[Interview] 109 News 2015.04.08
 

T/N: I really loved this interview, so I decided to translate it and share~ She talks about A ONE and a change in her mindset. She feels she’s back to her original self.
(read on tumblr)

http://i.imgur.com/3iCgfVj.jpg

Q: Your nation-wide tour has finally started! The Countdown Live received very good feedback, so I’ve been looking forward to the tour.
A: This tour has the same name as the Countdown Live, Midnight Circus, but the shows aren’t identical. You could say the Countdown Live was the preamble and the tour is the main story, or like the prologue and the conclusion. Please have high expectations ♪

Q: You’re really going full-out, right?
A: Of course! For one thing, the show is over 3 hours long.

Q: That’s amazing! You’ll also release your new album A ONE just before the tour. Have lots of new songs been added?
A: Yes! Lots. So, please try the album and come see the show.

Q: Actually, I’ve already listened to the album! How should I say, it’s really an “Ayumi Hamasaki” album, I think. Power ballads with cries from the soul, heart-warming yet wistful lyrics… such a classic Ayumi sound. Was there any reason for this?
A: While working overseas I realized I was starving for the subtelty of Japanese, I think. The growing desire to express things in Japanese made me write more and more lyrics and let me throw myself into the fun of expressing myself through music, I think. The songs I made after the Countdown Live are myself as Ayumi Hamasaki, how should I say, those songs were born naturally when I turned back to my true core through the Countdown Live. The album has these types of songs — In that way, this is a very honest album, how should I say, I didn’t plan to go for my classic sound, but the result did end up like that. I think it’s something like that —

Q: Are Out of Control and Last minute also such songs?
A: Those two are Yukumi-kun’s songs. His songs have always been easy to sing. I can fit lyrics to the melodies really quickly. I think it triggered something in my core? While making Last minute, I felt, “In the end, I haven’t changed at all since the days of MY STORY.”

Q: I saw fans crying while listening to the songs at the album & tour commemoration events. I think it’s an album that long-time fans have been waiting for. What is the meaning of the album title A ONE?
A: It carries meanings such as starting from one, the only one, oneself, my current best. The truth I found in the end… I think the title can fit all of those. Actually, I created many more songs for the album, but I scrutinized and scrutinized them and narrowed the selection to those currently on the album.

Q: I subtly felt the determination of the artist Ayumi Hamasaki in this album, and even in the single you released at the end of year with the songs Zutto…, Walk and Last minute. The album shares a similar atmosphere to your previous albums Secret and MY STORY in which there are songs that include the message “If I’m going to continue singing as Ayumi Hamasaki, then I want to be this kind of Ayumi Hamasaki” yet also singing about the struggles such a life brings.
A: That might be true. I felt the past me was “already gone”, but now I feel “She’s still here” “For good or bad, I’m still the way I was” — Actually, I felt I could no longer sing Secret. I felt I was past that side of me. But that wasn’t the case at all. I can still sing Secret, to put it extremely, I feel this album taught me that I haven’t changed much since I created A Song for XX. My surroundings may have changed, but there’s still a part deep inside of me that thinks “People are born alone and will die alone”. The people who related to songs like A Song for XX have changed as well over the years, that’s what I thought. But with this album, I feel like we can say “In the end, we’re still the same” to each other. If there are people who, when they calmy look back at themselves, feel “Huh? The core part of me hasn’t changed, huh” just like I did, I’d like to say “Don’t be sad about it. If it’s true, then let’s accept it and walk together.” Our lives are only just beginning. — I had these kinds of thoughts.

Q: ONE definitely also carries such a meaning, right?
A: To be honest, during my rehearsals for the Countdown Live, I noticed I had been running away. I kept rambling about things like wanting to separate my private life and my work when I started living overseas and in Japan, right? Having said those things makes me laugh now. Like, “You just said those things because you wanted to run away, didn’t you?” Making up such reasons, I wanted to run and tried to run, but actually, I can’t run and I don’t want to. It’s not about where I am or who I am with. Wherever I am or whoever I am with, I can’t be anyone but me. I know that now. I have decided to stop running away. When I made the Countdown Live with this mindset, I felt “Aah, that’s right! This is me.” I spontaneously returned to myself. When I accepted myself honestly, it wasn’t scary or hard, it felt right, like “I was always like this, huh.” Afterwards I was to able clear several things and things came into focus. I felt confident, how should I put it, I stopped doubting my instincts about what’s right.

Q: Those moments happen, huh. If anything, life is a repeat of such things, no, how should I say, it’s about moving forward while hesitating — To put simply, this means “Welcome back~ Ayu!”, right?
A: Exactly! That’s what I thought too. “Welcome back~ me” (laughs) I think the people close to me already knew I was running away. It may even have been totally apparent to my fans too.

Q: Hahaha. If so, then what would you say?
A: I’d nonchalantly say “I’m back~!” Please let me off the hook with just those words (laughs).

