Is There Anything You DON'T Like About Ayumi?

[[taskin.ayu]]

Her lack of care towards her actual live singing. I know she cares about music and singing, but I am wondering if she's doing anything to fix her off-tunedness she's been having lately. I mean ages ago all her lives sounded pretty damn good, and now we just expect a live to be bad. D:

Also the declining quality in covers and pvs is pretty annoying too. I always considered Ayu to have amazing pvs and covers, but now it's just getting bad. I mean there's good ones out there, but her latest don't have the wow factor her older covers and pvs did. She's simply choosing the wrong people to do these things these days. She should go back to what she knew was good like Leslie Kee. D:

However one thing I am quite annoyed about is her terrible website. xD Artists like Namie Amuro and Koda Kumi have amazing site layouts but Ayu's one seems to be stuck in this boring old repetitive style. GET A NEW WEB DESIGNER PLEASE.

[Evanni]

I miss the times when Ayu's music was surprising; not in a bad way, but in a good way where you just couldn't wait to see what she'd come up with (i.e. SURREAL, Real me, INSPIRE). I like being pleasantly surprised, and I think that's why I love Ayu so much. Her music now is missing that "zing", IMO. I remember listening to Mirrorcle World for the first time, and I was happy with it. Like, I saw a bit more of her effort in it (compared to her other new songs, save to t2m because I liked that one) with the different nuances, the change in the music, her attempt at expressing her voice a little more powerfully to give the song some flavor. It wasn't like her old stuff, because I'm not expecting her to do the exact same thing she did before.

I just want her to take a breather from all her touring, like you guys said, and focus on writing, composing and making sure that it's her. Because, I feel that in her older songs, we saw Ayumi, the quirky cool J-Pop idol with the sickest sense of everything and anything. Now, all that feels a little clouded over with her repetitive rock-influenced songs, not that I dislike rock; I'm actually a fan of rock music, J-Rock and some metal. I feel that she shouldn't just rely on that to make her songs feel aggressive though, if that's what she wants to portray. I mean the intro/outro for Ourselves sounded pretty aggressive to me, and there was no rock used. I think she should vary her music style some more and like I said before, pleasantly surprise us with her works.

[Kikaru]

^Well, the reaction to Bold&Delicious was not that good and that song is pretty much different from anything that she's done...

Originally Posted by YumeHamasaki

i actually don't like that too much. I think it can be done overboard, you know? Maybe stick to a color theme or if it's a ballad, wear something softer or something... But if an artist is truly a good musician, they don't have glamour up with some cheesy themes, they'll sing and be appreciated.
One thing i wish Ayu didn't do is waste so much on her pver the top performances. I used ot love them but, i say keep all that in the mvs, maybe leaving some of the laid back stuff to perform. When she does the whole dancing and playing around with the guys, and the pole stuff, i don't care, but if she's dressing like pirate or on a balcony in a elizabethan dress and wig, singing to her man, that's just too much. Oh and, the worst is when she sings ourselves in that ugly metal suit. I love her creativity, hate how it can translate into overthetop performance that is just a waste of money that could go elsewhere.

A lot of Ayu's concerts have direct theatrical influence (I'm not sure if it's on purpose of not) but there's a thread earlier on the similar costumes used on musicals like Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge. I actually think that's what makes her performances so special, because they're so theatrical. But it's your opinion

Originally Posted by Cart-RAT

i don't like how she doesn't release 23 singles anymore before an album. it kept the convo up between fans and updated interest.

also, i hate how she only releases a single with only 1 or 0 remix tracks. i liked how the singles were almost an hour of ayu-goodness remix style. now it's like 10 minutes later, the cd starts over and you're bored.

yeah, and it also irks me how her pvs are random and/or boring; ex: Pride, HEAVEN, ANGEL'S SONG, GAME, etc... they could've been SO much better.

I think the lack of remixes has something to do with the fact that the trend is dying down and it's not really popular anymore and I'm guessing since Avex isn't really getting that much profit out of the remixes they might not want to waste money or something. Back in 2000-2002 a lot of artists also put remixes on their singles, but single trends shifts.

Actually, Angel's Song PV correlates pretty well with it's lyrics but that might be because I love the PV personally and I think it actually has a very clear underlining theme. Game PV was brilliant IMO, and Heaven PV made me love the song because of its simpleness. (But that's also in my opinion so...)

Her site kinda bothers me. I mean, on one hand, I like the fact that it's simple and functional, and it's easy to navigate. On the other hand, I wish they could have done something to jazz it up a little.

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by [taskin.ayu]

Her lack of care towards her actual live singing. I know she cares about music and singing, but I am wondering if she's doing anything to fix her off-tunedness she's been having lately. I mean ages ago all her lives sounded pretty damn good, and now we just expect a live to be bad. D:

Did she have to bear with complete deafness in an ear in the past though?

