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And we know she's found an amazing potato. :yes (I don't know what's with me and this freaking potato. Don't mind me.) |
The funny thing about the whole "Ayumi is a over the top diva and Hikki is a girl next door" thing is that while Ayu was born poor and had to fight her way to stardom, Hikki was a rich kid whose parents always had conections in the industry. :P Not to say one deserve it more than the other (as I myself always liked Hikki more as a musician), but Hikki really had it far easier when becoming a popstar. Not that this by itself would give her the sales she got and still get, but it's easy to understand why she feel she can release music when she feels like it, unlike Ayu who sees her career as a, well, career.
About Gackt and Hikki's lastest releases being stronger releases than MIJ, that happens when you take your time to release your stuff and doesn't need (or feel you need, we don't know) to release a new album every year. Gackt and Hikki could get their times into crafting the sound they felt like, while Ayu depends entirely on having the right inspiration to release an amazing album. I really liked MIJ, but I don't think it's one of her best. Still didn't give Fantome a proper listen. Both Hikki and Ayu have a tight control over what they let the public see or not see about their private lifes, and both of them are +- private about what they do. For some reason people get bothered because Ayu is phographed with her significant others, even if the only thing we know about them is that they are together, without any other detail or insight about their private lifes. I disagree we know Hikki's views on LGBT issues because the was asked about it, during her american tour she threw those signed balls at the audience and the balls had pro-gay marriage messages on them. Her personal blog (does it still exist?) also gave a lot of insight over her world view and even let we know she had the hots for Rafael Nadal. Quote:
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Still believe Ayu would benefit wonders of having a hiatus... |
Hikki also said Kuma is gay. I forgot that lol
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such a sophisticated post and I love it. Just adding to the last: There are artist who draw a piece like everyday and let it all out, and there are others who only let the best of the best get to the public. It is common to work different, not only in a creative job but on every task you get. Thats why school usually has different forms of getting the information to their pupils. |
Utada is bigger because she wasn't shoved down peoples throats as much as Ayu. Ayu released an album every year and multiple singles. Same thing happened to Koda Kumi. You need to have people anticipate your music, Namie and Utada did that.
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^nah not necessarily,
Aye and Kumi are idols (the first more than latter).... Utah is an artist... Namie is just the Queen. Speaking of which, Namie just had luck and bit herself through hard times instead of following old formulas, ultimately earning her a fanbase of younger and - much more importantly - woman her age, that explain her high sales. Same as what was stated about Utada. |
[1999] A Song for xx / First Love / LOVEppears
[2000] Duty [2001] A BEST / Distance [2002] I am... / DEEP RIVER / RAINBOW [2003] A BALLADS / Memorial address [2004] Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 1 / Exodus / MY STORY [2005] [2006] (miss)understood / ULTRA BLUE / Secret [2007] A BEST 2 -Black- / A BEST 2 -White- [2008] GUILTY / HEART STATION / A COMPLETE -All Singles- [2009] This Is The One / NEXT LEVEL [2010] Rock'n'Roll Circus / Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 2 / Love songs [2011] FIVE [2012] Party Queen / A SUMMER BEST / Love / again [2013] Love again [2014] First Love -15th Anniversary Edition- / Colours / Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 1+2 [2015] A ONE / sixxxxxx [2016] M(A)DE IN JAPAN / Fantôme Ayu: 28 Hikki: 12 I think the difference in the public perception of them really is just because of how oversaturated Ayu has been over the years compared to Hikki. The personal lives of celebrities tend to be scrutinized more when they are actually in the spotlight, promoting something. As the list above shows, Ayu has over double the amount of "main" releases as Hikki does-- therefore her personal life has probably been over two times as scrutinized as Hikki's has. I love both of them and I have for over 10 years! I don't think that will ever change... But I must say I really agree with those who are saying Ayu would definitely benefit from a hiatus. I honestly haven't enjoyed an Ayu album since "Party Queen." I found "Love again" so underwhelming that I didn't even listen to Colours and A ONE until earlier this year when M(A)DE came out. Aside from "Movin' on," I didn't find any of the songs on those three albums special either. :( In my opinion, Ayu's best albums are definitely "MY STORY," (m)u, and "GUILTY." She took her longest time after "MY STORY" to release (m)u and I really feel that it shows because she followed up one of her best with another great one. Again, the break after "Secret" to spend the year promoting "A BEST 2" gave way to another really good album-- "GUILTY." She hasn't really taken one of these breaks since "GUILTY" and this is when I found my enjoyment of her new music declining. Hikki would most likely have the very same problems if she released as much as Ayu has. There's no way to know for sure though. I will always cherish Ayu's music pre-2010 and into the future I will continue to root for her to make a come back. I just think it would be a hell of a lot easier if she took a vacation and forgot about touring and making a new album for one year. In the words of Hikki, ditch the "artist experiences" for the "human experiences!" ----- GAHH. I still really want to know when we're gonna get this new MV and which song it will be for!!! :luv2 |
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It's funny that everyone knows and agrees that all Ayu needs is a break to rest and improve... except Ayu herself.
