ayu to annul contract with avex?

[YUKARI]

the Japanese friend of mine who went to Tokyo a-nation this year says that ayu may not attend next a-nation and even annul her contract with avex. This sounded crazy to me at first. But then everything suddenly began to make sense: the poorly produced MINI-album, lack of TV appearances, no CMs for CDL DVD/Bluray and FIVE ready at the time, late update of her official web-site layout, problems at tokyo a-nation, problems with JUNO and even BRILLANTE PV and song itself made sense to me.

I don't know, it seems like there are definitely some problems, because I find it abnormal for a superstar like ayu not to promote her release right now and instead of that doing thing that is not connected with avex at all.

I also think that FIVE is totally self-made album, avex hasn't put its hand on it, that's why it leaves this unpolished, unfinished feeling.

What do you think about it?

I personally would love to see how ayu launches new label where she'll be ultimate queen

[RayJason]

And I say that ayu will become president of the United States.

I don't think that she's going to leave AVEX or anything like that. It's Max Matsuura who discovered her, and it's because of him that we can hear and see ayu today. Maybe she is just having a hard time, she has released a mini album, promotional videos, commercials etc. It was a very busy time for her, and maybe she rushed a bit too much.

[Fenio]

omaigod D:!!!!! I think you are right ._. fear!

[Ashen Twilight]

She she just make her own label. She has enough money for it and I'm sure the majority of her team at avex would follow her. I don't think she's going to leave avex though since she a Max are good friends plus she owns some of avex's stock. Why would she want to hurt her investment?

[pepper]

I just think you're overacting.

The mini is maybe not the best album she made, but it's her average product she made it before.
I CAN'T see her drunk in HK videos (she's obviosly excited and happy)
The BRILLANTE PV itself fits the theory, but the song can be about anything. Even her husband.

[YUKARI]

^yeah, may be I'm overacting

btw I said nothing about HK videos. I didn't know there was some issue about it.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

"We are free to do anything we want"


I'm not sure if this would actually happen, but I wouldn't be surprised. Even though she said in some 2004 interview that she was going to be part of AVEX forever, I'm sure she would still leave the company if she didn't like something.

They are so stubborn, just like her lol I want her to leave and make her own company

[bondingo]

What happened in HK videos? Where'd that come from?

I can't say I agree though. I mean, it WOULD make sense, but I just don't think that that's the case. avex has done so much for her over the years that I can't see her leaving them at this point, especially since she does own/is a lot of their stock. I really just think she needs a break; hence why FIVE was a poor quality release (for her at least).

And she went on Music Station. That's at least some promotion.

[Ayu_Love]

I'm really not sure if she would or not, but what you said about the BRILLIANTE Lyrics is the same way I felt when I first watched the PV and read the lyrics. It was definately about saying good-bye to someone or something, and I actually thought 'Is she talking about leaving?', when I was listening to it. And the PV kind of continues on about how she must sacrifice herself for her people, or perhaps wanting to give up. I think Ayu does sacrifice her personal life for her work.

But, Ayu loves her fans dearly, and loves what she does. So I guess there's no way to tell? I think there has been problems connecting her work since marrying Mannie, cause I don't think she gets to see him much...He lives in LA, dosen't he?

Who knows, let's hope she's not done yet. But at the same time, I wouldn't want her to sacrifice that happiness she has with mannie, either.

[pepper]

Originally Posted by bondingo

What happened in HK videos? Where'd that come from?

Nothing. People sayin' she's drunk in them xD

[milky_way]

I don't see that this happening anytime soon. They let her do whatever the hell she wants; plus she seems to be really close to Max.

ETA: I'm surprised they haven't given Ayu her own sublabel like they did for hitomi.

[emi♡]

Ayu helped build that company...I don't see any reason why she would leave any time soon.


her crap is just sucking right now....she and her team are always doing things late, avex isn't promoting her as much, cause it really doesn't matter...and she always has some form of disagreements with what they want and what she wants.

And of course Avex is involved with FIVE. I don't think people understand, that they are her management company. Anything that has her name on it, also reflects on them. And while the bosses may not have as much say, because Max is CEO, and Ayu and Max are buddy buddy, they will definitely know about the album and will give their opinions, and take over the "non-artistic" portions of production.

