[tenshi no hane]

The first part~

Interview Translation 1/3:

Spoiler:

ayu x TA
INTERVIEW
ABOUT 15th HISTORY

A special plan has been realised to celebrate Ayu’s 15th anniversary! Ayu answered questions sent in by TA members about her music. Please experience the various emotions and thoughts Ayu puts into her work which you couldn’t have known until now.

Which song would you recommend to sing to someone you like?
Days comes to mind first. Maybe because it has the image of a love-struck maiden? The line, “Is it okay if I love you?” But if you’re singing to your long-time boyfriend, I guess you could sing it in the sense of remembering how you felt in the beginning..? (laughs)

When do you come up with the idea for the jacket cover?
First of all, it often doesn’t end up how I planned it. Usually I get a flash of inspiration during the actual shooting and things change more and more, I guess?

Please tell us your rules to decide an album’s song order?
That would… take a week to explain, you know (laughs). I have rules that I use every time, and certain albums will have their own set song order — I have quite a lot of different rules. But, be it an album’s song order or a live performance’s setlist, I have reasons for everything, so please try to look for them ♥︎

Does Ayu think of the design for the tour goods?
I do!

With what intention did you write Rule’s lyrics?
Rule is the theme song for Hollywood’s Dragonball. I thought “Goku is cool, huh” while reading the script. When I thought about why I felt this way, I realised it’s because he doesn’t let anything bother him, because he isn’t tied down by anything. That’s how the lyrics were born. In other words, Rule is like a collaboration between Goku and Ayu.

What song makes you think "This is Ayumi Hamasaki"?
Who…, I think? Both as Ayumi Hamasaki and as the real me.

What song gets you pumped up?
Feel the love — the song which I sang at the Countdown Live opening recently — really energised me. I sang it while thinking, “This song is really fun~”

If you had to pick one song which you’re unable to forget even now in these 15 years?
SEASONS. That’s because I feel like SEASONS helped to not only let everyone know the name Ayumi Hamasaki, but also the atmosphere in my lyrics.

Which song’s lyrics took the longest to write?
Hmm, nothing comes to mind right now. I think I would start again if it took too long.

What phrase do you feel the most for?
Who…’s chorus. I don’t think the current me could think of it. It’s really universal, how to say, I could sing it back then but also right now — I’m positive I’ll feel the same 10 years from now. The fact that I wrote such amazing lyrics when I was still quite young surprises even me (laughs).

What is Ayu’s favourite music video?
Right now GREEN comes to mind. ShimoKo shot the video and I really like its Shanghai atmosphere. In first place, ShimoKo’s music videos are really hard (laughs), but I also really like them. He always suggests unexpected things and his sense of art and fashion totally exceeds my imagination. I think it’s amazing. I usually hardly ever watch my own music videos, but there are times when I feel like watching GREEN or Mirrorcle World. Now I think about it, both were shot by ShimoKo, huh. I digress, but I have a feeling he directs by replacing himself with me. That’s why his directions are always really precise. Things like, “Take two steps and then please point your finger.” He says cut if I don’t do it exactly like that (laughs). He has a crystal-clear vision, and I’m like Shimoko’s other self as I move accordingly, how to say, I’m playing ShimoKo. That’s how it feels. But I don’t dislike this kind of AyuKo ♪