New album 'Party Queen' out 03/21 information thread [VI]

[RayJason]

Indeed it is clear, but it won't safe ayu from comments like 'omg lol sl*t, what a hoar, ew sexy much?'. The concept doesn't show at all.

At first I disliked this shoot so much, but after understanding what the whole concept was about, I started liking the covers.

People who hear/see ayu for the first time (because of this album-cover-) will have a totally weird vision about her. XD I had too; when I found out about ayu I watched pv's like Sparkle, Rule and Ladies Night and I totally had the wrong picture of her back then lol.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by RayJason

Indeed it is clear, but it won't safe ayu from comments like 'omg lol sl*t, what a hoar, ew sexy much?'. The concept doesn't show at all.

At first I disliked this shoot so much, but after understanding what the whole concept was about, I started liking the covers.

People who hear/see ayu for the first time (because of this album-cover-) will have a totally weird vision about her. XD I had too; when I found out about ayu I watched pv's like Sparkle, Rule and Ladies Night and I totally had the wrong picture of her back then lol.

So, what's the way of having the right picture from an singer that has 12 albums that spans different music genres, different lyrical themes and different aesthetics? Whose voice changed so much that we can easily point 3 or 4 different voices from her ? Who has albums covers addressing to furry subculture, jewel advertising and neon-plastic fashion?

Either way someone enter in Ayu fandom, this person will picture her wrongly... Cuz her career is not as linear nor homogenic as some other popstars over there.

[RayJason]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

So, what's the way of having the right picture from an singer that has 12 albums that spans different music genres, different lyrical themes and different aesthetics? Whose voice changed so much that we can easily point 3 or 4 different voices from her ? Who has albums covers addressing to furry subculture, jewel advertising and neon-plastic fashion?

Either way someone enter in Ayu fandom, this person will picture her wrongly... Cuz her career is not as linear nor homogenic as some other popstars over there.

omfg calm down.

I'm just saying that this is not how ayu represents herself all the time, and people who happen to discover her during this era (Party Queen) will totally misunderstand who and what ayumi hamasaki really is. Not everyone can smell that the album(covers) have a concept. Many people know her for her cutesy upbeat J-POP songs and touching ballads, so it will be different for people who discover her to hear lyrics like the one featured in 'Party queen' (song) where she's (almost) suggesting (/or even encouraging) people do drink to have fun with her.

If the concept could have been done better, people (not only her fans) could understand it. They would know 'OH, so she's not drunk and posing like a ****, she's just sad and is covering it with partying'. I'm sure that people who discover her during this era will think of her as another Koda- artist.

But whatever.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by RayJason

omfg calm down.

I'm just saying that this is not how ayu represents herself all the time, and people who happen to discover her during this era (Party Queen) will totally misunderstand who and what ayumi hamasaki really is. Not everyone can smell that the album(covers) have a concept. Many people know her for her cutesy upbeat J-POP songs and touching ballads, so it will be different for people who discover her to hear lyrics like the one featured in 'Party queen' (song) where she's (almost) suggesting (/or even encouraging) people do drink to have fun with her.

If the concept could have been done better, people (not only her fans) could understand it. They would know 'OH, so she's not drunk and posing like a ****, she's just sad and is covering it with partying'. I'm sure that people who discover her during this era will think of her as another Koda- artist.

But whatever.

Such a long reply, and still, this has nothing to do with I posted... Funny

@TeamAyu2004
If u take a look on all of her album covers, it doesn't seen like the same artist (on the way as they portray very different themes and aesthetics). If u listen to some of her biggest hits, again, a lot of her discography doesn't sound as stuff done by the same person... and this is my point: It doesn't matter what single, album, video or song bring you to Ayu fandom, she releases, releases and will release something that goes on the total opposite direction. There's no way to form a "right" image of her basing your opinions on only 1 album, pic or video.

[RayJason]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Such a long reply, and still, this has nothing to do with I posted... Funny

Don't you dare implying that I would waste my time on making such a long reply only to you. Really offending if you ask me... I was elaborating on my own opinion just in case other people would misunderstand me. And you should do something about your sense of humor .

Either way I still stand by what I said: People who'll discover ayu during this Party Queen era WILL have the total wrong impression of ayu, especially now with Party queen (song) out and the covers (which already caused A LOT of uproar and disbelief). Nothing more, nothing less.

[AngelSenshi]

Originally Posted by RayJason

omfg calm down.

I'm just saying that this is not how ayu represents herself all the time, and people who happen to discover her during this era (Party Queen) will totally misunderstand who and what ayumi hamasaki really is. Not everyone can smell that the album(covers) have a concept. Many people know her for her cutesy upbeat J-POP songs and touching ballads, so it will be different for people who discover her to hear lyrics like the one featured in 'Party queen' (song) where she's (almost) suggesting (/or even encouraging) people do drink to have fun with her.

If the concept could have been done better, people (not only her fans) could understand it. They would know 'OH, so she's not drunk and posing like a ****, she's just sad and is covering it with partying'. I'm sure that people who discover her during this era will think of her as another Koda- artist.

But whatever.

For a long time now Ayu's mostly been concerned with being as honest as possible with everyone, including herself. For what she cares for, every album is a part of her life, an era of her own life and not just an era of her career. She's not thinking "I better not release that! New people may get the wrong idea!" and she hardly ever was. She doesn't care for that at all, so why should we? She doesn't care what people think, even if it hurts sometimes; she's just trying to deliver good, honest material to her fans, and be honest with herself, find a release for herself.

Besides, the material she releases from one album to another, her style from one single to another, one magazine to another, one video to another, it almost always changes. The only thing that remains the same is that it is an honest portrayal of her personality at that given time. To become a 'fan' you need to look at the work of more than just the present moment and the future, so frankly, a new 'fan' shouldn't be what we're concerned with. And frankly, old fans should remember who she is as a person; the fact that she's always digging deeper with her work.

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by AngelSenshi

Besides, the material she releases from one album to another, her style from one single to another, one magazine to another, one video to another, it almost always changes. The only thing that remains the same is that it is an honest portrayal of her personality at that given time. To become a 'fan' you need to look at the work of more than just the present moment and the future, so frankly, a new 'fan' shouldn't be what we're concerned with. And frankly, old fans should remember who she is as a person; the fact that she's always digging deeper with her work.

this is what i was trying to say.. thank you for saying so much better!

[Hextan]

All the things people are saying about the covers, I find it so funny, the more people complain the more I'm finding reasons I like what's being complained about, so weird.

Originally Posted by RayJason

People who hear/see ayu for the first time (because of this album-cover-) will have a totally weird vision about her. XD I had too; when I found out about ayu I watched pv's like Sparkle, Rule and Ladies Night and I totally had the wrong picture of her back then lol.

I just had to comment on this because, before I became the Ayumi Hamasaki-stan that I am today, I of course, didn't like her. I listened to some Japanese artists already, Utada being the first, and of course, you start listening to Japanese music and searching about it and eventually, you happen upon mention of Ayu. The first image I ever saw of Ayu, at least when I knew it was Ayu was the Startin' / Born to be... covers and suddenly I thought "Oh see, she's this typical pop **** like Britney Spears or something just Japanese"

Never bothered with her again until I happened upon STEP you. And the rest is history.