Not even watching Utada taking such a long break is inspiring Ayu. Though now that she draws close to her 20th anniversary it's unlikely she'll stop soon. About Utada: I remember reading about her first marriage, to the Japanese movie director. I thought it was sweet that they grew closer when she had some health issues and surgery and he was there supporting her at the hospital. Then they married. And in Utada United 2006 (my favorite live of hers) she was married to him and looking very happy. My favorite MV of hers was directed by him -- Final Distance. |
With regards to the type of music they release, there are also some really big differences. At this point in her career, I really feel like Ayu releases music with the primary intention of performing it live. That's why we get songs like The Show Must Go On, etc. -- they were built for live performances, not just to be standalone album cuts.
Hikki has never been a major touring artist, and so she approaches her music from a different standpoint. She is focused on the album itself as the output, the end-all-be-all. And as for a hiatus...it might do Ayu good, but I'm not so convinced like everyone else. It's not like Namie really took a hiatus -- it was just that nobody wanted to see her, so she became really low-key. But she pretty consistently released music, and it wasn't until she just completely shifted directions that her popularity started to rise again. But Namie is an idol in the truest sense, so to be honest, she doesn't even belong in this conversation (and to be clear -- I like Namie). |
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edit: Seiko is 54 and still is an idol, I don't think age is a problem here :P
I wouldn't call Ayu an idol either... Idols must have a mostly controverse-free image and tend to follow a mold through their whole careers (Namie for example, has a very clean image that is set around the ideal of a cool, sexy but classy woman that wears short skirts and high boots and dance. And this is what she has been doing for the last 20+ years). Not only Ayu frequently changes her image, she also push bondauries both on a cultural and on a aesthetic level. As far as they propose to do (Ayumi being a controversial live performer and Hikki being a introspect and more intelectual studio artist), they both are at the same level of artistry, if there's even a way to determine that. I wish Ayu had gone through a hiatus back in 2008... And it's not that I'm disliking her releases, IMO it's almost a miracle she can release stuff with the quality she does considering how frequently she releases new music, and imo a bad release for Ayu's standart still is way above the average for the pop market, but letting the public miss her a little would be good for her image. -- I took some time to listen to Fantôme, btw. I'm afraid I'm not impressed... Not that it's a bad release (and Hikki's bad is still good when compared to the rest of the market), but I found it to be... too safe, I guess? At least sound-wise, I like my Hikki alittle wilder and weirder :P. But it's a smart move considering she is just coming from a long hiatus... Something too different could pontentially alienate her public. |
That makes sense, however her musical style doesn't really seem idol like to me and her fanbase doesn't consist of old creeps and she doesn't do hand shake events (lol).
Namie is more of a superstar to me |
It's also the sense that Namie is not of her own making. She goes in, sings some songs that have been chosen for her, and goes and promotes them. For Namie, I just get such a strong sense that music is her work...and then she goes home, and it's not like she's stressing over what to do next. She has a strong team around her that guides her every move. I'm not judging her -at all- for that, but that is basically everything that an idol is. She's not an artist, which is totally OK.
I like Fantome, but it's not very memorable for me (at least not yet). It's worlds ahead of her last two albums, which to me, were a departure in a direction I just wasn't really into. I wish there were a little more pop to this album, which I think would have made it more interesting. Like I said in another post -- this album feels like a very adult-contemporary version of Deep River to me. |
An idol is more on the line of a celebrity with a tight controled image, trained by the agency to develop some talent, whose career is focused on catering to a specific public. Some academics categorize them as contemporary geishas on this sense^^ They don't have to be cute or young or followed by perverts, this is just a popular kind of idol right now :P
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Meh a "japanese idol" are members of AKB48 and the likes to me. The term idol obviously can mean many things, Utada, Ayu, Kuu etc are all idols to an extent, because many people idolize them.
