Do you love ayu's voice?

[Yukitora]

Ayu gets a lot of criticism over her vocal capabilities and strength (or lack of) when performing live, or even in studio recordings. But does anyone here just love it?

Personally I always thought her voice was beautiful. She has the capability to express emotion so intimate and raw, her lyrics really hit home. I find some artist who might have technically strong vocals which are nice on the ears don't come off as genuine when it comes to delivering lyrics. I think this is one of ayu's strong points.

I also love her versatility. I used to say ayu might as well be a voice actress! Although her vocal style has changed drastically, almost year to year, when it comes to singing UNITE! in her recent concerts, she can still pull off that cutely high pitch sounding voice she had before I am.... Sexy little things is another song that caught me by surprised, and I was sooooooo hoping she'd sing that song in TV just to show off her quirkiness!

I think my least favorite aspect to ayu's vocals were that uncontrollable vibrato she had sometime around 2006 or 2007, but since then it just sounds lovely and well, under control.

So, what does everything think? I just felt I had to post this after listening to a mp3 rip of CDL10-11. I know a lot of people seem to dislike her vocals in this concert (moreso at jpm than here), but I am so totally impressed! She's breathed new life into these songs and it's almost a shame some are better than her studio versions!

[haikudasai]

She has pretty tone and I'm able to tell it is her easily. She just needs to focus more on her own range rather than trying to break out of it.

Her vibrato is horrible at times.

That said sometimes she sounds like a banshee.

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by Yukitora

Personally I always thought her voice was beautiful. She has the capability to express emotion so intimate and raw, her lyrics really hit home. I find some artist who might have technically strong vocals which are nice on the ears don't come off as genuine when it comes to delivering lyrics. I think this is one of ayu's strong points.

I also love her versatility. I used to say ayu might as well be a voice actress! Although her vocal style has changed drastically, almost year to year, when it comes to singing UNITE! in her recent concerts, she can still pull off that cutely high pitch sounding voice she had before I am.... Sexy little things is another song that caught me by surprised, and I was sooooooo hoping she'd sing that song in TV just to show off her quirkiness!

I can't agree more. I absolutely love her voice!

[JackieRos]

I love her singing voice specially deep voice like in everywhere nowhere
I find it so beautiful and I don't complain about it well except when she tries to sing fugly kawaii

I don't know much about singing voices nor I obsess with them.
If I like a voice I like a voice I like Moon Kana's singing for example.

[panda87]

I AGREE WITH ALL YOU SAID. i love her voice, her versatility, the resonance of her voice, how it pulls at my heart, and how she dictates it. what i also love is that it's distinct to her. it's not something you can find anywhere else, that's why i love her and her voice.

[love in music]

Originally Posted by Yukitora

I think my least favorite aspect to ayu's vocals were that uncontrollable vibrato she had sometime around 2006 or 2007, but since then it just sounds lovely and well, under control.

So, what does everything think? I just felt I had to post this after listening to a mp3 rip of CDL10-11. I know a lot of people seem to dislike her vocals in this concert (moreso at jpm than here), but I am so totally impressed! She's breathed new life into these songs and it's almost a shame some are better than her studio versions!

Yeah, that vibrato was so unnecessary and unneeded! she used it way too much in AT08, but after that she seems to have toned it down and it makes her sound so much better. With ayu's voice, I think less is more. If you just listen to the acoustic versions of Virgin Road and MOON from the latest CDL, she sounds so beautiful and great. If she tried to over sing the songs, they probably wouldn't sound good at all, and she'd wind up going off at parts.. like with Endless Sorrow. Another example of how less is more with her is if you compare her beautiful performance of HEAVEN at CDL 05-06 to the AT06 performance - you can tell she was trying to over sing it at AT06, and though at times her voice is powerful in that performance, it sounded a lot better and natural during that CDL performance.

Originally Posted by panda87

I AGREE WITH ALL YOU SAID. i love her voice, her versatility, the resonance of her voice, how it pulls at my heart, and how she dictates it. what i also love is that it's distinct to her. it's not something you can find anywhere else, that's why i love her and her voice.

yep that's exactly how I feel.
There are really not many other voices that can touch me like hers does. With a lot of other artists I get this feeling they're just singing to sing a song and get it over with, not singing their hearts out.

[jbrat2219]

I love her voice, and I think she has good vocal capability when she sings with low music or no music at all. If you recall, AT08 (I think!) when fans were requesting songs from her, even though the DVD is edited, you can still tell she's far better than she is with loud music in the background. Same with the recent CDL, the acoustic portion was flawless compared to everything else.

As for her tone, I prefer her tone now than before. Her voice was too high pitched and I felt like I tolerated it because I love her but not because I loved her voice. Now that she has a lower tone, I'm infatuated by her voice! Absolutely love it!

I'll be honest and say no.

Obviously, I'm not saying I hate it, or else I would't listen to her. I really have no feelings for her voice one way or another.

