[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by tsumekaze_

No problem, I get how frustrating it is when people keep complaining about the same thing, I get frustrated too.
My remark was indeed directed at the fact that she doesn't accept prizes/sing on tv anymore. It's not really a critique because I know she must have her reasons and I respect that, it's just sad because I believe some more promotion could do her well at this point, especially because she can give such beautiful performances lately which let's be honest she's struggled with in the past years. This SEASONS performance was one of it, but my point is, lately she's been on tv almost always for older stuff (latest kohaku included where she didn't perform the newest songs, I get why though). on this kind of "best hits" programs. Why won't she promote new stuff regularly anymore? She did go on MSTA special with last minute (+ M) and that was breathtaking. And after that, a lot of people actually responded well, because many japanese don't even know she's releasing new stuff anymore.

I just wonder how many songs which have received a tiepid response would have become hits if released as proper singles + given the right promotion.
I don't really care how "popular" she is, I never listened to her for numbers of cd sold in the first place, it's just a general reflection, because I believe that 3/4 of the new stuff she produced is as good as the older stuff but many people can't seem to recognise that because either she is selling less (and apparently for many people quantity sold= quality) or because some of them don't even know she is still releasing stuff (majority of japanese people). It's frustrating! A ONE is as good as RAINBOW, imho, and while I do agree she releases a lot of songs with more "generic" lyrics nowadays, just reading the lyrics to "out of control" or "last minute" gives me chills just as any of her older, more popular songs.

Well, she performed just before the final act, on a very long TV special... Usually, the most pretigious the artist, the later they perform. If this shows something by itself, she still is regarded as bigger than most by the public. Being just behind SMAP isn't anything bad at all.