And Namie is definitely more than you think, she's pretty much in control of her career right now, which is why she keeps releasing music. |
^The term "idol" started being used back in the 70's, way before cute childish girl groups existed. Actually, idols used to have a low and deep voice and a mature image before Seiko made it big. Momoe Yamaguchi for example is one of the most respected female vocalists in Japan history, and she was basically an idol.
There's nothing wrong with being an idol and saying Namie is an idol doesn't mean she is talentless or something like that... But even her control over her career means she will hire the best team to keep her around more than it mean she will actually get herself in the creative process. There's someone on the forum who worked on the company that produced the Golden Touch PV and they made it very clear Namie had nothing to do with it. This is essentially being an idol. |
I also don't see Namie as an idol anymore. Although I have to study a little more - since andrenekoi has brought some interesting academics to this conversation -, speaking solely from a non-expert pov she is just like any superstar out there, in the same league as utada, koda, BoA (in Korea at least) or ayu tbqh. The difference between them is that they are actually producing their stuff, their own words and/or composition. Namie has said she composes and she writes, she just don't release the stuff (whether it's too personal or wouldn't fit her public its beyond me). Maybe when she dies and avex wants to make the most of her death? Haha but I don't think she is like that robot or a stooge for avex as some of you do (she has her own label, right? She has power inside that company, I presume). I think she's in control of everything and will do what she wants to and that's it. But then I may be wrong and she is a robot after all and I've been fooled lol
(that's totally out of the blue, but I just remembered that last semester in a Japanese Culture class my teacher actually talked about Namie and how she was the first female superstar with tattoos to be accepted, in terms, by the japanese lol and I never actually dreamt about listening to her name in the academic field lol) EDIT: oh, well, andre said it all, just forget what I wrote hahaa totally forgot about the 60/70 and 80s idols. |
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However, we're going to have to agree to disagree on the Mad World performance. I got nothing. I felt nothing. I'm not saying it was insincere, but it still felt practiced to me. :shrug Maybe I'll try watching it again and seeing if I judged too soon but that's what I felt the first time around. |
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The title idol suggests a maintained image and reputation..something Ayu does not have.
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I am late to the Hikki vs Ayu thing but I will give my 2 cents on it. I am a die hard fan of both for years but what made me stop buying Ayu stuff was when she divorced her 1st husband and she pulled alll sort of tricks in the media like the Americans do. It felt like she was using the Kardashians type of PR. I hated it. It is one of the things I lothe about american celebrities and admire in Japanese culture. Also she was and still is lost on her music. She tried to do those glittery happy summer songs maybe to get new fans or whatever and I could not stand it. I havent listened to ayus songs for years until out of curiosity I listened to MIJ which is not all that great but comparing to her previous work it looks good. She needs a break and a long one. As much as I hate Hikki longs breaks I much prefer her PR strategy than ayu and it saddens me to witness Ayu's downfall. She is so talented but so full of herself that it blinds her :(. Anyway I am loving Fantome. It isn't Utada's best album but it does the job xD
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Aye is an idol. The term idol is not coined the same way as in the japanese industry and simply refers to being that are skilled in one or two areas, but are, overall, just simple people that could be exchanged. They usually have a bigger appeal and so on though. Yet you can't deny, that her voice wasn't anything special and still isn't. As much as I lover her, she was always more a performer than singer. |
^If she composes and writes lyrics but never releases them, as far as her career and public image is concerned, is like she does neither. I wouldn't be surprised to know she actually aproves everything she releases (actually, I would be surprised if she didn't), but I don't think she goes as far as changing lyrics and arrangments for example. Even because a huge part of her current discography is in English and as far as we know she doesn't really know the language.
And I don't get people complaining Ayu praising her releases, what do you guys expect? "Hey, this is shit, but buy it anyway, plz? <3" :P Not that I think her current releases are shit, anyway, Party Queen still among my favorite albums and both Colours and A ONE are perfectly crafted pop albums, even if overly safe. |
I don't know about Namie composing music, but I do know she's done some of the lyrics in her discography (or at least contributed.) But you're right. If she doesn't release them, how can they be of concerned to us?