[ComatoseBunnySnatcher]

Originally Posted by YumeHamasaki

i actually don't like that too much. I think it can be done overboard, you know? Maybe stick to a color theme or if it's a ballad, wear something softer or something... But if an artist is truly a good musician, they don't have glamour up with some cheesy themes, they'll sing and be appreciated.
One thing i wish Ayu didn't do is waste so much on her pver the top performances. I used ot love them but, i say keep all that in the mvs, maybe leaving some of the laid back stuff to perform. When she does the whole dancing and playing around with the guys, and the pole stuff, i don't care, but if she's dressing like pirate or on a balcony in a elizabethan dress and wig, singing to her man, that's just too much. Oh and, the worst is when she sings ourselves in that ugly metal suit. I love her creativity, hate how it can translate into overthetop performance that is just a waste of money that could go elsewhere.

I agree... on the metal suit. I think it's much classier and suttle to come out of a giant metal rose.

And the theme thing can be too much, so it's just like you say.

[emi♡]

I don't like...

that I'm not impressed anymore...I guess...I was with Mirrorcle world. I love it...but personally

I think she should go back to pre-duty styles. No one could make music like Ayu back then...now...everything's so...normal. Nothing has that feel. The Ayu feel. The feel you get when you listen to Boys and Girls, or immature...

Hikki's totally blowing her out of the water right now...and I don't know...Her recent releases...not even recent...for the past year or so...I mean...my god...I don't...I can't say anymore.

Just nevermind...I don't like that GUILTY was a huge disappointment. There.

[truehappiness]

I think she should go back to pre-duty styles. No one could make music like Ayu back then...now...everything's so...normal. Nothing has that feel. The Ayu feel. The feel you get when you listen to Boys and Girls, or immature...

Ayu going back to pre-Duty style is basically impossible now. Her staff consists of totally different people musically, that and if she did go back to those styles, people would only consider the new songs as bad relatives of the older classics. I mean, just look at Cascada and their EVERYTIME WE TOUCH album. The entire album was made up of remakes of Everytime We Touch.. o_o~

Hikki's totally blowing her out of the water right now...and I don't know...Her recent releases...not even recent...for the past year or so...I mean...my god...I don't...I can't say anymore.

I dunno about you, but Hikki's really boring. D:

Did she have to bear with complete deafness in an ear in the past though?

She's had to deal with near-deafness for the last 7 years. [after DOME TOUR, basically all of it, 90%, was gone.]

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I dunno about you, but Hikki's really boring. D:



She's had to deal with near-deafness for the last 7 years. [after DOME TOUR, basically all of it, 90%, was gone.]

Wait, she's been almost completely deaf several years ago? I always thought she just had a mild/moderate hearing loss back then, or bolts of worsening with some improvement, but that it got severely terrible (almost complete loss] just recently. Well, if her deafness has been as terrible as it is nowadays, several years ago, then I'll have to agree with what [taskin.ayu] said then....that if she isn't putting good lives recently is because of the lack of will

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Recently I've questioned her decisions in fashion...

Seriously? Everything that ayu wears now is fabulous. I'm surprised that there's something you don't like about it her...
But her style years ago was absolutely atrocious, now her style is immaculate. I love it~

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by KaoriNeko

Seriously? Everything that ayu wears now is fabulous. I'm surprised that there's something you don't like about it her...
But her style years ago was absolutely atrocious, now her style is immaculate. I love it~

Well, it's fabulous, in select shoots, but I meant for photoshoots for her albums and stuff.

I guess it's just bad execution on avex's part. glitter could've been so PRETTY and t2m was them not trying. :[

In regards to the deafness:

Originally Posted by the NTV Super TV interview

But then, after finally finishing the Dome Tour with no problems, bthe hearing in Ayu's left ear was gone almost completely.

This should be what was said during the interview.. it could be that she was not used to having it completely gone? :\

[emi♡]

You're right anthony, about her music staff.

You're wrong about Utada Hikaru. Personally hun, with your reputation, you shouldn't really say anything about other artists. But thats just a suggestion, you don't have to take it.


About her deafness...She should be used to it by now don't you think? 7 years?

If I was in her situation, perhaps I would take lessons again, to try to get attuned to my "new ear."

Perhaps she's just getting old. Her voice has changed, her lives have changed. She doesn't do the same things. Maybe she's getting tired more easily, the deafness obviously doesn't help. I don't know what it is. You guys have better speculation tactics than I do.

All I know is, she hasn't been up to par. With everything.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by emiko

You're right anthony, about her music staff.

You're wrong about Utada Hikaru. Personally hun, with your reputation, you shouldn't really say anything about other artists. But thats just a suggestion, you don't have to take it.


About her deafness...She should be used to it by now don't you think? 7 years?

If I was in her situation, perhaps I would take lessons again, to try to get attuned to my "new ear."

