TA Blog: 春よ、来い。| Haru yo koi

[Didz-19]

Thank for the translation. I hope Ayu will continue to be true to herself

[Didz-19]

I don't know what Ayu could meant in her blog, but i'm just happy for her.

[hud]

I got chills reading this. I'm so, so thankful for ayu and her work. she's a blessing to this world.

thanks koumori and remove-mom!

[Mintkisses]

Wow this was such a meaningful, important post for her. I was in shock towards the end when she admitted she needs to "bring Ayumi Hamasaki back to Ayumi Hamasaki." Even though we all adore her, it was obvious she wasn't feeling as passionate about things the past couple of years. I couldn't blame her as she's been working hard all of her life. A burn out is to be expected. Anyways, really happy to see this and can't wait for the release!

[Ashen Twilight]

I think her bringing Ayumi Hamasaki back to Ayumi Hamasaki is actually represented in A Ballads 2 with thee covers. Back in the early 2000s, Ayu was always talking about Ayu the product and Ayu the person being two different personas. This can be represented in the covers for the first A Ballads. I think with the second album, it is almost as if she is coming to terms that they are one in the same, and they need to be. Her thoughts here strongly convey that.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Ashen Twilight

I think her bringing Ayumi Hamasaki back to Ayumi Hamasaki is actually represented in A Ballads 2 with thee covers. Back in the early 2000s, Ayu was always talking about Ayu the product and Ayu the person being two different personas. This can be represented in the covers for the first A Ballads. I think with the second album, it is almost as if she is coming to terms that they are one in the same, and they need to be. Her thoughts here strongly convey that.

I don’t know if I’d say A BALLADS is the manifestation of that. I think she conveyed that’s what A ONE was all about.

[jyujiw]

I'm happy that she's feeling happy again with her music.

Geez, she's in the industry for more than 20 years, it's absolutely normal that she would get tired at some point. Thus, we received less releases, singles, TV lives, magazine shoots and such along the years... but I think I'm part of the fanbase that has the utmost respect for her legacy and even not liking so much of one music or another in the recent years, I'm always pleased to see her back with something new to present. It's like an old friend that I'm always glad to encounter even if we're not talking that much hehe

By no means I think she was being lazy or the latest releases were bad. She is a force to be reckoned. She's one of the most workaholic artists that I know and I was really glad that she took some time off to enjoy her life and have a little fun (and babies ) and now I'm excited to see what's coming next from my colleague.

I just think some people in this forum need to adjust the level of expectation in everything she announces and remember that she's a human as well as us. The way some critics were thrown to her in recent releases wasn't very gentle. It's always about the form a critique is written, not exactly about its content at all.

[Evan Odinson]

^Yes, so much yes! I completely agree with you

[kendelle]

A really meaningful and insightful post, thank you for sharing Still waiting on that official TA translation haha

There are times that I feelt ayu kind of phoned it in but I don't think that she's ever been creatively bankrupt. In the last few years we got some amazing songs like The way I am, FLOWER, Last minute, TSMGO, W, WORDS, Summer Love...several different concepts in the concerts... If this is passionless then what am I doing with my life?

You can't force creativity and if she's actually rediscovered her passion while recording this cover then what's to come is going to be powerful.

Sometimes I have to actually remember what year it is, that Ayu experimented with all sorts of genres during the 2010s from country to dubstep and it's probably her most impressive decade creatively. She's also battled a number of health issues with her declining hearing, knee issues if I recall correctly and two pregnancies in recent years!

But look at what she's done in that same time!! Just thinking about the albums I'd consider the "strongest" in concept and content of the last two decades you have 2010s: MADE IN JAPAN, TROUBLE, A ONE, FIVE, Love Songs as a romantic concept album vs 2000s: I Am..., RAINBOW, MY STORY, NEXT LEVEL, Memorial address and (miss)understood as a Western concept album.

If NEXT LEVEL hadn't came out in 2009 and tipped the scale I think the 2010's would be the strongest release period in her career despite the low output.

Some concepts didn't really hit as well as they could like RnRC or Colours but the only time I think she really blundered a concept in her career was the Party Queen covers. The photoshoot hasn't grown on me in 9 years so I don't think it ever will LOL

Ayu really increased my expectations for this release though so hopefully it's actually worth all the excitement and we get some good material in the months or year to come.

[Choyan]

Wow, thanks for sharing!!
Been away for so long, this release bought me back, such a great and meaningful process !