--------------------------- And Namie is under her own private sub-label, Dimension Point, that Avex created so she wouldn't leave their label after they butted heads a couple years back about her lives. Also, she's stated in an interview for _genic (I'll find the link later) that she chooses the songs herself and decides whether to sing them in English or not. Right now she likes doing songs in English because it 'sounds cool.' (though I doubt she actually knows it. At least, not as fluently as Ayu and definitely not as fluently as Utada xD) But she does have control over her career now--maybe not in the beginning--but I think, when it comes to releasing her music, she is the one behind the drivers wheel. Everything else I assume she relies or considers heavily on her teams opinions and such, but when it comes to the music itself nowadays it's all Namie. Well, unless she's doing a promotion like Hero or the soon-to-be-released Dear Diary/Fighter for that Death Note Live Action movie/mini-series/I don't remember what it was. I bet those are chosen by others, but for her albums/singles I'm 95%-100% sure it's her. ...I'd keep going but this is Utada's thread and I've hardly even mentioned her in this post. So I'm just going to stop here. I just wanted to spread the Namie love, that's all. :D |
^Namie wrote I WILL for example, and it is still rumourd that she is the writer Jussme on SUITE CHIC.
Whatever, how is Utada doing? |
The problem of being a Utada fan is that there's very little to discuss about her once she is done with the current release xD
Will she tour this album? |
Do you mean Namie composed I WILL or just wrote the lyrics? (And I've never heard about the Jussme rumor. That's cool.)
------ And about her touring. I wish she would but with a kid and a family now and so many more potatoes to find, who knows? I don't think she's said anything official on that yet. |
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I'm really not that impressed with Fantome. I like a few songs but mostly I just can't get into it. I've listened to it at least 4 times through and I'm just not feeling it. :(
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oh my gawd how dare you come into this thread and say that.
I'm totally messing with you, it's cool. :P if you don't feel it, you don't feel it. :shrug no biggie. At least you gave it a try rather than just sampling some songs and just throwing it away. (I wish we had a more casual shrug emoji cause that one makes it look like I'm so concerned about this.) |
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^^Namie wrote the lyrics to I WILL and Say the word
------------------------------------------------------------ Utah said in an interview she does not want to tour this album, at least this year, because of her family. It does not surprise me, she rarely does concerts. i can see another one in like 3-5 years. |
^Actually, she said she would like to hold concerts but she can't because her baby is really young. But she's thinking about doing a live showcase or something like it.
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I really like Michi and Sakuranagashi but the rest just doesn't do much for me. I feel that for me, her hiatus was quite lengthy and I pretty much forgot about her since the second single collection came out. Call me spoiled but I like my artists to release things at least annually. Don't get me wrong I still love Hikki and her music in general, I'm just not actively into her at this moment. Do other people go through this with other artists? |
^annually? in america you what 3 years....wich is usually a good thing
edit: not exactly to you, so don't be offended, but I really can#t stand people that need new output like all the time and forget about the old stuff. I could live off for years from like 4 albums. But there really are popped who are like "oh I totally forgot about that song because I only listen to recent stuff." |
thinkingoutloud you keep calling her Utah and it makes me die laughing every time
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I'm personally a fan of that too. I rather wait a couple of years and get some really good music rather than just rushed sounding computerized junk. I.e: since I'm a fan of the pop stars (Namie, Ayu, Koda Kumi) nowadays I usually hear more repeating beats and catchphrases rather than actual music. I think that's one of the main things I love about Fantome. It's r.e.a.l. m.u.s.i.c. |
I like Fantome but I dont love it, is not her best album for sure. Im addicted to Michi though.
I love your signature Miduhyo, Utada is so random. |
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^ You're not doing that on purpose? xD I thought you totally were. It's hilarious.
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That potato is way too clean for her to have just found it. I just imagine her being at the grocery store and someone reminding her of having to be more active on social media to promote the album, so she just saw the potato and went with it.
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haha I'm not sure about that... all I know is that now in my google search history I have 'Utada Hikaru with Potato' in it. :laugh
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please God ... i need the new PV in my Life! :rolleyes
I hate waiting! :grumpy |
YOUR SIG OHMYGODTADA!!!!!!! :roflmao
Add the potato in there somewhere and I'll make it my screensaver. |
^^You both have the best signatures on the site lol.
