I get the feeling that somehow she doesn't really pull off cute that well anymore. Maybe I'm too used to the "sexy" Ayu image these days!
And it seems that many of us don't like her current hairstyle. Personally, I'm okay with it, although I prefer the style she had for the Ladies Night PV. This one's not too bad I guess, gives her a more mature look. Probably why she doesn't pull off cute in this cover.