Ayu to appear in 61st Kouhaku for 12th time
 

As expected, Ayu will be appearing in the 61st Kouhaku Utagassen on New Year's Eve.

UPDATE (11/25): As posted by tokyoxjapanxfan, this article states Ayu will be the "top batter" (act who performs first) for the third year in a row. She performed "Mirrorcle World" and "Rule", so a speculation could be a faster song, such as "blossom" or "Last Angel".

Artist List

This year's theme is 「歌でつなごう」, translating as "Connect By Music (Song)".

A total of 44 acts, 22 for each team, has been invited. There are 5 new acts: 3 for the Red (including Nishino Kana), and 2 for the White (including AAA).

Numbers in parentheses represent their number of appearances, including this show. A （初） represents their first time, which I denoted in the Romaji names with a bold (1).

Artist lists are alphabetized by Japanese kana order (vowels, "ka" column, "sa" column, etc.).

I will post a song list as soon as news comes out.

Artist List as seen on site


Red Team


White Team


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Thanks to Polyrhythm for the romanized names.

For a more open chat thread in the Asian Music Discussion forum, click here.

Does anyone know how to attend this event? ^_^ And where is it being held?

is it list of all artists who attend Kouhaku??

I think it's held at the NHK Hall in Shibuya.

Apparently you apply for tickets?

From Wikipedia:

Shibuya? Oh that's a good location! Hmm but a LOT of people wanting tickets, lol.. I wonder how expensive they will be in the harajuku ticket-stores~.. I kind wanna go =)

I wonder which song she'll perform?^^
thanks for info

So excited !i think she'll sing crossroad or moon ^^!

Do they actually resell those tickets? I mean I don't think there are more than 4,000 or so seats in the hall, so if you get a ticket, you're probably going to keep it, haha.

I hope she sings You were.... *get's murdered*

Oh...Ayu's going to the Kouhaku, huh?

Now I only see 44 artists - WHAT!? :thud
This has got to be the least-crowded Kouhaku we are about to ever see in a long time!

Some notes:

• Am I seeing 4, 5 or 6 Johnny's artists?
• Motohiro Hata was predicted to be but he's NOT in...
• YUI's still NOT interested in the Kouhaku...
• And if you thought the rumo(u)rs about Masahiko Kondo going to the Kouhaku as part of an agreement with Johnny's, FORGET IT - he's not coming to the Kouhaku!
• With the fact that Ai Otsuka is pregnant earlier this year after the marriage with RIP SLYME's SU, she's not going to be able to perform for a while as she awaits for her baby in April.
• AAA was part of the red team last year, but they're in the WHITE team this year.
• Now why in the world there is 44 when in 2006 there was 56, in 2007 and 2008 roughly 54, and last year 50? Either the count is right, or there may be some surprises...[/b]

yay for Ayu~
Also, of course TOKIO is going to be there. Ayu and Nagase in the same room once again, lol
Oh...and L'Arc~en~Ciel will be there?! Nice! I cannot wait to see this one. Of course we already know which team will win...
Thanks for the info~

You are not likely to ever find them in ticket stores. It is not a very large venue, so tickets are exceedingly rare and if one did show up in a ticket shop, I'm sure it would be over $1,000.00.

To answer your question why there are less performers, one reason is that NHK invited Korean groups this year; KARA, Shoujo Jidai (SNSD) and Big Bang. They are however not attending because of Korea's own end-of-the-year music festivals between the 29th and the 31st.

I knew she'd be there lol owned.

I alsways thought Ayu had been to kouhaku A LOT. But then there are a lot of artists that have been there more than 20 times =O

And Akiko Wada with 34 times O_o

Oh dear. NHK might have attempted something risky - attempting to invite Korean gropus - except that Korea also have their own end-of-the-year music festivals, and I think NHK could be the loser - and to blame - why there's fewer artists this year than the past.

Maybe they should also make supplemental nominations in the event an artist declines their invitation or could not attend unexpectedly...

Erm, what's with this in-your-face commentary?

Why is HY in the White Team...? @@;

whoah~ ok... I'll just settle for CDL10'11 then~

No, I agree! :heart I really hope she does You were... too! I don't want to hear Virgin Road... x.x I hope it's at least crossroad or MOON, but You were... would make me happiest! Or dare I say, Last angel!

yaaay congrats for the 12th attendance!

Fun fun!
So it will probably be Microphone.

oh really?
they were actually invited, but turned down the offer because they need to attend their own year-end shows?
i'm reading from some fans said that they were not invited, because they have not yet made BIG achievements in Japan...so they have not yet qualified to be in Kouhaku~

that's why i thought why this year's artists for Kouhaku are not as many as the previous years.. hmm~~
but Happy that Ayu finally make an appearance!

I'm glad that she is going to be there again. =D

hope she wears another ginormous dress :D

Oh and bigtop, AAA weren't at Kouhaku last year--this is their first time...

Yeiyy, with AKB48 help, hopefully red team will win this year

I think she will sing new song from her new album

thanks for sharing the great news ^^ hoping for an amazing performance..

