A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of...?
 

With the first BEST we saw the end of ayu as a rising idol and saw her transform into an established artist. Her image changed, she started composing her own songs, She started writing lyrics to help others and on a more general basis, rather than just writing to "save herself".
The release of the new best collections made me wonder, what will happen next?

I think that she might appear less as a japanese domestic artist and start going international truly. As she no longer sells as much in Japan, and is already like a living legend, making a greater precense in the rest of Asia seems like a natural choice. Who knows, she might later expand into europe and Us. At least we know she'll go where people will listen. ;)

What do you think will change, in music, lyrics, image?

Ayu already has a changing image currently and it's pivoting her career. You know, being classy. Everything in Secret just screams 'I'm the older, wiser, (richer) Ayu!' Except Startin', maybe.

Totally agree with you on the whole International bit. I think the asian market will finally merge with the US/EU market.... hopefully.

I don't even want to think about her going to the US because I doubt it will ever happen and I don't want it to happen. As much as it sounds wonderful for all artists to go in the US market, I know Ayu will fail. So I wish she could stay in Japan or at least in Asia. Hopefully, we will see even more writing and composing. I'm also dying to see Ayu play an instrument!

I think it's possible that she will tone down the hectic schedule and will start to release more sporadically.

I think her music will continue to be this way...strong and Ayu-ish (er whatever that means)..

And yes, i see her expanding out of Japan...Asia is really good enough for her if she can successfully be known thru out...

the problem now is, she cant undergo much change i feel..she is already very strong...and if she goes into too much mainstream pop, it would make her as if another artiste (despite the queen status)....i don't know what else she can continue other than her strong rock style, which appeals to many outside Asia..

Outside asia is probably lacking in strong rock..Asia music is mainly chinese and its very pop, r&b , hip-hop..rarely rock..only some artistes can pull it off really well..So i think that's why Ayu is popular outside...its like, her style and she, Ayu, is FRESH to us...tats what i feel (which got me into her)

Me too, I remember in some interview during the MY STORY period she talked about practicing guitar...what happened to that?! It would be so awesome to see her and Yo-chan jammin' together!:)

I wonder if she'll learn a new language-like chinese or korean. Now that's interesting. XD

well, for me seeing ayu changing from this to that.. if ofcourse a HAPPY sign..
lyrics, dat really dpends on how she is feeling rite now in present time..
since she mentioned dat she wouldnt wan to think of the future much..
music.. hmmm, maybe something much more HER? im looking forward for dat..

image... she wear wad she thinks is confortable n kawaii... i think these changes will sure be changing from time 2 time.. but then for now, i think it will be sumthing in between of immature n mature image..
its nice.. and not everyone can do dat...

well im willing to see much more changes... ^^ coz its ayu..
thx for opening this thread.. its a gud one!!
arigato gozaimashita!

Sadly, I don't think she'll be a huge sucess in the U.S no matter how much support and advertising she does. =( It might be best if she stays in Asia.

I don't think she'll be branching off into Asia/US/EU etc. I think she'll just stay with Jpop. After A BEST 2, she'll slow down her releases even more and do an album maybe like every 1.5 years? She might also focus less on the image side and start composing more songs again. (This is a longshot though)

No chance of U.S. success. Sorry, but the language barrier is very strong here. Shakira was already an established artist when La Tortura came about, plus she's Latin. Ayu.... well, her English is improving, but to record in? No, not at all. Plus, how many successful mainstream Asians do you see here?

I think the next stage is...


...Plastic surgery resulting in monstrously huge and cumbersome breasts!

Maybe Avex will give her her own sub-label or something (like they did with Hitomi) and she will start to sign other artists and basically be the head of the whole thing. She will start to write and compose songs for artists that are under her label?

i really hope this means that she's going to go into an international stage now. that would really be a step worthy of these BEST albums.

I think next, she'll go to other parts of Asia more often than before.. and try to promote there as well..

But other than that.. I don't know..

I like the title...it makes me think of this...

"A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of an end"

=)

actually that's pretty sad if it were true.

I really think that If ayumi worked really hard on her english, she could be pretty popular her in the US, but for now she should just try with Asia. Learning more languages and how to play some Instruments would be nice to see. I would love to see her dance some more too though. She should try out with a English version of one of her own song to see how people respond to it. I think if she really tried she could be the first Asian to really make it in the US. (I guess that is really just a dream LOL) The only asian I see that really can make it here is BoA.

^^Yer, she should brush up on her English.

English = international language :D

i dont think ayu will actually reach the US.. cos she is not even reaching to Singapore. she only roams about east asia... argh!!

it may be the beginning of a new era.. for the past 3 years.. her works are some what predicted. as in there is a trend. release singles, then Arena Tour, then more singles, album, CDL and it goes on till 2006.

Best of CDL 0607, A BEST 2, ASIA Tour. these 3 made it almost impossible to predict what ayu is going to do next.. but i am sure she will produce music as usual!!

Ayumi has alrady said that she DOESN'T WANT to go to the international market, that she WON'T do this :)

hopefully, she'll quit hard-noisy-boring-songs era started from (m)u till now and make a realli good music like some years ago, change the style and escape from these awful tons of classical dresses :D

*psss-psss* I have...a prediction...nothing will change...:yes

She'll become a TRANCE/ROCK GODDESS
I wish... :(