Quote:
Originally Posted by bluegie
Wow that's a long reply LOL.
I'm not saying Ai-chan can't prove it since she's still like the mid of her 20s. The thing is, right now Japan is not giving her more time at all. Looking at her recent sales it seems like she starts fading already. She gotta make something different from Sakuranbo / Happy Days / SMILY / frienger / CHU-LIP / PEACH. I guess people are getting tired of her similar happy songs. I do think those songs are different from each other.. somehow the instrumental arrangements are freakin' similar. (Btw I believe that ayu and hikki have already proven how good they were even before their 4th year)
Yes, Greatful Days are July 1st~2003 ver~. Actually Until that day is quite similar to other songs somehow. BUT the difference is again the arrangement. She (or the arranger) can try something else other than hitting the drum/guitar/electrical piano everytime.
The reason I dun wanna mention Bold & Delicious is that it's actually a flop. Dun get me wrong, I really love the song, and I think B&D and Pride are super unique among ayu's songs. The thing that the majority doesn't accept this dramatic change at all. It is always hard to try out new things. I'm kinda disappointed that many people wanna wipe out these two songs out of ayu's discography, because melody and arrangement wise they are really excellent.
Sigh... the thing is ayu doesn't wanna get rid of her mates (such as peco and princess, and no need to mention her guiltar/piano/other instruments players etc.). Sometimes I kinda wonder if this is why the arrangement getting restricted? 70% materials in the albums must have all of those elements so that her players can actually play at live. Her songs should include some other instruments rather thans essential 5 (or 6 or whatever how many people in her band).
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Haha, sorry, I tend to ramble XD
Yeah, that's why I really admire Ayu sometimes---even though B&D was a flop, I don't think she cares. I honestly think she really loves that song--look how happy and confident she is every time she sings it!
It proves that interesting arrangement and different vocals aren't exactly what the people are looking for...I remember in one of the talkin' 2 myself sales threads, someone brought up a really good point that everytime Ayu has an "experimental" single, it tends not to do well.
I think a lot of it has to do with Asian culture, really...being Vietnamese, it's my experience that sometimes when my parents are watching a Vietnamese music show and the song is sad or something, they're like "UGH get over it".
Not all the time, of course, but I think maybe cultural mentality has something to do with it. "GUILTY" is a rather dark album ("MY ALL" and "glitter" aside), and the past two albums have been rather dark as well. I think at first it was really refreshing to see this honest young singer voicing her troubles (hence the success of "A Song for XX", etc) but lately maybe people are just tired of hearing Ayu complain
It's just a theory, but just maybe. Perhaps this is why her summer singles tend to do better than her regular ones?
And about the instruments...well, I don't think it's her team, but rather just what's practical. Guitar and piano are staples in not only Ayu's music, but many, many artists' music as well.