Queen of POP/King of POP
 

Someone on here was wondering if Ayu would mention anything about the passing of Michael Jackson. I was wondering the same thing too.
Right now this second im watching this documentary on Michael Jacksons life, his concerts, singles, albums, etc....and if u look at them, he and ayu have many similarities.

One thing that stuck out to me the most was the way he did the Thriller video. That instantly made me think of the glitter/fated pv. Michael Jackson was the first to do a video like that.

The more i look at his live concerts, the more it reminds me of ayu...the elaborate sets, explosions, etc

Maybe she drew some type of inspiration from him. He did have a huge impact on japan when he was in his prime.

What do u guys think??

Maybe he's had some indirect influence, but Ayu's never mentioned him as far as I know. (Her idol—and person she takes some cues from—seems to be Madonna.)

maybe Ayu could afford to be a bit more daring because of his precedent. but i'm not sure she'll comment on his death, as she never speaks to the media very much about other stars.

I don't really care if she says something or not... there is no need for it

rest in peace michael jackson...you left some great music...(I still think he was a very disturbed adult.)

I agree that Madonna certainly had a more direct influence on her. At the same time though, I don't think Ayu is that much like her. Madonna is an artist that reinvents herself drastically, takes huge career risks, and is most of the time rather brash and controversial. Ayu is not nearly as ambitious (thank god!)

Ayu and MJ's similarities are more subtle I think. They both seem to be under large amounts of scrutiny in regards to their appearance/plastic surgery. In fact, I just came across a thread on 2ch "浜崎あゆみは何故マイケル並の大整形をしたのか？4" (translates to something like; Why did Hamasaki Ayumi get big plastic surgery like Michael? pt.4) I get the feeling Ayu is considered the MJ of Japan in regards to how much plastic surgery she gets (Not saying that Ayu has gotten surgery, but in Japan it seems to be accepted as a widely known fact). The CNN interview of Ayu saying that she never wants to grow up and feels like she is still a child also reminded me a little bit of Mike's situation.

I thought Dome Tour was very MJ. The global/world peace theme - total MJ. And that concert was HUGE. The Arena Tour's thereafter seemed a lot more like Madonna/Janet type concerts.

I think what Ayu really learned from pop superstars like MJ and Madonna, is the ability to become her own artist. There's just nobody quite like her. That's what makes her so iconic.

^ Very well put. I agree with everything that you said.

And you brought up a very interesting point, with both of them not really wanting to grow up... Ayu obviously discusses this and many other issues with her lyrics, and MJ bought Neverland Ranch, and both have talked about this issue in interviews before. Because of the hardships they went through in their childhoods, they both seemingly grew up a little too quickly, went through their rebellious stages (MJ when he went solo + "Thriller"; Ayu in high school), and then went through the scrutiny of the press and people (plastic surgery, scandalous activities, etc.)

i would love to know if she gave comments on MJ... it was tragic~

The most important thing is that he's gone... the responses doesn't really matter. And many of the ones that commented it weren't friends nor supported him (like Sony, Pepsi, Madonna who now pretends to sympathise him...)

reading this thread makes me think ayu influented by MJ but she doesnt realized it ?
i dont think she'll response bout MJ since her no1 idol was Madonna
n i never heard she ever mentioned bout him before ~

-IMO ayu didn't mean she don't want to grow up literally like Michael... It was more like being like it's spected for a japanese adult to be

-Madonna uses the World Peace Theme a lot too...

-Ayu reinvented herself a lot, each album has a main different music genre for example, and some of her acts were pretty controversal... I'm not surprised her numbers keep falling since RAINBOW were she started using some bolder themes on her lyrics... and I remember some singers saying that I am... cover was too sexy for any one of them trying to do

-Madonna has done a lot of plastic surgery too

Michael startet this kind of popstar... And everyone that come after him took his way and turned into their own (Madonna) or was just a "low-budget" copy. What doesn't really mean that every pop artist in the world needs to make a coment about his death

Ayumi27 Madonna vs Michael thing was pretty much like Ayu vs Hikki thing... They didn't say anything about it, but media said a lot... I believe that Madonna respected Michael a lot, even if they were not friends (even so, I doubt they hated eachother), and there are rumors that Madonna was going to perform with him on that London concerts

Madonna is ayu's idol, as far as MJ, just as Embleu said, he could've had some indirect influence to her, but not much as Madonna did...she has not commented on MJ's death and I don't think she ever will...

yeah, but didnt madonna and micheal even go to some award show together? arm in arm? they cant HATE each other when they do that xD

Yeah they went to the Academy Awards together or something. I can't help but feel that it was all just for publicity though.