Oh ayu is not first to perform this means that I need to glue myself to the tv for the entire 3-4 hrs

Well, Shoujo Jidai has been very succesfull this fall. They've only released two singles and both have reached the 100.000 mark, and both singles debuted in the top 3 on Oricon. KARA's first single debuted in the top 5 with their release of the Japanese version of Mister, and Big Bang have been active in Japan since 2008 and their singles this year have been pretty high up n the Oricon, don't remember the exact positions but it's in the top 5.

I don't think it's because they haven't been succesdfull and not been invited but that they have obligations with the broadcasting stations over in Korea. The whole drama with the MAMA awards that is organized by Mnet has made a couple of Korean brodcastin staions mad since the award show is scheduled on a weekend meaning many artist have to cancel their appearances on the weekly music programs. This has lead to many artists actually not attendning the MAMA awards in fear of being "punished" by the broadcasting stations later on. It's a mess, really, and there are many sides to a story and this is one version some believe is the reason.

Hopefully with fewer artists we can see more songs from the rest! (Especially Ayu, of course)

oh cool I guess

Wow they've actually had the 61st Kouhaku enough times for her to appear 12 times? That's bizarre.

Hope she performs Virgin road.

I really wish Utada Hikaru would've accepted her invitation this year (assuming she got one) since she's never appeared before and she's going on hiatus in 2011.

haha, it means she's appeared at the last 12. :P not appeared 12 times at the 61st one. xD

Yaay!

OMG~~~ I love this!!!! :colorjump I'm so hyped up for Kouhaku!! Ayu and Perfume are the ones I'm looking forward to the most :heart:heart:heart

awesome, can't wait to see her performance.

:lmfao That's funny lol!!

Oh, I might have read the wrong page...

I think she'll sing Virgin Road

Probably crossroad or Microphone, or one of her new songs

I'm guessing Virgin Road since it's an epic ballad as well as her big 50th single song.

I really hope she doesn't do a rock song, I find her ballads are always a lot more fitting for Kouhaku. Or, if she really wanted to bring in the win, she could perform a classic like M or something :)

I know. Most of the enka singers I think have been there like 25+ times.

It always kind of, opens my eyes a little bit more.


Anyway..I hope she sings...I wouldnt mind You Were, crossroad, or Virgin road...

but i'd rather have a song like Microphone...

but I think a ballad might be best right now. I just hope it's not any of the string of ones that sound the same.


^omg neko, her performing a classic would be amazing. I didn't even think of that.

if she is going show opener again..
i don't think she will sing ballad song

^ I think ayu usally starts the show becasue she has to leave to go to her CDL concert which you can see a little bit in the CDL ~future classics~ making off when she comes still dressed from kouhaku and then changed into her I am.../moments kimono

Well with TOKIO, SMAP, and DCT, Ayu's one of the few contemporary artists who have appeared more than 10 times. All the other artists are enka singers for the most part.

I think this year is a COMPLETE toss-up, considering each team has a juggernaut member (AKB48 and Arashi).

As for the decline in numbers, I don't know if it's because of the dwindling popularity (the show is being watched by less and less people each year, but is still the most popular music-related special), or the plan for some artists to perform medleys. I also wouldn't be surprised if they have another musical dedication to someone or satellite guests like Enya last year. :/

Ayu's position has been first the past couple of times, but it doesn't necessarily mean she will open again. She has been in the latter half before, and STILL performed her CDL after.

Great news! Can't wait to hear the song she will sing.

can't wait to see what she'll sing! maybe a new song from Love songs...but probably crossroad or something. :shrug

I hope we have another super gorgeous princess-like dress, Ayu looks great in them!!
Looking forward to seeing her performance!! 'Cause that's probably the only one I'll watch (along with Arashi). I'll be watching another program instead (yes, I'm contributing to the viewship decline!)

Because I heard the broadcast of Kouhaku is going to start later (about 15 minutes.) If that's true, if you calculate 2:20 - 3:00 minutes, per each, that's about 5 acts accounted for.

I do not think that Shoujo Jidai and Kara etc were invited to Kouhaku. I'm pretty sure you must have debuted well before the Kouhaku is finalized, because Shoujo Jidai and Kara both debuted very very recently, probably after Kouhaku planning took place. The artists for Kouhaku probably accept their invitations or decline sometime in the fall, like end of September and October, because they must have more than 3 months to plan, rehearse, and execute final decisions for Kouhaku.

And besides, Tohoshinki was invited to Kouhaku even when they are still popular in Korea, and they accepted this invitation.

Despite recent booms in Korean Wave, I don't think the Korean groups have made as big an impact as it's been supposed in western forums which like Jpop. Yeah, the Korean Wave is back, but it's not as strong as when Tohoshinki was very popular. =\ There are many more talented Japanese artists who didn't get invited; I'd rather see them get invited than Kpop groups which yeah, they can sing what they are given, but again, better and more musically adept artists are out there in Japan.

if she's the opener,I wanna hear Last angel..
that song gonna kick ass! hahaha XDD

ayu's 12th year, kumi's 6th year :heart

kana's 1st year :heart

Ayu is there, so everything is good! :heart

I'm not reli interested in any other artist on the list...!