Ayu just has a lot of seniority there, and she has a lot of leeway. And considering that she still makes considerable amount of money with whatever she releases, it's not going to matter so much if she takes their advice or not....and I think this applies to promotion as well.


And we also have to remember, you know, selling 100k in a first week, in Japan, compared to the VAST amounts of artists, is still really great. She's selling that much, and even on a really heavily competition day, she could most likely still break the top 10 with only that much.

That says A LOT about how "top heavy" (does that make sense) this industry is, and how much artists who are able to have her number of sales, mean to their companies.

Sorry to make this about sales, but...you know that's what Avex is thinking about. And furthermore, you know, it kinda, doesn't look good on them if one of their top top artists and possible shareholders is leaving, as far as investing goes.

imo, they'd do quite a lot to get her to stay.


about Ayu leaving on her own...idk she just has a lot of freedom there, whether she or other people see it. I think she'd be kinda stupid for leaving. Very very few other artists have those kinds of privileges.


woah...longer post than...I had intended...

[R_Hikki]

I wouldn't be surprised if Ayu left avex but I think now is too soon to tell. Just because she's been with them since forever it doesn't mean that she shouldn't or wouldn't want to seperate from them eventually. People change, and so do the relationships that they share with eachother, and sometimes the only way to move forward is to let go.

Janet Jackson had been with Virgin Records for more than 13 years. She made lots and lots of money for them, but even they had to end their relationship. One artist doesn't always share the same vision as the large company that they are part of.

And I agree with emiko. It all comes down to the money/sales.

[keikeiaznqueen]

You have to remember that Ayu has a lot of ties and friends in Avex that'd she'd be hurting A LOT if she ever leaves. It'd be absolutely terrible for Max Matsuura if she left because of investments. It's like how during that feud in 2004, when Ayu made clear her position Avex's stocks collapsed or something.

And as much as Ayu is a free-spirited strong woman who is stubborn about what she believes, one thing I think she would never do is hurt the people she cares about like that.

[Ayu_Love]

It's true. But I don't think Ayu will be with Avex forever. At some point she has to get on with her life, unless he plans to work forever. But she has mannie now, and will probably want to settle with him, perhaps even have a family in the future. Of course Avex wouldn't want her to go, but they can't exactly stop her or have the right to stop her if she wishes to leave. If she wanted to leave so that she could continue a life with those she loves, how can they hate her for that? I don't think she would ever leave because of investments, or to start her own company. (although you never know!)

[hightea_xx]

not to be catty, but your friend simply attended one of the a-nation shows this year, and that makes her a reliable authority on the path of ayu's career how...?

i think it could be interesting if she did leave, but i don't know that it would be the best thing. it takes a lot of time and money to start and sustain a label (or so i imagine), and considering the climate of the jpop industry, i don't know that she would be successful based on her fame alone. she could probably successfully start a label, but i wonder about it's longevity. at the end of the day, her sales, while still impressive when one considers the jpop industry as a whole (all sales are down) i don't know that the profits generate from those sales would be able give her the resources that are already existing at avex.

[Bigtop]

Do we even also have to add the economic downturn - and her age at this point? I'm not sure why our minds of Ayu are kind of garbled up...

[YuriChan]

It would be one thing if ayu herself said it, then I would be shocked. But no official statements have been said about it. So, to me, it's just another rumor.

[U-GO-BOY]

Originally Posted by YUKARI

the Japanese friend of mine who went to Tokyo a-nation this year says that ayu may not attend next a-nation and even annul her contract with avex. This sounded crazy to me at first. But then everything suddenly began to make sense: the poorly produced MINI-album, lack of TV appearances, no CMs for CDL DVD/Bluray and FIVE ready at the time, late update of her official web-site layout, problems at tokyo a-nation, problems with JUNO and even BRILLANTE PV and song itself made sense to me.

I'm sorry but could anyone explain these things to me? I have stopped following Ayu for some time now :X

[truehappiness]

JUNO was not allowed to appear at the final two dates of a-nation this month, and Ayu was rather irritated at that.

And about BRILLANTE, Ayu has had alterna and other music industry/label related songs/videos... I wouldn't read too much into it since it's just one interpretation.

I would say that Ayu will probably never leave avex because they pretty much give her the freedom to do whatever she wants (stay in LA for a few more months than planned), whenever she wants. (with some exceptions like the JUNO thing, of course.) You probably wouldn't be able to find that kind of freedom elsewhere.