01.fake japanese ; 02. ayu's squeaky voice VS ayu's mature voice

[Nikki]

1. Yup, love that style.

2. Her past voice was more powerful, but was a little too squeaky for me sometimes (For my dear is just too high!). I have to say I like her mature voice better.

[Happii]

I like Ayu's "fake japanese" style cuz I like contrast. This is one of the things that made me fall in love with Japanese pop culture. Japan has a very deep cultural background yet it's under the influence of the west just like any country in the world. But it can still express it's real culture in some way and this creates a very likeable contrast for me ^^

And I prefer Ayu's current vocals. They're way better than the older ones. First listen A Song For XX 'Original ver.' and then A Song For XX "030213 Session take #2". The difference is unmistakable!

[Delirium-Zer0]

I like the fake japanese style for the same reason happii just mentioned

I'll be honest, i like her LOVEppears through I am... voice best, excluding some of the re-recorded versions on A BEST. Her voice sounded kinda harsh in A Song for XX and Depend on you. Trust and End roll sounded good though. Her "A Song for XX" album voice was EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNTS OF FLAT!! X___X it's frustrating to listen to in songs like "For My Dear..." because the song coulda been soooo much more with better vocals. Her RAINBOW voice had that unnatural vibrato and it was hard to hear what note she was trying to sing, the high one or the low one XD David Bowie does the same thing in alot of songs, and as much as I love the guy's music, it bugs me with him too. Anyway, with Memorial address and MY STORY she seems to have gotten rid of the vibrato, but she still has the nicely developed and more powerful voice. The vibrato is natural sounding now and it goes faster so it doesn't sound like she's hovering between two notes anymore. I think she's tried a few things over the years, and practiced, and she's found a good balance now.

[Deep snow]

the ayu-mi-x 4 +selection covers are the most creative covers she has ever made, i love them both, but i prefer the AOV to the NSMV, as for HEAVEN, i hope she'll do something like INSPIRE, with mellower style, that'll be great

and her mature voice is just perfect, especially in HEAVEN, the vibrato's fine for me, because it's her characteristics, it's already inside her

[[biku]]

I think on her lives, she only over-vibratos to make up for the high notes she can't hit anymore. i.e. TO BE

[RAISKA]

01. I love Ayu's "native Japanease" style-in Lumix and ayu-mi-x 4+ both.

02. Actually, I love Ayu's "nowadays' voice as much as the old one. I like her voice in "A BEST" period, because it was ideal, I think-not so mature, not so sqeaky-the golden middle. Just when she was younger, she could take very high notes, and now she can not, becuase the voice is very mature. The high notes she has exchanged into vibrations-that's all.

[*Petit*]

1. Yes I like that style a lot. Especially what she wore on the acoustic orchestra version remix album cover.

2. I think what I really like about her voice is something that never changed and that she hopefully never loose, and that her ability to put the right amout of emotion into her singing. Some of her early stuff is really bad technically, (Trust sounds alltogether computermade, and from the lives she can't reach every note in many songs) but she still manage to touch the listener. I don't think f.ex "M" would've been such a big hit if it wasen't for the way she sings it, not the melody or arrangement or whatever.
I also love that her voice is really high pitched though, but so are many idols' voices.
I love the way she used vibrato in "voyage". but sometimes in lives it sounds too much (not in voyage though).

[[taskin.ayu]]

1. Yes her fake japanese style rocks. XD It looks stylish and cool and suits her well. I don't like the new Lumix pic at the moment, but I'll probably get used to it. ^^
The Ayu-Mix IV cover rocked too. XD (which supposingly was going to be the I am cover before 9/11, or so I've heard)

2. I prefer her mature voice as well. It sounds too flat to me. x_x
I love a song for xx, but I'd rather listen to the A BEST version or the take two version on A BALLADS. D:

[Celaphorce]

No.! I love a lot

NO.2 How could she do her high notes without her squeaky voice it wouldn't work at all if she didn't have it.

