Has ayu lost her touch?

[noidea]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Yeah, with the help of a therapist (is this the word?)... There are some personal subjects that appears on Ayu songs since forever, what means they are not all that healed...

Actually...no, doing it on yourself helps just as much. I do it whenever I have problems to overcome and just because subjects appear again that doesn't have to mean she still has the problems, it could be a)written about her past feelings, b)a fiction, c)writen about somebody elses problems(Over) or a problem that occured AGAIN(lost love, death, loneliness...all things that can happen more than once and the last one will not go away even when writing about it, it will go away for a time and be less bad)

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by noidea

Actually...no, doing it on yourself helps just as much. I do it whenever I have problems to overcome and just because subjects appear again that doesn't have to mean she still has the problems, it could be a)written about her past feelings, b)a fiction, c)writen about somebody elses problems(Over) or a problem that occured AGAIN(lost love, death, loneliness...all things that can happen more than once and the last one will not go away even when writing about it, it will go away for a time and be less bad)

It really depends a lot on the problem... she has some very common ones, like end of relationships, deaths, etc... and some very hardcore ones too, like her dad, her level of fame and her relationship with media and avex... The worst ones she is most likelly never going to overcome only by writting songs about it...

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Like what? really... besides the horrid summer/winter singles she MUST release every year (and if she doesn't, the same people who says she is releasing more of the same starts crying like a bunch of babies) I can't really think about that much re-used stuff...

I think it is pretty hard to argue that her concerts have not been very similar since 2005. Some details in them might change but the basic structure has remained the same. From her first tour till My Story each tour was very different from the last one. My Story itself was very innovative. From My Story on however the formula has basically remained the same. The comfort zone that people were mentioning. Same stage, same themes, same effects, same or similar costumes etc etc. But I agree with what was said earlier, right now that is secondary and her voice is the most important concern at the moment.

About the Team Ayu thing - I'm not one to just say all this stuff but not have the guts to actually tell the person. I will definitely post on Team Ayu. I have a feeling though that no matter how nicely I put it or how constructively, it'll get deleted. And that is one of the problems, I feel that Ayu has been too insulated by her team - like she lives in her own bubble world. I might lose my Team Ayu membership the day that I finally get it, lol.

[Coelacanth]

I thought GUILTY was a deeply personal album... I think it's really obvious that she's detached from NEXT LEVEL, though.

Since Days, she's been putting out really simple, contrived single songs - Rule, Sunrise, You were... Good songs, but conceptually and lyrically mediocre.

[JackieRos]

Originally Posted by tourniquet

I agree with you on the first sentence but
the thing is that she potentially could widen her release cycle to improve (also external)
creative input, but she's not.

What do you mean exactly?
like shes not releasing enough or shes releasing too much?

Originally Posted by ストロボ・EdGE

Oh btw guys, what does Gaga, Kumi, and Namie
have to do with Ayu losing her touch?

apparently i missed the good stuff

[noidea]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

It really depends a lot on the problem... she has some very common ones, like end of relationships, deaths, etc... and some very hardcore ones too, like her dad, her level of fame and her relationship with media and avex... The worst ones she is most likelly never going to overcome only by writting songs about it...

Her dad has been a major trauma in her life, she will NEVER be completely over it, no matter what she does, and her level of fame and avex are surrounding her wherever she is, so she can only make them to smaller problems, it's impossible to fully overcome a problem that not in the past because it will always peak again. So I think that writing songs is the best she can do about it. A therapist can't do much more than listen and show her how to overcome these problems, the first thing is done by her fans, the second one she already does. Basically...the fans are a therapist to her when telling her to write honestly about her feelings...a good one.

And I actually prefer getting "painful" songs every now and then. I consider A Song for XX to be the most important piece of art in my life, not just because it helped me from commiting suicide more than once...
Seeing other people deal with pain for me is one of the best ways to deal with it myself, for that, Ayu has become a rolemodel for me, THE rolemodel.

[Yumsushi]

No, she has not lost her touch. I still enjoy watching and listening to her, but I would like her to work on her vocals and dancers wise, they should stay in the background like in the Rollin' performance. Also, she should dump that cutsey act. Its cute and all, but she's past that now.
I don't see what some people are saying about how her lyric writing has changed. I think she has always had hits and misses, lyrically and musically like everyone else.

[noidea]

^ Well, in A Song for XX and LOVEppears. most songs were about her own problems, it gradually turned to be more universal and wordly problems and in NEXT LEVEL I think all songs were pretty much universal

[RyRyMini]

Originally Posted by GRACE

The problem is, no one here understands how musicians make their money.