[Bubbly]

I love her current voice, more deep. And I'm obsessed with her vibrato, frankyl speaking, I always enjoy listening to singer with a strong vibrato. I don't know why but I really love it.

I don't know when a voice is exactly good and when bad, but I just really like some voices. Geez, I even totally love the voice of Kago Ai, and it's like a extreme opposite of Ayu, all high pitched and stuff.

But yeah, I really love her current voice and hope she can keep it that way!

[BlackSilence]

I love her voice. The only thing I can't actually stand sometimes is her way of singing and the overdid vibrato as if it was fakely made. Especially on longer concerts of hers... that's why I hate when some artists do long concerts and then they have to hold in the voice so not to damage it...It becomes a bit annoying and makes my ears bleed.. I love when the voice just flows freely.. The best example for me is Seven Days War totally gorgeous smooth and soft, but together strong and powerful, most importaint - natural.

[channy]

I like her high pitched voice best, 'For My Dear...' has been one of my favourites for ages for this reason (when it comes to squeaky-peaky-ayu-voices).

[sugarbasil]

I used to. I am... through Secret was her best years. This new era of her voice really drives me crazy at times. Like in "Love song" and I think it's "Last Links"...though I can't be sure of that last one at the moment. I love "Love song," but all I could think of when I first heard it was, "my god she sounds terrible. "

Obviously it's not so bad that I won't listen to her, but no, I don't like her voice now. Not really.

[pommy48]

Originally Posted by sugarbasil

I used to. I am... through Secret was her best years. This new era of her voice really drives me crazy at times. Like in "Love song" and I think it's "Last Links"...though I can't be sure of that last one at the moment. I love "Love song," but all I could think of when I first heard it was, "my god she sounds terrible. "

Obviously it's not so bad that I won't listen to her, but no, I don't like her voice now. Not really.

Exactly how I feel...

I used to love her voice and now I find myself just skipping over her new songs because of her voice. I guess I was blinded with my love for Love songs at first, but now that love has just been set aside and all of the flaws just comes bubbling up X_X

But I never liked Ayu for the amazing vibratos she does...but just how much emotion and soul she puts into her song. I still love her for that, but I just can't stand her voice now.

[Kazeyomi]

I just thought about Ayu's voice while I was in the car today lol.
I love Ayu's voice. It's not amazing, and if you compare Ayu's voice with someone else voice it doesn't sound so excellent. But I noticed Ayu has one of the most important thing for a true singer. Her voice is full of emotions.
While she sing a sad song, her voice sound sad like for a happy and cute song as well. Her voice sounds way different while she's singing talkin' 2 myself than when she's singing glitter. Some singers have a powerful and amazing voice, but they're able to sing a sad song with the same voice as a happy song. You may be amazed by his/her tecnique, but it sounds emontionless.

For me a singer must spread a message (whatever message it is) with emotions. And Ayu make it almost perfectly. She need more practice in my honest opinion. If she keep practicing, her voice would be perfect.

[koumori]

She has an average voice to me, not particulary something that'd give me shivers, like alan or Leona Lewis. But her voice isn't as bad as people make out. I'd call her a talented musician - she is good at writing lyrics, singing to a melody to create an emotion...she has her ups and downs when singing live, but for the most part she has a good, strong voice.

[Bad Wolf]

I have no complaints, honestly. I don't think I can sincerely complain about Ayu's voice and then turn around and listen to Dir en grey... Kyo is like the Japanese metal equivalent of Ayu, IMO. Both of them aren't trained singers, both of them aren't even that musically educated, but they still compose(d) and they still sing their hearts out and do their best with what they can do. Obviously their musical styles are drastically different, but Kyo and Ayu are working with educational and physical limitations -- both of them are deaf in their left ear and both of them have musical schedules that require them to put their bodies and voices to the limit each night they perform.

Because of this, I can't complain about Ayu's voice at all. Once I realize what she has to go through just to sing a song I find it completely unfair of me to criticize her -- and not only that, but I really don't have anything to complain about in regards to her voice. It's different and it stands out. It's not ~omg perfect~ but I don't expect or demand perfection from any of the musicians I love. I only expect them to do what they want to do, and to do the best that they CAN do, with the abilities and talents they have.

I think Ayu's current era of a deeper voice is much, much better than her earlier years if only because I prefer deeper-voice Ayu to the ASFXX ~ Duty days. I find that it shows off her growth as a singer, even if she's still struggling with it.

[Cherry Dynamite]

If I didn't like her voice, I wouldn't be here.

[emi♡]

I love her voice.

I just wish she could still sing. She has absolutely no control anymore. And she screams so much...and she's off key all the time.

oh well. DVD edited vocals FTW! Studio Magic

[hearted]

its nothing wowish but its nice to listen to

[adantatu2]

her voice is nice, but the vibratOoOoOoOos are so horrible!!!!!!!
and in the last years her voice sounds tired.