Max Matsuura held a songwriting camp in March to make Ayu songs (March 2020)
 

I wasn't sure about this but apparently it was pretty much out there but not talked about much!

https://twitter.com/maxmatsuuratwit/...83054041022464
https://twitter.com/maxmatsuuratwit/...84390358847488
https://twitter.com/maxmatsuuratwit/...29591739580416

Basically, in mid-March he sort of held a songwriting camp in Hawaii to write songs for Ayu as part of his return to being a creator/producer. Ohia no Ki must have been part of these sessions as well since Kazuhito Kikuchi is seen in the photos! He also mentioned that because it's so easy to work now from anywhere basically, instead of just trying to make songs (for Ayu) that are just big in Japan, he's aiming for worldwide appeal and specifically a hit in Asia. Yuta Nakano I believe is also pictured in the glasses sitting down and Yasuhiko Hoshino (main composer for ASFXX, MOON, etc.) seems to be standing behind them in glasses too!

I suspect more songs were made here and of varying genres... you can see Dave Rodgers in the picture as well, he's one of the famous SUPER EUROBEAT producers from back then. I wonder if Ayu is going to have a Eurobeat track soon? Dave's son Kaioh (Federico Pasquini) is also present here with a family friend perhaps? (Johnnie Purvis)

https://twitter.com/maxmatsuuratwit/...84955068968963

Max also has video here of a bunch of demos from songwriting sessions. I wonder if it's basically all for Ayu here.

Johnnie Purvis also posted about the 'camp' on Instagram with a photo of his dog on March 9th.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9h34R0H5J2/

From some of the other links, I was able to identify other people that attended this!

https://www.instagram.com/daisuke_tonton/ - Daisuke Suzuki, he also has an IG highlight reel of about 100 pictures or so from the camp, also was lead composer for day after tomorrow and GIRL NEXT DOOR

https://www.instagram.com/azi_pry/ - Eiji [?]

https://www.instagram.com/naoto.takahashi.7878/ - Naoto Takahashi

https://www.instagram.com/kamitoku_ramen/ - Ayu's former manager, Junichi "nonchan" Kamitoku, after around A COMPLETE he moved to Hawaii and opened a very famous ramen restaurant "Kamitoku Ramen"

In the IG highlight reel you see all of the composers just making music and going around Hawaii to Guitar Center and other places, lol.

I wonder if he is expecting some sort of increased interest in ayu's music again following the M dorama?

I know its nice to have people talking about ayu in a more positive light again as seemed negative way too often in the last few years

Yeah, usually it was super negative about her love life or how she was gaining weight but now things are slowly getting to be more about the music.

I believe he probably suspected the drama would increase public interest like how A COMPLETE sales have been going up steadily as the drama went on. However, now they have to stick to that momentum.

Ohh, that's really interesting! Can't wait to see what's coming next.

Also if Ayu was in on this as well, the Hawaiian element from being produced there during this camp makes sense! I presume she was there via Zoom or something, lol.

She was also on Hawaii when she was pregnant.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0cSSSSh...=1eqnng8odbzip

I kind of had the idea that maybe the ohia tree came up in songwriting sessions or was a working name for the song and then Ayu got inspired from that perhaps.

I wonder if there's no female producer in Japan...

Ayu uses a few female composers especially recently. Mayuko Maruyama did a LOT of recent Ayu songs after being mostly "help" for H/\L in additional programming and stuff. I think with this they seemed to want to focus on certain composers/producers.

I wonder though why Dave's wife Domino wasn't part of this, she's a pretty good songwriter too!

I believe Ayu has a lot of demo to choose from. If only she wants something specific. Or maybe Max wants something specific and has a plan how to make Ayu great again

I'm going to get my hopes up for a new album. I'll be disappointed but oh well!!

It feels like a new album is probable given Max's enthusiasm. I wonder just what else they made if Ohia no Ki was one of the things to come from this.

Can't wait for MOAR.

Also something really random : it's the same villa ayu stayed in 2005 when she was shooting fairyland and On my way / Off my day photobooks.

It's probably Max's house in Hawaii and he lets her use it when they go there. He moved over there quite some time ago iirc. Given how close they are, I think Ayu probably just has keys to the place. Back when we saw her on a scooter or something a few years back it must have been the driveway to this mansion.

oh wow I'm getting my hopes up here...

wow this is amazing thanks for sharing!

I can't wait for a new album :) Trouble has been 2 years ago!

This does nothing to me, I've stopped hoping for a new full album two years ago when she fooled us with this TROUBLE nonsense lol

Amazing to see so much talent in a single photo, and they're all using an Akai MPK mini mk2 keyboard, same model I use for music production. :)

ME TOO!

Wow. Very interesting.:think
Not sure what to think about it though. My hope is that because of the virus Ayu has decided to end the touring and return to making music. Maybe a full length comeback album is in the works afterall? I don't know what to expect anymore.:laugh

I think it was more of Max's motivation to go back to how he was and maybe Ayu going along with that since they seem to be so close. Before this, I do not recall Max being so adamant about making new songs for Ayu.

this is me, as well. I'm so excited for what's to come!

From some of the other links, I was able to identify other people that attended this!

https://www.instagram.com/daisuke_tonton/ - Daisuke Suzuki, he also has an IG highlight reel of about 100 pictures or so from the camp, also was lead composer for day after tomorrow and GIRL NEXT DOOR

https://www.instagram.com/azi_pry/ - Eiji [?]

https://www.instagram.com/naoto.takahashi.7878/ - Naoto Takahashi

https://www.instagram.com/kamitoku_ramen/ - Ayu's former manager, Junichi "nonchan" Kamitoku, after around A COMPLETE he moved to Hawaii and opened a very famous ramen restaurant "Kamitoku Ramen"

https://i.imgur.com/YIg3hKm.png

In the IG highlight reel you see all of the composers just making music and going around Hawaii to Guitar Center and other places, lol.

wow....you dig deep about this. Cool. Thank you for sharing

Ayu looks so beautiful on that picture!

omg so Max gathered ayu's old super team so they can produce some new stuff???

btw Ohia no Ki is very well produced. tbh it's been like ages since I really hear the quality in her stuff. omg I'm excited to hear more new songs!!!

It kind of looks like it. The people assembled all worked on her first albums in some degree along with ayu-mi-x / ayuro-mix albums.

MEGA in case it's taken down.

"ANOTHER SKY II" covered Max while they held this camp and you can hear some of the stuff that they had been making at the time too! Seems it was about an 18 day long music-making event.

Shintaro Yamaguchi / 山口 慎太郎 was also in attendance. https://www.instagram.com/shintaro0830/