Musicians only make real money by concerts, that's it. They make a royalty on CD releases, but it's not that much. Why do Japanese artists release more often the western artists? Japanese artists get less royalties for their CDs then Western artists do. When Ayu releases a CD, most of the money from it goes into avex's bank account, not her's.

She makes her money with her concerts, it's a job like any other. And she's doing it successfully despite our complaining. She's still packing arenas full of people. And I think that's part of the problem.

everything is GOOD for her right now. She's maintaining decent sales for the current CD market, she's made great digital sales this year on Sunrise and You were..., she's got a #1 streak that's poised to break the record, and she's still packing arenas full of people. In my opinion, she doesn't see a need to fix anything because nothing is being drastically hurt by it, except, apparently, the opinions of fans halfway around the world.

For her to fix whatever's falling apart would require her to lose a lot first. The only thing that's going to fix anything is her going down in flames and having to claw her way back to the top

No, I'm fully aware that she and other artists don't make much off of CD sales. She's toured so much though, I mean look how large and full the arenas always are. And we only see one show from the DVD release - tours generally have many dates in them.

Like I said, I'm sure she has enough money. Dropping a grand on shoes honestly isn't really much when you have millions. A lot of Western celebrities spend thousands upon thousands at once and they don't become broke.

I don't understand why people are saying Ayu has "decent" sales. She's an artist with so many #1s and thousands of sales. There are a lot of talented artists who couldn't dream of having sales and records like that, like Anna Tsuchiya and Ami Suzuki to name a couple. Neither of them have huge tours and they seem to be doing fine financially.

We might not be the only ones complaining about Ayu, I'm sure there are some Japanese fans who aren't that pleased with her as of late, nobody could deny it after watching her recent evolution performance. But even after one (or a few) bad or recycled performances, people would still want to go see her even though they may complain on the side. I know I would.

Also, we have to remember this is a discussion forum. There are always going to be unsatisfied people, and that's fine. Who would want to come here if everyone loved everything she did and every thread was filled with praise?

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by noidea

^ Well, in A Song for XX and LOVEppears. most songs were about her own problems, it gradually turned to be more universal and wordly problems and in NEXT LEVEL I think all songs were pretty much universal

NL is one out of 11 albums. Guilty, another recent album, seemed pretty personal to me. I think this is a very subjective issue.

[SunshineSlayer]

^ Yeah, I personally don't think her lyrics are anywhere close to being her biggest problem right now.

[Kazeyomi]

She hasn't lost her touch. It's just changed her way to work as singer and as others said she seems more focused on fans entertainment. Just that.
It is so bad? I don't think so.

People seems like:
'she don't sells MILLIONZ of copies like before, so she has lost her touch'

she can do masterpieces/good songs also now. The music industry is changed with illegal music downloads and compared to the most of the japanese artists she sells really really good nowadays and arenas are still full of people who want to enjoy her concerts.

[Crystal_Ageha]

Okay, I haven't read every single post, but I have read most of them, and what bothers me most is the people saying that all her music sounds exactly the same......

Are you serious??? Every single song sounds the same--Or, every song of a certain sub genre sounds exactly the same? Somebody above said that Because of You and Rule and 1 LOVE all sound the same, because they are dark rock (which, it's actually dark POP rock, of course, at best).... Are you ****ing serious!? Several other people have said similar things...
You guys must just not like that sub genre, then, or at least not those songs, because, for example, those three songs CERTAINLY do not sound alike. Nothing is the same, other than the freakin' guitar. They don't even have the same themes. Some of her songs, of course, do have similar chords or instruments or whatever, but she has a crap load of songs, so a few seasonal songs sounding similar to one another, out of how freakin' many, is not a big deal. Even Sunrise, one of her newest songs - and a seasonal one, at that, sounds distinct from, say, fairyland or BLUE BIRD. And You were... does remind me of No way to say, but no way would I confuse them...............Unless, I just hated her ballades, or never really took the time to listen to them.

I think some people's problems are, a lot of you just don't like pop anymore, at least not regular pop. (Or maybe you never really did, you just liked Ayumi? Whatever, I don't know.) And in general, that's what Ayumi is. Granted, she's one of the most experimental singers I've ever seen - even though she's always pop, she has incorporated every other genre various times, as well - but in the end, Ayumi is still pop.
So maybe you guys should not only try a different singer, but a different music style all together, and stop hating on something just because it isn't your taste. Specifically, try listening to hip-hop more often, because that's what most of you seem to like best, especially Western hip-hop. I mean, you go on to say that Kumi's Hashire! pretty much sucks balls, yet ECSTASY is one of her best songs ever. Or, TABOO is, not Butterfly. Or you say that Namie's new album (which I actually like and think is a very fun and catchy album--this is coming from somebody who hates her with a passion, by the way) isn't that great, after listening to it a few times, but Queen of Hip-Pop is amazing. Coincidentally, a lot of you tend to LOVE what the Western fanbase would love (heavy beats, regular rock, whatever), and hate anything that would be Japanese-pop-y-stuff. Which, a lot of you are Western, so this is natural. But for the love of God, it's so annoying to see you constantly bash something, simply because it's obviously not your taste. At least admit it, and then things wouldn't be so bad.


