How would you respond...

[Larien]

...to someone who asked you why you liked Ayu? Specifically, someone who knew nothing about her, and didn't particularly care for her music, or J-Pop at all?
My brother just asked me this while I was showing him a live performance of hers, and to be honest, I didn't quite know how to explain. "She's just a popstar," he said. I started to say that she's also a person, and that her lyrics are so honest, and have touched me, but I didn't really know how to make it clear. :s

[NintendoHTF1242]

I hate being asked that too. My brother always tells me to stop listening to Japanese Music because I don't understand them. I told him I appreciate their lyrics more than American artists (well, 2/3's of American Artists). But yeah xD I don't know how to respond in that too.

[Hazuki]

I always tell them it's because of the lyrics.
When I translate the lyrics for someone, they have a better understanding.
But most of them don't give a BLAH about lyrics anyway.
If my family asks me why I keep watching her performances,
it's because of Ayu's energy and emotion she puts in it ^^

[nemesisyume]

I just say she makes good music and I like it.

[pommy48]

I hate it when people ask me this, they usually follow it with "do you even know japanese"

but not that many people have asked me, I just usually say "I love her lyrics and the energy she give off on stage"

my parents actually asked me this before and i said that she saved me when i was in the darkest stage of my life, and now they support me and my ayu buying

[elepop]

If people were to ask me how I feel about Ayu and why I like her now, I would probably say that I actually don't like her as much as I used to. In fact, she's rapidly fading away to my eyes. But even though I'm not really a fan anymore, I still think that her early music was awesome and still listen to them regularly.

I noticed that a lot of people are saying that the reason why they love Ayu is because of her lyrics. I know her lyrics are incredible, but I personally never cared that much about them.

[amorphose]

When someone tells me that I shouldn't listen to Japanese music because I don't understand it-- I always ask them to explain to me how one "supermans a hoe" or what a "stanky leg" because the average listener of mainstream American music has no clue what some of the more eccentric slang in the songs mean.

If anyone likes that song by Soulja Boy, you should look up what the term "superman a hoe" means if you don't know. You'll be pretty disgusted and probably won't want to listen to the song anymore. XD

But back on topic-- When people ask me why I like Ayumi I tell them that I love her because of her amazing lyrics, for the fact that she appears to not have a dive-esque personality, and because of how beautiful she is.

Then I show them the performance of Memorial address from AT03-04 or talkin' 2 myself from AT08. Then they understand.

[noidea]

^ talkin' 2 myself AT08 was crap IMO, every singer can sing playback and have some fire going up around them, and ayus use of fire in it isnt really good...much fire at bad moments, no fire at good moments IMO, but I dont wanna start a fight here, I just think that performance wont be taken as good reason by many people, total opposite goes for Memorial Address....that one was just....pure awesomeness

I hate being asked why I like Ayu because I can't really say as well, she OVERALL is the best artist to me(with focus on lyrics) and she is very energetic and emotional live + theres many, many songs so it doesnt get boring that easy
Im glad theres other people with the same problem

[xLuna&1LOVE]

"I love Ayu, cuz' she is sexy like me. I only like sexy people"

[noidea]

^ Thats a great idea! Id say that if i was female and sexy xD But you should add that she is sexy AND cute, that makes her and you even more superior to the person asking^^

[Picaflor 7/4]

cause her remixes are sexalicious.. enough said.

[Delirium-Zer0]

I usually say "'Cuz she's freaking EPIC." XD

[Andrenekoi]

Since when do I need to have a reason for liking something?
"i like it cuz i think it's good"

[Embleu]

Lyrics first of all. Then her PVs. As masa put it, her videos (and some of her concert performances) often employ imagery that seems to have nothing to do with the theme of the lyrics. That "inharmonious" beauty attracted many Gen-X-ers to her, and I must admit I like the way her artistry is post-modern without being post-modern, if you know what I mean. And I love her cheesy pop songs.

[Lee^ChaN]

because she's just AWESOME!

[JackieRos]

duh simple i tell them "I LOVE HER"
and if they ask me if i understand what shes saying
I say "no but I have her lyrics in my heart"

[ownsarai]

I love her lyrics, music, PV's, lives and just her personality. As Delirium-ZerO put it, she's freakin' EPIC!

[neuteka]

I just say "cuz her music sounds epicly amazing"

[fantasma3c]

Id be like because she's F'ing AWESOME!!!
And well because she expresses deep emotion through her lyrics
She might be a popstar but shes my favorite

[love in music]

"she's AYUMI HAMASAKI"

jk. i'd say her lyrics and how she inspires me. like a role model. in happy times she makes me even happier. in sad times she makes me happy. and in the worst times she gives me a reason to live