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Originally Posted by AngelSenshi
I'd like to add this but I really wasn't quite sure where it'd fit in those questions since it's a bit of everything and I didn't want to write too much (I failed at that, I know!)
She's the only pop artist I ever listen to; ever. Western or not; she's the only pop artist I listen to and I actually enjoy. Every where female artists, especially solo artists, are being marketed as these beautiful untouchable sexy things that dance and sing about romance, relationships, parties, dancing, drinking and stuff like that.
When Ayu first started people were really loving and accepting of feelings in music. Emotions in music at that time was more common than it is these days, but Ayu could always touch peoples hearts with her emotions better than any other person at that time.
It's interesting to note, that as time went by and all this changed, and the market of female solo artists changed, Ayu hasn't at all. Her range of music has widened, but she never lost the honest feelings in her music that made her famous. She also didn't drastically change her image. Yes, she looks a bit more mature now but that's purely because she's gotten a bit older, but nobody told her this image had to change, and her shows are packed with action, intensity, passion, emotions, cuteness, and sexiness, and all to convey the songs well unlike some other female artists (particularly in the West) who will make a sexy performance out of a soft ballad. This isn't to say she doesn't have any sex appeal, or sexy performances; but it's more "time and place" which I've got to admire her for.
It's always been proof, I think, that she wasn't going to budge, and to change everything, just for her records to sell and that'd she'd remain putting feelings into her music because her music was for her, and for us, and we'd keep listening as long as those feelings were there.
As she's once said, people are free to listen to music on their own; and to decide what they like on their own.
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I definitely agree with you on everything you posted here. I really can't listen to other pop artists and not get bored after a while, whereas I'm always able to discover a new favorite song from Ayu, whether is be old or new. For instance, I discovered my love for her older pop songs like SIGNAL and HANA after she performed them at PCDL.
Ayu feels so human where as so many artists these days, as you said are like these "untouchable" people. Ayu talks to and treats her fans like we're her family or friends. Once all of those people went to meet her in England and gave her the A WORLD IS ONE book, she felt so much closer to us in my opinion. What other artist would have accepted something like that and really taken it to heart?
Her drive to keep going is the most amazing thing about her in my opinion. I've seen lives where she was sick or lost her voice, but she still performs to her fullest and doesn't lipsync. Even with her hearing completely gone in one ear, she's still singing and moving on with her career like nothing really happened.
I don't think Ayu has changed at all over the past 10 years. She's discovered herself through her music and definitely has matured, but she's still the same Ayu. She hasn't let the business change her at all, she still has her own style of music and writes lyrics that are true to her heart.
That is what makes her such a remarkable and inspirational person.