Anywayz, here's the update of oricon ;) 10.17: No. 1 - 6,813 10.18: No. 5 - ?? 10.19: No. 1 - 5,251 Week 3 official sales: 63,207 Total sales (excluding week 4): 419,642 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My guess for 10.18 should be somewhere around 5000 - 5500. So the estimate week 4 sales so far should be 17K. If the sales for the remaining days are constant (except Sunday, which I expect somewhere around 10K), her weekly sales should be around 40K. So Fantôme should pass 450 this week. I think it will pass 500K eventually :D. |
^ How many more weeks left until Oricon 2016 ends?? Is there a possibility she surpasses that Exile boy band? Arashi will probably take the #1 spot of the year but I want Utada to get #2.
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Regardless of how strong digital album sales are/are not in Japan, it always infuriates me that Oricon don't include them. Such a backwards chart. Would love to know how much the album has actually sold.
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urgh i love her harmonies on this record :dead2
still loving this album! my co-worker caught me dancing to Michi some days ago and then she danced with me saying: idk this song, but i live, let's bop! lmao Quote:
and gurl, your sig - i'm crying :laugh |
Oricon only counts the daily sales until the third place? LOL
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Wikipedia is reporting 3,500 in sales for Fantome in the United States.:USA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fant%C3%B4me_(album) http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...s-world-albums |
^^like forever
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^ https://media.giphy.com/media/7rj2ZgttvgomY/giphy.gif |
Today's sales:
10.20: No. 1 - 4,558 |
I wonder what they're waiting on with the new MV? I figured it would come out once the sales went stagnant to boost them back up.
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I don't know about that. I remember Hikki's label in the US treated her like a VIP. I remember a post she made about them flying her on a private jet. I think she even posted a picture with Kuma.
So she might yet release something in English. |
I would hope she releases another English album, mostly because she seems to experiment more with American releases and give really cool results. I.E. Kremlin Dusk is still one of my favorite songs from her (if not my favorite of all time), and Animato, Me Muero, one of the remixes for Exodus is awesome too (though I can't remember which one exactly.)
She also makes some pretty interesting lyrics "Like Captain Picard I'm chillin' and flossin'" "Can you and I start mixing gene pools Eastern, Western people Get naughty multilingual" (actually all of Let Me Give You My Love.) xD "You're easy breezy and I'm japanesey." (I don't care what none of y'all say. I love that lyric for it's awfulness.) |
It's like Utada channels a completely different muse for Western releases. The results are so different, I love it.
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You know.. I've never put thought into easy breezy lyrics. Like... ever. When it comes to her Japanese releases I analyze her lyrics down to the finest detail since she can be cryptic there, but when it comes to her American ones they're so straightforward I don't feel the need to go much deeper than what she presents. But you got a good point there. Never thought of it more than her just trying to get an ear-worm lyric
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^I had to translate Exodus to a brazilian fansite, so I took a lot of time on the lyrics and I really love them... There's a lot od stuff that can be understood 2 or 3 ways, a constant sense of humor and she really picks subjects that aren't common in pop music. This Is The One is far more straightfoward, but there are still lyrics dealing with unusual stuff or at least coming with an unusual point of view. Girl can write and I believe a lot of her english material don't get enough credit lyric-wise
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They really don't. :shrug I wish she would do another Exodus type of album (whether Japanese or English) where she really just experiments and does whatever the heck she feels like doing. I mean, I felt This Is The One played it safe material-wise but it still had some different sounds that sounded so Utada, though just on a more scaled platform. But I'd really like that type of album that makes all of us go "Wait. What?" Cause I remember the first time listening to Kremlin Dusk and having to listen to it over and over and over and over and over and I still listen to it to this day, that song is my jam. You Make Me Want To Be A Man get's stuck in my head too. xD Lordy, I'd kill for her to experiment like that again. I feel like Utada experiments, though a bit off the radar, are always fresh. It's not just an experiment for her as artist, like a pop-star trying a rock song, or a country singer yodeling, it's an all-around experiment for everyone--something so different and new--and it's awesome.
(Though I'm still trying to figure out what she meant by "Like Captain Picard, I'm chillin' and flossin'" Like... what made her write that? xD) |
10.17: No. 1 - 6,813
10.18: No. 5 - ?? 10.19: No. 1 - 5,251 10.20: No. 1 - 4,558 10.21: No. 1 - 4,838 |
You're making me want to rewatch this for the millionth time. |
Utada United is the best Tour EVER! Everything is pure perfection - the Stage, the Setlist, her Voice!
