[Translation] CAWAII Sept 2005

[isaac hiew]

Cawaii!! 10th Anniversary Special

Ayumi Hamasaki: Like A Latin Girl

Ayumi has delivered her congrats to us for our 10th anniversary! She was still a young reader when Cawaii!! made its debut, and 10 years later... , she achieved her future of her dreams, the shining and radiant Ayu has become everybody's dreams! She even dressed up as a Latin exotic dancer which makes us go crazy. This issue features her new song info and of course some of her hand-written messages.

Let us check Ayu's story about the number "10"

"I was a big fan of Cawaii!! 10 years ago!"

At that time of first volume.... I was only 16 (laughs). I still remember the exciting moments ahen me and my friends discovered this magazine in a convenient store.... good old days!

"I think that I haven't changed after 10 years. Except being happier."

My enthusiasm and things that i like remained the same. But as you get older you will have more and more responsibility on your shoulder, and with some degree of freedom available to you. I think now I'm getting more comfortable than last time.

"If I can go back 10 years ago.... I'll tan myself"

If I suddenly go back in my age same as the readers, I will definately go to saloon and tan myself! (laughs) And then I will go on a simple life, going to my classes by subways, hanging around in Shibuya district after school.... see how does it feels like to be picked up by cheesy guys or woo handsome dudes! (laughs).

"After 10 years, my heart is being more forgiving to many things"

I did think that me myself after 10 years should be very mature... but I consider this part of me has grown up the most.

"I still wanted to dash like this even it's already 10 years"

Since my debut, I have been sprinting on my career. But this is all about marching towards tomorrow, and Ayu thinks that this is a kind of advancement.

"At Cawaii!!'s 10 years this is the No.1 hairstyle "

My favorite hairstyle is on the 2002 July issue of Cawaii!!, it has been 3 years... how I miss it. Because the front end of my hair was cut too much of it so I have to go for attaching it with wigs.... but when it was released, to my suprise, the feedback was great! (laughs)

"The pinnacle of my youth? It's that leopard dress!"

Although I've been overaged... but the decision of wearing that leopard dress on the cover of " Duty " (Ayu's 3rd album) was done by me, you can say it's my pinnacle of my youth. (laughs)

Summer of Ayu

1. Every single that releases on summers sure have a lot of memories... during the recording of "Boys & Girls " (10th single), I played the song over and over again while I went for a drive with my friends. I think this marks the beginning of my tradition to record a new single on very summer. It's kinda happy and nostalgic back then!

2. A summer for aqquaintantships! A fantasy bout Ayu's dream love relationship....

I don't want fantasies! How boring if it is not real! Finished. (laughs)
Other than this, Cawaii!! readers' summer vacation would be what then? Part time jobs? If ayu was to choose, it should be picking a place where it is near to the beach to start working in! @ years ago we built a shop near a beach in a real time Tv program project. Actually I do crave to work inside there!

3. This summer's Ayu "wolf" hairstyle is slightly longer...

Actually last summer I did the same hairstyle you know? It seems that whenever it somes to summer I will definately go for this hairstyle. I like its curliness, the lightness which it won't make you look too sweet. When it's longer you will have many options. Be it cool, wild, cute... it fits miraculously for any styles of dressing and you can try mix it out yourself.

4. Wanted to play in summer... that's beach, right?

"Going to the beach" isn;t that abit monotenous? (laughs) I don't know though. Because every year we have this "A-Nation" Concert going on so I seldom have the chance to experience it. I do hope someone can teach me! I love beaches, but alas, I don't know how to swim, because I scared of deep places where my feet can't touch the ground, so I won't go into the water.
(laughs)

5. Tell you what I like the most

That would be Hawaiian rubies/crystals. Awhile ago we went to the Hawaii for the shooting of my music video and I discovered these cute stuffs and I bought tons of it. I matched pink rubies inside my music videos, so everyone please check it out.

6. Now revealing the summer's favorite dress and make up!

On the costume part, no bright color cake skirts, and the skill of mix and matching the accessories or the colors still being the top criteria.

On the make up part, turkey blue or green eye shadows are nice. While the lipstick color can be in orange type. If it is focusing on the eyes, then you will have to look on the overall make up on your face to match the colors. If it's lips then you might want to use beige color instead on your eye shadows. This is my general principle.


Work of Ayu

The "forever" (zutto), I think it means the bonding with the past more than the usual thought of marching towards future.

-- The single "fairyland" is rich in Ayu's own style, while also shocks its listener, it does have a different sensation. Although it has the same mode of lyrics choice but we do not know what kind of relationship should we take up this summer. Therefore this song has both happiness and sadness in it.

"Yeah, even though it is a song based on the summer theme, but it is not just cheering up elements in it. For instance when you listen to this song in the first light of the day, you will feel rejoiced. but when you hear it in dusk, you will feel a bit sad... I was having these thoughts of letting the public experiencing different emotions when writing this song."


-- The lyrics has one word, "zutto" (forever) which makes a strong impression onto the listeners. so what does that mean for Ayu?

"When we mentioned "forever", we will always thought it is something to do with future. but for me I think it is for the past. I think if you can continuosly link up your past then you will have future. Because all lives are finite, so the true future is impossible for us. but perhaps we can create something that is nearly infinity. When you are repeating the process of experiencing winning and losingin your life, as long as you can left with that person that you truly needed each other, to me that can be defined as "forever". "

-- I do feel like I can understand this. Although we do not know anything about our future, but since I like Ayu's songs very much, I do feel something like "I wanna listen this song, I wanna sing this song".... seems like it is a perpetual feeling.

"If my songs can be having a large place in somebody's heart, it is really a happy thing for me."


Translated by Isaac Hiew
Translated from Cawaii!! Internation Chinese Edition, 2005 September issue
13/OCT/2005
For AHS Only