Do you think Hikki's Vocals are rushed?
 

For example, when Ultra Blue came out, there was one opinion that the vocals seemed a bit rushed, and when I really listened to it, I thought you know what, they kinda are, as if in some songs she sounds tired or so, as if they didn't put so much effort into them.

I think that when Hikki gets tired, there are certain fluctuations in her voice that are very noticable if you really listen.

A while ago I was listening to the distance album, and I heard some of the same things, and I wonder, since I havent really listened to all her albums one by one in scrutiny, that maybe her vocals on official recordings do get rushed sometimes.

I don't know, maybe it's only certain songs, like kettobase!, was one example, but then, not exactly an easy song to sing is it...

No, definitely not :laugh They're just fine.

I don't think they're rushed at all o.o
I think she always sounds wonderful and perfect :heart

I think her voice is a bit more shaky than rushed, especially lately. But I definitely see what you mean.

Yup.

Maybe I'm just picky, but she never really sounds energetic to me in the first place. I don't know, maybe it seems to me like she's always trying to catch her breath...

I dont think so. her vocals are the same in my opinion. But Emiko ur cupcakes are so cute! LOL! XD had to throw that in >_<!

I don't know but her vocals were pretty bad and shaky on Stay Gold. Definitely did not like that.

IMO her vocals have never been strong to begin with. She has a good range but her voice gets shaky and thin in her higher register... I guess now she's just using the shaky voice for her lower register as well.

Yeah, on Stay Gold she was having one of those asthmas attacks. I don't mind it much, but it can get irritating because sometimes she overdoes that (it sounds as if she's straining her chest to the maximum so she can make a vocal out of her very last bronchial breath, after reaching her residual volume).

I agree with both Huaka and you :shrug
For some odd reason, she's been having some trouble lately with her singing, but I don't know why. She's not sick or anything but...I don't know. Poor Hikki :weep

Well, Hikki has matured as a singer song-writer so a change in her singing style/technique is expected.

i dun think so....
i've heard and her voice still like usual

I think the reason is that hikki has a weak voice & she can't really pull off the vibrato she tries to sing. the result is this really breathy & fragile sound.

that doesn't really stop me from enjoying her music , quite contratry. I like unique voices. STAY GOLD is a gorgeous song :yes

Her vocals aren't great as they were earlier. I don't know why but I dislike how her voice sounds in the recent songs. Beautiful World and Kiss & Cry were creap because of the rushed vocals.

Hikki's vocal technique has always been bad - she strains her voice waaay to much. see 'do you feat Utada'. Also that breathy voice only really works if you're making dance tracks.

If you want phabulous japanese vocals try Misia, Ayaka, or Miwa Yoshida from DCT

I think it's her genre that's getting plain? I mean she has experimented a lot with musical styles and shifted genres throughout her career. And that's what made me adore her. Because her variety of musical genre, capability and the ability to make her music still nice to listen eventhough it has a lot of genres.

I kinda notice her change in vocals but it doesn't affect my preference to her much.

Sometimes Utada can hit it right with the notes (before ie: first 'stay' in Wait and See ~risk~ and some areas in Colors) but now I just don't see it anywhere.

nope. I love her voice VERY much but it's not always ideal, that's all

Bad vocal technique. Very breathy = horrible for vocal chords. It's a shame because her middle voice is so rich.