her career so far, just wow!

Aww, this is lovely and look so realistic! Actually ayu shld really marry an Asian man in real life... She will be such a lovely, capable and dedicated wife!

Well has already married someone (not asian though) a year ago now, i'm saying that because it seems like you don't know about it.

Thanks for sharing. It seems that they had a pretty funny time during the shooting of the pv.

So beautiful and warm

Beautiful video & lovely song. However, I don't see myself re-watching the video or playing the song on repeat. I really like her vocal tho, I think she did a great job.