In response to the topic, I don't necessarily think she's lost her touch. I am annoyed by the recycled performances (not costumes), but whatever. I'm a fan because of her music, and because of her, not her performances. I also think it seems as though she's having great problems in her personal life, as far as: she definitely needs a break, and is obviously a workaholic; she may be having even deeper issues, as well.
But I loved NEXT LEVEL. identity, Days and Sparkle are three of my all-time favourite songs. She changed things up a bit, but kept that Ayu-feel. And her music is still good, even with the past few singles. (No, I'm not big on Sunrise, but it certainly isn't bad, and You were... has become one of my favourite Ayu ballades, so no problem there.)

I think you guys are overreacting a bit, with this "lost it" thing. :\ Something is a little off, I'll admit it... But she's not gone. Not to me, at least, and obviously not to all her true fans, who don't run into the ground every single thing she's ever done the past five years... (Really, hasn't she done at least a few things you've approved of..? If not, maybe it's time to move on, guys...)

[lilmissgrusome]

i think shes starting too loose her touch a little bit
I think if she takes a break, she could stop for a few minutes and think "Right ive got loads of time to get thinking of new ideas" and start being more creative on future performances, costumes, designs etc.
If she did take a break, then she could put more thought into it, instead of rushing it which i think she does, i mean, it wasnt that long ago since the NEXT LEVEL tour ended.

[FuNsTyLe]

^ Sorry to tell you Crystal_Ageha, but they do sound alike! In arrangment, instruments used... (she likes those "bucket" drums that are always use din those songs like Game, Becaue of You, 1Love, Decision etc... They are very similiar, really...
Its just that every time Ayu is releasing something new, you just know it will contain either one of those familiar "dark" "rock" songs, or a ballad that sounds like any other of her ballads (a few exceptions, mostly from her pre-2005 era) or if it's summer, then let's kick it off with a poppy summer super duper bubbly pop song with a cute voice, and let's shoot it in some exotic beach like we did with Blue Bird, Fairyland and Sunrise

Sorry if it sounds harsh, but you get the drill.

She needs to try something new, find inspiration, find new arrangments and new styles, 'cause she hasn't done that since Bold & Delicious.

I want her to release something that, when we listen to the preview we can say "wow, that sounds so different! Not like anything she has done before.. I wanna hear more"
Instead of what we say these days "Oh, that song reminds me of [insert older song title] and the other track sounds like a [another old song] type of song" - Which is basically what people have done with her songs now...
Just look at the You were/BALLAD thread... when people first heard the previews, alot of them said the songs reminded them of other Ayu songs... That's not good.

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by koshka

She hasn't lost her touch. It's just changed her way to work as singer and as others said she seems more focused on fans entertainment. Just that.
It is so bad? I don't think so.

People seems like:
'she don't sells MILLIONZ of copies like before, so she has lost her touch'

she can do masterpieces/good songs also now. The music industry is changed with illegal music downloads and compared to the most of the japanese artists she sells really really good nowadays and arenas are still full of people who want to enjoy her concerts.

imo, Ayu has changed and in good ways. But her music has lost quality. I don't know why, I don't know how, but I hope that it's not because she "changed". A lot of artists change and still have the same qualities in their music as before. And a lot of the bigger artists around the world all have that in common.

also imo, sales mean hardly anything anymore. The ability for manipulation is too high.

Originally Posted by Crystal_Ageha

Okay, I haven't read every single post, but I have read most of them, and what bothers me most is the people saying that all her music sounds exactly the same......

Are you serious??? Every single song sounds the same--Or, every song of a certain sub genre sounds exactly the same? Somebody above said that Because of You and Rule and 1 LOVE all sound the same, because they are dark rock (which, it's actually dark POP rock, of course, at best).... Are you ****ing serious!? Several other people have said similar things...

Now I didn't read all of what you said, because...whatever, but I think what most people mean, or at least...some people, it's more, not that they sound the same, but that everything is starting to follow a formula, both the compositions, and the arrangements.

She has the formula for the dark rock song, the formula for the big winter ballad, formula for the medium ballads, for the pop songs, etc.

And I think, some people have a problem with her concerts kinda doing the same, but I don't really pay attention so I don't know.