True.

Definitely.

Ayu isn't nearly as reclusive. Like MJ though, Ayu seems to always be around people that she's comfortable with. While that's true with every superstar to some extent, MJ and Ayu are the type to actually involve these people in their art (which doesn't always turn out well) Ayu is living in her own little bubble, if you think about it.

Ayu hasn't reinvented herself the way Madonna did. I would agree that between her first 5 albums there was some reinvention, but since Memorial address I think she's been quite stagnant. I think maybe if Ayu were known in the Western world she might be considered a little controversial (emulating the Virgin Mary in 'M', for example), but I doubt the average Japanese person would see much controversy in her art. I mean, they barely have any censorship laws on television.

and Madonna isn't comparable to MJ in terms of plastic surgery, lol. I was just trying to make the point that, while MJ is the plastic surgery "spokesperson" of the Western world, Ayu is considered the plastic surgery "spokesperson" of Japan. Madonna is scrutinized in the press for more pressing issues than her plastic surgery.. such as becoming a Jew and adopting Ethiopian babies, lol.

It's depressing how it's 'common knowledge' Ayu has had a lot of work done. And it's not even 'obvious', so wtf?

The change in her appearance over the years is grossly exaggerated. It's almost like people just want some kind of ammunition against her...

Because they do. She looks natural and since I've gotten to "know" MJ more, I'm not as against Ayu having plastic surgery as I was before. I still don't think she's had any work done.

Michael only had a few surgeries on his nose which I believe was heavily related to the verbal abuse his father put against him when he was a child. Other than that, I don't think he's had any other work done. His head was severely burned in a rehearsal a while back too. Other than that his jaw line and face all look the same.

He called people who believe and accuse him of having cheek implants, chin implants and all of this other work done "ignorant, ignorant fools", and I completely agree with him.

Big stars like Michael and Ayu are always going to have SOMETHING put against them. Michael even said when he was growing his beard out a little bit, someone said that he had every single tiny hair implanted into his skin.

I wish Ayu would say something about Michael, but maybe she doesn't feel it's necessary? It almost doesn't seem like her to NOT say something lol.

Ok... here we go:

Don't take the fact that you don't like Ayu's post MA work as they are the same... Even if most of those albums are rock oriented, they don't take the same kind of rock as main influence... Secret is Hard Rock influenced, while Guilty has tones of Metal. (miss)understood isn't a rock album at all, and so is My Story. Next Level doesn't sound like those too.

Ayu has pro-women songs, gay music video, kiss on the mouth on scene, and this guy was chinese, "Asia is one" and the list goes on. If you think all those are not a problem over there, go study a little of their culture. This can not atract censorship, but is far from being well seen over there.
IMO that's why she aways releases the controversal stuff as the b-side or less promoted side of a single were the main track is generic and easy-selling.... (Days/Green, fairyland/alterna, etc)


And people should stop talking about how Madonna is an atention *****! The woman can't even fart without people saying she is seeking atention! What if she adopeted african babies? She was trying to have more babies and she can't! At least she helped some kids to have a better live (and many more founding schools over that continent). I really doubt she would make and statement about Michael and change her own website in order to pay homenage just for the sake of having more promotion

these two things!
I cant believe people really say she hasnt changed since MA and that ayu is NOT controversial, shes probably the most controversial japanese artist, at least I cant think of a more controversial one

Aren't Mr. Children controversial at times? Or like.. She Who Must Not Be Named?

Michael Jackson was a fantastic entertainer in many ways but the honest truth is that his plastic surgery was a big, widely known mess. I mean, supposedly the poor man's nose had fallen off before, even though I guess we really don't know how true that is. I don't think that the plastic surgery he had (drastic) and the supposed surgery that Ayumi has had can be compared.