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I. love. this. performance. And like Deep River said, that entire concert is p.e.r.f.e.c.t.i.o.n.. She had so much energy which was just so much fun to watch. God, I have the entire thing somewhere on this computer. Imma have to hunt it down and have UU marathon tomorrow. |
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Everytime someone point the Kremlin Dusk pertormance as a proof Hikki can sing, I know I'm dealing with someone with hearing issues. |
Is it her best vocally? God no. But it's still so much energy, which surprised me because she usually just, ya know, stands around.
I also love that stage. |
It may be one of the best performances I've ever seen and the one section I love the most on that concert lol but who'd really show this as a proof that "utada can sing" lol her voice is amazing and I find it difficult to emulate, even though I don't think she control it that well outside the studio. That said, I don't recall any performance I saw from her where I was left with the "the girl can sing" feeling haha and that certainly wouldn't be utada united as a whole. Her recent lives show a much more matured and controlled power/voice imho
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Utada United was a dud. I downloaded the DVD ISO and burned it to a disc thinking it was gonna be real great and it was such a bore and the vocals were bad. I don't think I even finished watching it.
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^I did that with the Made in Japan tour and was sooooo disappointed. But :shrug to each his own when it comes to music/performances. (really. we need to make a more affable shrug emoji. It honestly looks like I'm panicking over this when really I'm just trying to be friendly. xD)
My personal favorite lives of hers is the unplugged she did in 2001 Mostly because I love the setlist (though I can live the rest of my life never hearing First Love ever again. But Parody and Kettobase!! Final Distance :luv2) and I looooooooooooooove unplugged performances. Though when she tries to go for those higher notes it's a bit... of a turn off? But whatever, I still love it. |
She would do better if she didn't write songs that are way out of her range... Her covere tend to be pretty good, but the songs she covers also tend to be easier to sing.
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She does make very difficult songs. I personally have a very difficult time singing Hikari because of how the notes go up and down and up and down and up and down, especially at the end. I wonder how much editing used to go into her voice for those type of songs.
I say used to, cause, even though Fantome is obviously very well edited, I think all the songs fit her range so much more than her previous songs. |
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She basically damaged her vocal so badly during UNITED. And I have to say most of her songs from ULTRA BLUE era are difficult to sing.
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Anywayz, today's oricon: 10.22: No. 1 - 6,437 I think her 4th week no. 1 should be secured. |
It's not like my range is something otherworldy, but I also have problems when singing to her songs, Miduhyo haha don't you feel sad about it. One of favorites of all time, blue, is especially difficult and it makes me so sad I can't sing it properly haha =C
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^Her range isn't something to write home about either :P
^^ She also can record small parts of the song each time. What makes it easier to reach the notes as she doens't need to sing the hardest transitions ^^ |
This is just my opinion but I think that Hikki knows her voice very well (and therefore is capable of creating amazing songs) but doesn't control it well enough. Probably lack of vocal training.
That really showed in Utada United. While I loved the show there were some parts where her vocals were lacking. Like in Final Distance. One of the trademarks of Hikki's music is how she doesn't use that much autotune on her songs. We can hear places where she pushes herself to hit the notes or breathes or something. That's why it's not so jarring when we hear her sing live. Some singers use so much autotune that they sound like completely different people singing live. They look like drunk people at karaoke rather than professionals. |
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^Hmm well what you say is not wrong only very...harsh?Stating a fact in such a narrow manner to me, and mostly to what s teached in germany, just show a lack of skills in certain departments and I personally find it really off-putting to read such strong opinions. The world is not black or white. Utada United was actually quite pleasent to watch...especially the song-choice. i never found Utada to be good performer to begin with, and overall, I never understood the hype to her music. The concert has pretty bad vocal control, especially in the beginning - but if you search for good vocals, j-pop is definitely not the area to search for - same goes for production value.