Personally I would hate ayumi if she didn't have her squeaky voice but her mily voice in honey I can't stand at all that's the one voice that makes me hate any song she does with that voice except for carols.

Lots of love.

1. That's a really cool style, yeah.

2. Her voice has matured like a fine wine. Her voice circa "A Song for XX" was terrible, though. Really, if that was how I was introduced to Ayu, I would never have become such a big fan of her music. She just had no skill and it was very very weak. The squeak was CHARMING, but I would not say it sounded good. It was very grating. But one thing I can say about her voice is how quickly it progressed. With each album it got consistently stronger, and now you could actually call her a proper vocalist.

I completely agree with the person who said that what makes Ayu a great singer is the WAY she sings. She can deliver a song like no other. I saw "A Song for XX" on Hey Hey Hey last year, and I cried. Even listening to the "030213 Session take #2" version of the song can bring me to tears. Sometimes you forget she's singing, and feel she's just opening her heart up in any old way. That's something very few people can actually do, and it certainly can't be taught.

1. Hmmm. That's a little hard. i really never could decide which style i liked best on her. She seems to succeed in every style attempted so far...
2. Eh, also i cannot decide. Her "squeaky-ish" voice is very cute, and her "mature" voice is sometimes fun, and matches the lyrics to her songs. I still think she could pull off the "squeaky" voice still, but she knows and chooses what she wants. I accept that.

[Endlessoul]

I LOVE HER PAST VOICE! it is so nice...it's unique.and it just gave me the most comfortable feelings.

[hiro]

1. Fake Japanese??? I don't like that name but i really did like her stuff on the Ayumix 3 covers (or was it 4). The one with the weird kimono's and make up. That was her best idea yet. She really looks cool when she glams herself up.

2. I don't think there's much of a difference between her old voice and her new voice. It just got technically polished that's all. I much prefer her concert voice to her studio voice. It's got a tougher edge to it and it just sounds more natural for her. (see Surreal and A Song for XX live). AS for her vibrato, its cool. It IS annoying when she overdoes it but i really like her slow vibrato that she drags out and then tightens. I really hate when she sings in a cutesy way though. Especially in those ballads she drops in the fall and the sugary songs in the summer.

(For the record, there is no wrong way to create the vibratto. Some people have done it wagging their tongues.)

[*Petit*]

Originally Posted by evolusean

I completely agree with the person who said that what makes Ayu a great singer is the WAY she sings. She can deliver a song like no other. I saw "A Song for XX" on Hey Hey Hey last year, and I cried. Even listening to the "030213 Session take #2" version of the song can bring me to tears. Sometimes you forget she's singing, and feel she's just opening her heart up in any old way. That's something very few people can actually do, and it certainly can't be taught.

Yeah, and you're describing it more precisely than me also. Listening to most of her songs is like going through "catarsis", like when you watch a really good drama, play or movie. "M" always makes me feel really sad, moments makes me think back nostalgic, if I need an energy kick or want a happy feeling, "fly high" or Boys and girls do the job.

[Delirium-Zer0]

hiro: 1) Ayu herself called it "fake japanese", don't worry, we didn't make it up to make fun of her and it IS fake. It's over the top the way westerners expect "japanese" to look.
2) Actually there IS a right way to do vibrato. It's in the diaphragm (which is also the right way to sing, to maximize output of vocals while minimizing the output of air)... the throat is preferable also. It's only correct for an opera singer to use their mouth, and only when they're still training to project their voices better so that they can use the diaphragm or throat to do it. Using the mouth or tongue to do vibrato is looked down on by professional singers (not pop singers or singer/songwriters or rock singers or performers, i mean professional SINGERS. Like church/opera singers); it's kinda like doing girly push-ups.

[Brittany]

The fake Japanese style is fine .. it's creative
I like her mature voice. I found her squeaky voice .. annoying to my ears. I love her mature voice. However, when you sing a song like "HONEY" you kind of need the squeak voice .. that's not a problem as long as it matches the music.