I remember that once on a brazilian jpop forum, people were asking for protest songs on jpop... I cited my name's WOMEN, but someone cited some Mr. Children songs with social criticism...
Namie released some bold stuff too (Wild for example has some interesting statements), but as a divorced working mom, she is a controverse herself :P

Who is she who must not be named? :P
Kumi?

You mean ? Perhaps. But for now: She Who Must Not Be Named.

why? o_O
wt...? xD

Yeah but I never said I didn't like Ayu's post-MA work...

I don't understand what you're trying to argue here. I'm saying that Ayu hasn't reinvented herself like Madonna has, and you start going on about how versatile she is with her music. Sure, she dabbles in hard rock, electro, and R&B among other genres, but she does not reinvent herself the way Madonna does. Madonna creates very conceptual albums, whereas Ayu creates very few albums that actually have a solid concept. Madonna's albums tend to stick to one genre and one cohesive sound (COADF, Erotica, Ray of Light), whereas Ayu's albums (especially post MA) are multi-genre. You can stick Ladies Night on NEXT LEVEL. You can put decision on MY STORY. You can slap Together When... on Memorial address. Do you understand what I'm getting at? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I think Ayu is far from a risk-taker compared to Madonna and does not want to alienate her audience musically.

I refuse to accept the homoerotic themes in GREEN as controversial because it's way too subtle for the average person. Pro-women songs? I don't know if "controversial" is the word for that exactly... Daring, perhaps? But not exactly controversial. Other idols that came before Ayu have already entered that territory anyway. Ayu is certainly edgy sometimes, but I don't think she'll ever have the Japanese public up in arms. Anyway, I was talking about some of the religious themes she has used (the cross in concerts, Virgin Mary, etc.) and how they might be seen as controversial in America/Europe (everything involving religion is) whereas they wouldn't be in Japan because of the predominantly non-Christian population.

Hey, I don't either. Don't shoot the messenger, lol.

I would consider them both far more edgy than Ayu. I mean.. Ayu has haters and all.. but as far as I know she hasn't gotten death threats like She Who Must Not Be Named. That must mean something, right?

True, but I think that SWMNBN probably just pisses people off [like me] to the point where they want to throw a brassiere filled explosives at her, but hey. Just sayin'.

But why exactly does she piss people off? Is it because she's a ****?

See, that's controversial. Understandable.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Every pop artists have haters, koda's death treats were public, most of the time they don't go this far (Utada talked about it on her "blacklist fans")

Ayu touches some themes that are not confortable, and not only the sexual thing... When I talk about the on-screen scece or the "asia is one" thing, I'm not taking in considerating west stantarts controverse, I'm talking about things that are problems OVER THERE. Ayumi has feminist songs (and some goes like "you don't need to marry", what is something to be taken in consideration), bashed Avex, has some half naked photoshots and the list goes on... this is not anything to write home about here, but it is a big deal over there! Of course is not going to shock japanese society like Madonna did in the Americas, but it's different... If she shocks Japan at this level, she will not sell anything (considering that in Japan, even using drugs can stop yout selling). But she is controversial all the way she can considering she doesn't want to be banned from music insdustry.

and I not saying it based on what I think, I talked to some friends that lived in Japan for years, and while the one who doesn't know her was impressed that she done some things I cited and still has fame, other one that knows her confirmed that she is controversial over there

But I'm not saying that she is the most controversial person ever, or the most on jpop (so isn't Koda), just that she is far from playing safe

I say maybe he did influence her

I think he did influence her too in soume kind of way

When i found out he wrote that love song about a pet rat....idk why but i thought of ayu.
When i saw michael in a space suit flying around on stage...i thought of ayu..lol
And the way he music videos r.....they remind me of ayus....well not all of them...but some of them!

Im loving all u guys comment on the matter...very insightful.

I'm liking this thread actually. New insight on a lot of things. You guys are really philosophical! :D

Excuse me though. Every artists brings something new to the table.

Ayu is not going to be forced to speak if she doesnt really care for the subject. There is no need for her to say anything. The world will not care less about his passing if one particularly famous Japanese singer doesnt make a public statement about his death. He's fine

Oh yeah. This thread exists already

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91682

:lmfao