So I personally would have said something like: "Wel, the concert was not my cup of tea because I did not like this and that, but I can see why people enjoyed it" or something like that - which, at least gives a bit respect to the performing artist. Same goes for rating music itself. Like I said in the Lady Gaga thread: each output of art is nothing you can rate with "good" and "bad" - its just very disrespectful to the creator of the content (and certainly something that gets more and more common within the internet (see youtube)). There a certain criteria - shifting form person to person off course - but in almost each piece of art or content is something that you can praise to a certain content without being a total douche (and that was not directed to you, just an overall impression). It is a skill you even learn in school, at least in most Europe, to sandwich your critique between two good statements. |
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I think it also depends on how you rate your own works and projects (self-critique), as well as how you prefer to receive critique yourself. I am a tyrant to myself in my own creations, and am never satisfied until I feel I have problem-solved repeatedly time-and-time again to remove its weakest points. Likewise, if something is lacking, I prefer someone to tell me directly, as the objective lies in making good work, not within garnering praise for simply making an effort. In making watered down versions of my own experiences ("not my cup of tea"), as a writer, I don't feel that statement does the emotion, nor opinion that was formed as a result of it, justice. Expressing emotions with strength and giving accuracy to the extent that they were felt, is important to me, and playing the middle ground just doesn't feel real or authentic - it's not truth. Being passive in daily life is exhausting, so my writing style, and as a result my online persona, tends too come off as bold. However, I'll tell you that the strength of dislike I have for things, is outweighed by the strength of love I have for things that truly impress me, and make me all the much more thankful and appreciative to have them. (Sakura Nagashi, Take 5, Keep Tryin', etc.) |
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I guess what I'm trying to say is that by stating it like that sounded a bit harsh "Oh, you've a tendency to be rude and seem doltish. You're American, aren't you?" (That's me putting words in your mouth there, and I apologize. But that's how it read to me what you were saying in your first statement.) It's stereotyping. And no one likes to be stereotyped. Not you. Not me. Not him or her or they or them. :shrug It hurt me personally a little bit, (someone who had nothing to do with this conversation, and, someone who, in the seven years I've been on this forum, has never once got in an argument with someone. Maybe a debate, sure. But everyone here debates.) especially because I agree with everything else you said. It made me go from enthusiastically going, "Yes, I agree." to kinda reluctantly going "...yeah, I guess I agree." If you're mad at Zeke, please keep your argument pointed at him (Sorry, Zeke. I'm not trying to say EVERYONE AIM YOUR CANNONS AT ZEKE. It's just, you know, y'all were arguing) I mean, based off what your statement said, how would you feel if I said "You're not wrong, but you're acting a little pompous. Are you European?" Of course you wouldn't like it. Like I said, it'd be stereotypical. It's not fair to throw an entire nation into the gutter just because you're having a disagreement with one person. :( |
I kinda miss when Hikki's thread was inactive but I'm guessing whenever she releases new stuff everyone gets crazy.
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Reading the messages... hmmn Okay...
Anywayz, here are the sales: 10.17: No. 1 - 6,813 10.18: No. 5 - ?? 10.19: No. 1 - 5,251 10.20: No. 1 - 4,558 10.21: No. 1 - 4,838 10.22: No. 1 - 6,437 10.23: No. 1 - 11,533 Again Sunday is/was a nice day :D. I think the sale should be over 40K :). Quote:
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Anyway. about those sales numbers I'd like to know what makes the album sell so much more on weekends. I'msure more free time has something to do about it, but it's not the only factor, right? |
^ honestly, it's a universal thing. That was the point I was trying to make. It's not just Americans, it's not just Europeans or Asians or what have you. That's why I said 'Being strongly opinionated goes from person to person, not nation to nation.'
There's more I want to add but have decided to delete because, to be fair, this is a sensitive topic that could spread like wildfire REALLY fast, so I think we should probably let it be or I fear I may have started something I'm really going to regret having began. (Actually, to be honest, I debated deleting that post all day because I knew what it could lead to. But my instincts always beat out my wants.) Anyway, before I go back on topic, I want to apologize for making this thread incredibly awkward. :laugh I feel like that was my fault back there that it died out so abruptly by posting what I did so I'm really happy people are coming back in here xD (Please don't hate me. Y'all are my potato friends.) -------------------------------------- ANYWHO Pivoting back to topic number one: How the hell is she still selling those numbers? :shakehead Are they the numbers I'm used to from my generation? No. But for this day and age, it's a nice constant. Anyone have any idea what the actual total sales are? I know we're beyond 400K. And to answer your question ahtka-chan, I believe it's because there are sales. Freetime + sales = people spending money they probably shouldn't. Like me with clothes. xD |
Week 1 sales: 252,581
Week 2 sales: 103,854 Week 3 sales: 63,207 Total: 419,642 Assuming that Fantôme's sales was about 5000 on Oct 18, then this week sales will be about 44K. This will bring the total sales over 460K :D. She will break through 500K in about two weeks I think. |
anyways .....
so... what song do you guys think she will make a video for next ? i'm hoping for tomodachi or michi ! |
^I kinda want Michi, but I'm not sure if an extra pv will generate more sales since it has a cm already.
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