I don't think it's about her being a pop artist. Her music was always poppy, even when it did have rock influences lol

[zoomzoom]

Not losing her touch, but getting more and more clouded in judgement. She seems to be relying too much on her staff, the people around her, who are now very much her friends. Friends and work rarely work out great.

There's the Kazuyoshi example. Clearly they are great friends, have fun together and all. But seriously, he, as a professional photographer, must have seen that the results they came up with together just weren't that great. It's possible he just wanted to get paid and kept his mouth shut, but also possible that he didn't want to hurt her for her modeling ability with him or whatever.

On the other side of the coin, ayu might honestly have thought that the pictures, like the S/S covers, were great. I do believe that to be the case, unless she's become a compromising person. But there's also the theory that she's friends with this person and doesn't wanna scrap a whole photoshoot they worked on, basically telling him he wasn't able to come up with the result she wanted.

In my opinion, she needs new people around her. People who can help her constantly improve, not stroke her ego. Tell her what's good and what needs improvement. An artist is only as creatively amazing and innovative as his/her team.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

I think it is pretty hard to argue that her concerts have not been very similar since 2005. Some details in them might change but the basic structure has remained the same. From her first tour till My Story each tour was very different from the last one. My Story itself was very innovative. From My Story on however the formula has basically remained the same. The comfort zone that people were mentioning. Same stage, same themes, same effects, same or similar costumes etc etc. But I agree with what was said earlier, right now that is secondary and her voice is the most important concern at the moment.

Exactly. This is how I feel after MY STORY tour. She basically reused the concept of MS tour with some new elements inside, but the overall feelings are really similar to each other.

I guess it's hard to walk out of the comfort zone after all (this applies to many other people as well).

About her voice, it's not only about it is getting worse... Well many artists encounter the same problem: in early careers, when they dun have really good vocal techniques, they tend to put more emotion into the songs. Gradually technical skills will surpass emotional feelings. I'm not saying those recent ayu songs don't have emotions... But she always tries too hard on emphasizing the technical part (e.g., vibrato..). This is how I feel about her recent materials...

[Ayumi~moments]

Shes not lost her touch for me. I admit this year hasn't been the best for her, shes realised more so shes deaf, she even knows her live performances are suffering because she appolgised for that Evolution performance recently. She loves her job and she loves to sing and i think her passion lives on and she doesn't want that to die because she loves it.

My impression of most Ayu fans is because of the other music you listen to. A lot of fans i see here like a lot of RnB and over the top pop lark. Ayu isn't that singer AT ALL. Shes a pop artist and ballad artist. Which is completely different. Yeah she may have done songs sorta on the other lengths of pop like STEP you and such but there her one of songs shes written shes not always like that.

Most people i think on here expect too much also. Come on the woman is what 30? Shes had 11 years in music. The music industry seems to value songs about sex, getting women, getting drunk in clubs, finding some lover, drugs, war - Ayu sings nothing about that to be honest and she never will do. You guys all listen to this usually and expect ayu to come out with something amazingly dramatic. Not just that come on guys shes deaf in one ear - there logic tells me she can't dance that well. As a dancer myself you can't dance very well being deaf because your balance is effected dramatically so where other artists are putting on some amazing show with dancing and all this - its too much on Ayu herself. She has to be able to hear her own voice with one ear for a start which is hard enough so dancing and trying to do that is hard because you shake your dear drum and cochlea by dancing thus proving it difficult to hear.

I admit her singing hasn't been the best and her sunrise and sunset single wasn't that great but Japan likes her being who she is and they still buy her CD's and tour tickets and stuff. I was in Japan when Sunrise was out and i saw people buying the single in HMV and tower records. So people just like her for what she is and Japans not keen on people reinventing and changing so much. Hence why Miss didn't go down that well in Japan because it Ayu used the bg music of sweetbox. They don't like their artists to go too far out of boundaries.

If you don't like it i suggest you stop being a fan she's had a hard few years and reinventing herself will just make her sales shift further down. I think she needs to sort her ear situation out and learn to focus to listen to her voice in one ear and her vocals will improve. They have been fine during some of the you were performances.

I don't think Avex give her that much budget either no more and tbh am happy shes recycling her stuff at least shes showing she doesn't need to buy the fans with other crap and can just as well get by being herself and doing what she enjoys. Shes helping the planet for one thing as well by using the same stage.

[slavomiros]

n my opinion, she needs new people around her. People who can help her constantly improve, not stroke her ego. Tell her what's good and what needs improvement. An artist is only as creatively amazing and innovative as his/her team.

in other words...she needs US - the fans that will never let her down, even if we don't have TA membership and can't express our ideas directly to her. We just try really hard and wish her best of luck and i'm sure, she'll be able to feel it even over there in the far far Japan ;-)

Love you Ayu-chan, will support you no matter what! ^_^