[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by untitled-for-her

It would make sense though if she was losing motivation. Ever since Party Queen, things have been really different.

She doesn't do magazine photo shoots nearly as much as she used to, she doesn't perform on music shows anymore, and she has had a habit of releasing the same things repeatedly as "new material". (For example, LOVE & again --> LOVEagain. And she also released the entire Colours album via singles. Which I found odd.) Not to mention the fact that the minute she tries to settle down, she gets hate for it.

And this is really upsetting. Because, think about it from her perspective. People focus more on her personal life than her music now. And she has to deal with that. She's releasing music, knowing that she will still be dubbed the "Jpop Empress gone downhill" and there is little she can do to redeem herself.

I'm hoping that with time, people in Japan will let her in with open arms again and she will rise back to the top. But the thing is, she is in a very harsh and unforgiving environment.

She did everything she has ever done for the benefit of the fans. She based her whole career on the fanbase. And I'd lose motivation too if the fans turned on me the way they have to her.

To be honest, quitting music--or just going on a hiatus--may just be the best thing for her. She's a newlywed and she shouldn't have to deal with the pressures of the industry at a time that's supposed to be the best in her life.

Whether or not she does, I'll always support her. Lately, she just seems... tired. And it's hard to see her like this.

However, Colours is a huge success in my eyes and the amount of promotion being done for the album makes me feel like ayu is getting back on her feet and is ready to take on the competition.

I feel like this album will be a first step to going back into the right direction.

The only reason people are more focused on her personal life now is because she put her personal life out on display for people. So she really only has herself to blame for that. She purposely put that picture with Manni in the Return road PV. She could've re-shot the covers with Maro on them or even shot them with a random model but she chose to keep them despite the backlash that was already brewing from fans and the general public that was tired and skeptical of her relationship news being centered around album releases.

And no one can deny the fact that visually, her PVs are laughable compared
to before, and I don't know if I can say that everything she does is for her fans at all, since its not like it's charity. She is a business and is making money.

Atleast musically she is still capable to churning out the occasional hit. But the general public won't be interested in finding them if she continues to package them so terribly with those PVs.