I don't think she has control of releasing dates... it's avex trax promoters/releases planners whatever's job.
She really has been educated that a career is really important.
She lived alone with her mom and granny and her mom was always at work so no wonder where she got it from.

I don't think it's important for ayu to be any queen, it's really important to her though to satisfy the fans, I didn't see anything about ayu acting ourageous with GUILTY being #2.
They should add it had a fight against kobukuro's album though and it was pretty expected it won't beat their album with their such high sales as oldies people and a lot of male's strong boyband and of course her sales decline, she's almost 10 years a singer, and it's awesome her sales are still pretty consistent, she's selling more than half a million for an album after 10 years, isn't it awesome?

Agree.....agree......and agree....
:)

It really is tough and lonely being at the top. She's sung about that many times before, so I think we should all realize that by now.

The article really puts everything in a pessimistic light.

And honestly, I don't see anything wrong with debuting at #2... I mean... it's #2, right after #1... that's pretty damn good.

I don't like Ayu because she's at the top... I love her because of her awesome music! If charts didn't exist I'd still be here. When I got into her I didn't even know she was at the top (and that was just last January!). She doesn't need a title to be #1 in my book.

I hope she really gets through this, despite all the negative feedback she may get.

I know she'll get through this!

as long as she keeps her single streak active... she should be able to maintain that for a few years if avex plans its releases well.. at any rate; we now know why the album was called Secret...

Yep, I totally agree. :yes

I think with the loneliness issue...Ayu was taught at a very early age (with experience) that she has to depend on herself and stuff, or else she has no one.

Plus an issue like deafness is not like a gossip that you blab to people. Really, it's a lot easier to keep it in than just telling people.

It's kinda interesting how Nagase's the other person that knows this though.

exactly.

This is a very well written article--interesting and sad, really.

Looks like she's got a lot of competition ahead of her...

YEAH!!!! I also mentioned that disease as one of the main possibilities as well! :D (Even though I'm no otological specialist). Finally we get a specialist view on the matter and they also have a simillar thought. They don't mention acoustic trauma! I knew acoustic trauma was very unlikely, because ayu only has one affected ear, and she also didn't quit the music scene. ayu is surely not a self destructive person and I'm sure had her hearing loss been caused by the loud noise of the concerts, she'd already had taken a break or quit her career ;)

i dont like this article :/

Well, the article is blunt (and I'm not sure if Mainichi is a tabloid). However, I don't really think the article was that bad. I mean, tabloid or not, they're still media. Media obviously prefer that famous people be more open about their lives, because they'll have something to write about.
And the reason why they mention Koda Kumi is obvious because ayumi is not alone in the market and koda has been growing a large fanbase around her. Sometimes it's just impossible not to compare since for the media it doewsn't matter if they hurt ayu's or koda's feelings, if an artist is losing their spot and others are arising, comparison will be inevitable LOL

I'm just glad that article doesn't revolve around lies or questionable facts though.

They're criticizing that ayu isolated herself from the media: Well that's true.
They're criticizing that ayu has been losing fame and that other artists are arising: Well, that's true.
They're criticizing that gUILTY got number#2 while her previous albums got#1: well, that's true.

Maybe they aren't doing it in the kindest way, but heck, they don't own anything to ayu anyway :shrug

You are pretty right!
I'm not sure if the comparison they give is so good though, kumi's fame isn't really increasing either, she's still more popular, but since BEST ~ff~+~ss~ era her popularity is on the decrease like ayu's since A BEST and then since MY STORY. I think people are just annoyed with that comparison rather than hate kumi or stuff, I think it would be wiser to compare her to someone who's really starting to get popular. Personally I wish both ayu's and kumi's popularities would go up but it can't happen forever.

wahh..Ayu told Tomoya too? but i just have to believe Ayu in the blog she posted..
that the very first person she has told about her ear was Mika John~

sigh..poor ayu...
i still her loyal fans...whatever may happen in the future
thanks for sharing the article

Well, being him her love for years, even though they recently broke up, I'd believe she did tell him. If she didn't that would really be scary :eek

Hello? She told EVERYONE about her hearing problems in that 2004 NTV special.

The article is talking about her recent deep and incurable hearing loss she only revealed to TA (and ayumi also emphasized how she wanted the news to have died there). In 2004, details on her hearing loss were very shady, as people wouldn't really know its severity and if it was treatable. I think the article is emphasizing that once you become a famous person, you have to somewhat abdicate your privacy and avoid being too secretive. It's their opinion.

Agreed... :yes I really believe ayu ,will overcome this!!

Hmmmm, I wonder when she told him though, I wonder if she told him before or after they broke up. I'm guessing probably before... *sigh* who knows...