Perhaps she's just getting old. Her voice has changed, her lives have changed. She doesn't do the same things. Maybe she's getting tired more easily, the deafness obviously doesn't help. I don't know what it is. You guys have better speculation tactics than I do.

All I know is, she hasn't been up to par. With everything.

I dunno, you're saying that Ayu isn't up to par and I can't say that Hikki is boring? :| What the heck. LOL. Hikki was interesting before she became a Kumaphile. Now she's just a Mac&recording-sessionPV artist. At least she's thinned out a lot and looks good now.

Anyways, she apparently sounded incredible during the beginning of ASIA TOUR 2008, so I'm sure she's used to the total lack of an ear by now.

Personally, I think Ayu's been up to par in very general terms, but in her own set terms from previous releases, she's not up there just yet.

[emi♡]

Yet, isn't that what we can only be expected for her to present?

If we know nothing but greatness form a person, what are we to do when they start being just like everyone else?

I mean, I think we should be understanding of her and her situation, but I also can't blame the people who are disappointed that she isn't up to her previous self.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

Wait, she's been almost completely deaf several years ago? I always thought she just had a mild/moderate hearing loss back then, or bolts of worsening with some improvement, but that it got severely terrible (almost complete loss] just recently. Well, if her deafness has been as terrible as it is nowadays, several years ago, then I'll have to agree with what [taskin.ayu] said then....that if she isn't putting good lives recently is because of the lack of will

Well she said that she got totally deaf in her left ear in the middle of 2007 when she posted this announcement.

I do think that the vocal problems that we get to see/hear because we get it from the last show after she toured a lot of dates and killed her voice and became a bit tired I suppose...
People who went to the first days said themselves her vocals were awesome but one user that went at the end too said that her vocals got worse since the beginning of the tour which at the beginning they were excellent, so I think that has to do with it...

Originally Posted by emiko

You're right anthony, about her music staff.

You're wrong about Utada Hikaru. Personally hun, with your reputation, you shouldn't really say anything about other artists. But thats just a suggestion, you don't have to take it.


About her deafness...She should be used to it by now don't you think? 7 years?

If I was in her situation, perhaps I would take lessons again, to try to get attuned to my "new ear."

Perhaps she's just getting old. Her voice has changed, her lives have changed. She doesn't do the same things. Maybe she's getting tired more easily, the deafness obviously doesn't help. I don't know what it is. You guys have better speculation tactics than I do.

All I know is, she hasn't been up to par. With everything.

Never judge people if you've never been in their situation...
And she got totally deaf on the left ear in the middle of the last year.

"She hasn't been up to par" is a matter of opinion.

[truehappiness]

I think that Ayu used to use totally different arrangers / composers with each and every album, with few composers ever continuing on to a future album. But it seems that as time as gone by, Ayu has utilized the same composers for more than a few albums [post MY STORY~]

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

Never judge people if you've never been in their situation...

You don't know the situation. The comment was for truehappiness and that's all. He can think what he likes about it. I'm not saying anything more regarding it.

Unless you mean about Ayu, and in that case, I have been trying not to, but when her work suffers, as many people in this thread have already expressed their feelings about...then perhaps she has not made the best decisions. And sadly, decisions are everything fans talk about when they discuss artists.

And she got totally deaf on the left ear in the middle of the last year.

I was only basing that off a comment that was made above about her deafness being from Dome Tour and on. Read the thread.

"She hasn't been up to par" is a matter of opinion.

Yes it is. But it happens to be an opinion that is widespread amongst many of the people that have been her fans for a long time.

[truehappiness]

Yes it is. But it happens to be an opinion that is widespread amongst many of the people that have been her fans for a long time.

I think it's mostly because she was so high up early on in her career [duh, when the fans started to like her] that she hasn't been able to reach that high at all... at least in terms of fan satisfaction.

Though I wonder how people compared her albums and stuff back in 2001 and before.. I can kinda see it now..

"I am... sucks compared to Duty and LOVEppears!"

And regarding the whole deafness thing, everyone said that she should get "help" or work harder when it was first announced, and she did, and she succeeded. Just because we saw a few minutes of a live doesn't mean that's how she sounded for the whole tour. I know a lot of people who said she sounded superb when they saw her.

[emi♡]

Yeah you're right, but it is my opinion, just in case anyone tries to dispute it for no reason, that the compositions in the old days were far better than now. And perhaps that's indeed because, they were different people lol.

I don't personally mind Ayu's lives. It's the song that always mattered to me more...even when she sounds "not so good"...but I guess...they are important to some people..."lack of will" then maybe? I don't know.

[truehappiness]

I think Ayu should really try to bring back her CREA persona. The overuse of Yuta Nakano [he's good, but she's used him a whole lot in the last year] and Tetsuya Yukumi can't be good for her. :[

[ImpactBreaker]

I personally wish DAI would come back to composing...where is he?