Q: You made the Countdown Live with this mindset. This also means we’ll be able to see the new, awakened Ayumi Hamasaki during the tour, right?
A: Yes! I’ll try my best!! I put all the things I want to express in the setlist and performances. I hope you will all come see it—

very interesting

thank you for the hardwork translated this...and thanks for sharing...

really feel this interview...

lovely interview. I think its puts the ALONE theme more objectively and realistic than something emotional. even though the album clearly has her own personal emotions attached. Probably its about becoming ONE with the past and prsent, to return to form, to be who you are (which she felt was always there)

THANKS FOR THIS!! love reading her interviews

Thank you so much tenshi!!
I thought she brought up a really interesting aspect when she talked about how she thought she changed so much and wasn't the same person that she was before. I guess I can relate to this passage a lot which is why I thought her opinion on it was quite interesting.

Wonderful interview. Thank you!

Those other songs she made.. GIVE THEM TO US!!

Yeah, pretty sure that was what people felt for a while, lol.

I also totally feel that vibe she's talking about in A ONE.

Thank you for translating this! All I want to say is "Okaeri, Ayu!"

Oh my, Ayu is back *cries*. She sounds so mature, i feel inspired, really.

Great interview! Thank you so much for taking the time to translate!

This is a great interview and I am happy Ayu is being honest. Tho I think she also did great stuff in her 'running away' years

What a great interview... so much sense. :cry Thank you so much for translation, tenshi!!

I'm so glad that there is no more hesitation within Ayu and she's lastly returned to herself. That's a really outstanding feeling after "running away" phase...

seems she calm and relaxed now
thank you very much for translation!

This is a really great interview. Reading Ayu's interview's are often very insightful and now I'm looking forward to the mini album more! Thank you for the translation :D

thanks so much for posting!

Thank you for the translation.

When I read this, I think about WARNING. It might be the real meaning of the song. The Ayu who says "shut up you don't know me, I want to be myself, I'm not your puppet" to the Ayu who wanted to run away. It could be the reason why it's the first song of the album (just after a bell) too.

Thanks for translating, this is a really great interview.

Anyway, welcome back, Ayu <3

Thanks a lot for the translation, it's really a beautiful interview.
The sad part is, I absolutely loved the lyrics from A ONE since the beginning and felt like they were really old school Ayu. But most of the songs on A ONE have such boring and uncreative arrangements that I still think it's her worst album to date.

Nice way of looking at it. I think "a Bell" may represent like, a bell went off in Ayu's head. Everything just clicked, and pulled her out of that mindset and in a way "saved her."

I think that makes perfect sense. I just wish this album had a more heightened resolution of herself. This interview really sums things up though!

Perhaps the conclusion will be in the mini-album coming up.

Thanks for sharing.

Right? Like "WARNING" is speaking to the part of herself which was "running Away"

great interview, thank you :)

That would make sense since it seems as though she saved all of the upbeat tracks for the mini. Makes me wonder if Movin' on without you being added was intentional to segue into the mini.

Thank you so, so much for posting this interview. Is it weird that there are actually tears running down my face right now?

Ayu is at her best when she's being honest - I feel almost vindicated for having said that over the last two years or so, reading this interview. I KNEW something was wrong, that Ayu's "soul" wasn't in what she was doing, and interviews where she talked about what she now realizes is "running away"...

In the end it's true, she really hasn't changed. She is absolutely the same Ayu as in A Song for XX - even then, she worked at the pace she did because she was running away from her life. She's always running away from something.

God I just wanna give the woman a hug sometimes.

I wonder if she's reached a sort of Ayu-enlightenment that she hadn't gotten to until the end of last year/beginning of this year.

thank you for the translation

I wonder if she ever listens to some of her old songs and goes "WTF was I thinking with this POS?"

:shakehead

thanks for the translation @tenshi no hane :)

Such an honest interview!
I was wondering what made her put up songs like Secret or even immature in the set list of AT2015, and after reading the interview, it made sense. A ONE, the alone theory, oneness theory, they both made sense.

Just want to share a bit.. It's also really good to know that she never forgets where she came from. We see many people got lost in this globalized culture, but to read that she misses the simplicity of her culture made me so proud of her. It got me thinking about my own roots as well. No matter where we go, we should hold on to our true selves and not slowly drift away.

Thank you, tenshi no hane! Excellent work.

Such lies.

:laugh

:weep

Thanks for posting this interview!!

I feel the same about myself, being alone and all..... I'm glad to see Ayu being so honest this time. This album is gonna be so amazing and meaningful to me now. :)

thank you!

Thank you for the translation!
It's good to see her being so honest about herself.


SO true :headache

Secret
If I can have
One wish come true
Just bring me out of here

Even now, I’m still here
Always searching for a place to belong

Thank you for posting this interview, it was quite interesting! :)

You're welcome, everyone :)

Thank you for the translation! I was needing an ayu interview, she always sounds so nice and wise.

I could read Ayu interviews about her music for hours.

Thanks for the translated interview!

Now, A ONE makes so much more sense to me. Before I bought the a(l)one feeling, but after listening to the album nonstop it didn't felt like it. It felt like ayu is truly back now; almost like she had found something that she was searching for. I just didn't know what was it until this interview.

exactly. That one thing that she was missing. And the title may also stand for Anew. I love how many meanings this album has.

Great interview. I really love the lyrics on A ONE, and they really feel like the old Ayu I love so much. Thanks for the translation, tenshi. You're awesome. :)

Thanks so much, what a great interview!