I hope, she will sing "crossroad" :heart or "Virgin Road" or maybe one of the new songs! :yes

According to this article, Ayu will in fact be the top batter for this year as well :)

For the 3rd time~

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertain...OHT1T00024.htm

As expected again. Her busy CDL schedule deserves the starting honor as always. But with declining viewer figures, I'm still concerned...

But it seems now that this was thought impossible is now possible: Could Ayu being dirst in the Kouhaku now becoming a trademark?

what is top batter?

The last half I presume?

L'Arc~en~Ciel! Woo-hoo! :D

The artist/act who performs first. Ayu has held this position for the past two years, I believe.

^ IA 100%

Aw, I really hope ayu performs You Were... too, I miss that song :cry

my TV has NHK World channel ???

can i watch this show on that ??

^ i think NHK world is not the NHK that's gonna air NHK KOUHAKU

NHK World Premium will probably air Kouhaku.

I would kill to see Last Angel live *-*

^ Ayu sang "Last angel" on the "Rock*n*Roll Circus"-tour (7 days special!), so you just have to wait for the DVD! ;)

But I can understand you; I would LOVE to see this song live too!

so sad .... :(

ayu will sing Last Angel in 61st Kouaku!!!!!!!!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...kimisaki27.jpg

WOW!
Looking forward!!
I think that means that the CDL will start with Last Angel

omg I can't wait now gosh!

yay!! I was expecting her to sing Last Angel *_*

OMGGGGG!!
I JUST KNEW IT!!
yayy Last angel is totally gonna kick assss!!

the best news ever omg... if it's true.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...kimisaki27.jpg


The question is if it's an official setlist or just a rumored/estimated setlist?
(or a fake newspaper because of the "kohaku" date Dec 25th above?)

I will die if she will sing Last angel :heart!!

^ isn't it rather the date newspaper was published? since there's 11 not 12.

i really hope it's true:heart i need to see a live of last angel!!!:thud <3

That's the newspaper's publish date. :) Anyway, the shot doesn't contain the article itself so I can't tell if it's a predicted setlist or confirmed one.

I like last angel,but i want to heard a winter song in kohaku D:
xD haha but if it's last angel i will be happy too~!!

if she sings that would be cool... but i think she is going to focus on, i dunno, new stuff from love songs??

and LOL the kuu's song is soo predictable :yes i bet she's singing suki dex3 LOL XD

oh right it's the newspaper date!

So yeah the question is if it's a prediction or a confirmed list. xD

well, she has never performed a very new song or song which promoted album and wasn't a single (except JEWEL) there so Last angel can be very possible... don't crush my hopes Ayu :cry this would be 100 times better than Rule last year when I thought nothing could top that.

I'm so happy if she really sings Last angel. Please Ayu!

or she might take the easy way and sing crossroad xD but I want Last angel too!!!

oh no D:
so it's still not confirmed?

Same here, I've been wanting Ayu to give us some surprise this year :yes

^ but I didn't say anywhere I want a surprise from her.

I want Last angel damn! :weep

Together when wasn't a real single and it was used to promote Guilty. Microphone was used to promote Rock n Roll Circus and it wasnt a single.

I meant Kouhaku so don't count Microphone here. But yes, Together when... is a second exception after JEWEL, I forgot about it.

OMG that's amazing news! go go ayuuuuuuuuu :heart

Yesss :luv2 Last Angel :heart

I don't think so, unfortunately...

It's usually confirmed AT LEAST within two weeks of the date or so, I believe. We just need to wait patiently until then... :P

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@ayumisrael: The song choices actually seem pretty legitimate, but I'm gonna wait until they either officially announce it or a REALLY good source posts it. :)

It's just a prediction list after all.

The confirmed lists are usually out in the middle of December.

I hope it's true!

Aww, what I mean by surprise is Kouhaku-wised and not performing that kind of so-predictable songs like MW and Rule :D:innocent

I said to her tho that I want her to perform Last angel in an epic way like alterna or kiss o' kill :yes Let's pray for it Natalia! ;)

Sachiko Kobayashi but no Kenichi Mikawa? Utter blasphemy! It's Kohaku tradition to have the two queens in a knock-down drag-out no-holds-barred fight of making a spectacle of the event!

That said, I'd rather see Ayu perform Crossroad, THE Ayu single of 2010. But I'm most excited to catch Uemura Kana perform. Toilet no Kamisama is the song of the year.

Well... he did sing Sasoriza no Onna like, five million times already... Granted every year is a different mix, but I'm sure someone will get tired of it eventually. :P

No You were.... this year, I hope. I wanna see her performing Last angel!

Same here, Last Angel will be epic, or crossroad is good too.
i wanna know the true setlist