Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - [translation] ViVi September 2009 Interview

I made a translation of the new Vivi interview ^-^ She talks about eighties fashion, the NEXT LEVEL tour and Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~.

I’m still learning Japanese, so since I’m not fully fluent (yet ;D), I might’ve missed some nuances etc, but I think I got the gist of it.

Quote:

ViVi, September 2009.

“Because we’re in this kind of era, I want to send out sparkling, cheerful and powerful things. I believe that’s my duty.”

Dressed in an flashy eighties dress, Ayu smiles, “I feel happy when I’m dressed like this”. She confidently says that her music, fashion etc. express her real essence. “If I wear basic clothes, it’ll certainly calm my mood, but if I’m not allowed to do different things, it’s just uninteresting, right? If you’re only defensive, you won’t be able to create new things.”

From the 20th century to the 21st century, in those ten years, Ayu has been leading the girls of those centuries. Whilst always showing precise answers to the doubts and problems of girls from this era, now, in her 11th year, Ayu is focusing on the tastes of certain people.

“I love the fashion of the eighties. Back then, that kind of strongly and boldly coloured patterns were widespread. Because there were no personal computers in that age, it took much time and trouble for people to make things. Now, you can easily make anything, right? For example, if it’s difficult to express one emotion with words, we convey it using pictographs, just like that right?--- But with things created in the eighties, you can feel the energy and enthusiasm of the people who made them. I think that’s a great thing.”

“When I first thought about the concept for this year’s NEXT LEVEL tour, I wanted to convey the power which people hold. That idea suddenly popped into my head.”

“When I think about organisation, up 'till now, rather than a live performance, I wanted to create an entertaining stage. But, this year, while leaving the show-like part behind, the power of the band’s performance, the liveliness of the dancers, the team, my lyrics; all those things---, I wanted to let hear and show the things which can’t be turned into machines, things which only humans can do. That feeling was very strong.”

As for this year’s 10th anniversary tour, concerning both Ayu and fans; a “thank you for these ten years” feeling of gratitude was exchanged. A feeling like some kind of ceremony beyond time. That was this year’s tour. “The people who came, laughing and crying, made me very happy; it’s a very strong feeling,” Ayu said.

A live performance with nothing but fun, happens often, but a live performance that shakes the heart, happens rarely. During the NEXT LEVEL tour, the words which Ayu created one by one, putting her entire heart into them, carried the rhythms and melodies. Especially ballads like Days became songs from the soul, as if penetrating the cells of the audience one by one. A very pure feeling.

“Lately, things like lyrics make me happy. I’m often told that it looks as if I’m pursuing a goal. I’m not conscious of it to that extent, but I can recall one thing: when I sang my lyrics in January this year, ----how should I say..?---- I can’t find a proper way to say this, but there’s a “I can do this” kind of feeling. Until now, since I’m weak in vocal range and chords, everything would disappear unnoticed----. Somehow, I feel that my voice has changed. Now, when it’s like this, desires will steadily come out.”

On the 12th of August, the double A single [Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~/Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~] will be released. It’s Ayu’s new experiment, consisting of one melody but two different lyrics and arrangements.

“Sunrise is a summery, happy pop-tune, but whilst writing the lyrics I thought, “it would be nice if I turned it into a ballad, right?”. In that way, the ballad Sunset, glowing with the melancholy of the end of summer, was born.”

“The subject of Sunrise is “you”, and that of Sunset is “me”. As for Sunset; I wondered if girls can sympathize with it more easily. But because I feel both songs have become each other’s ‘answer song’, I think people can sympathize with both songs.”

“Because I also wrote the songs with the theme ‘father & daughter love’ in mind, it’s not only about romantic love, but about family love and friendship as well. I wrote the songs to fit different kinds of love.
Though I didn’t create them this way from the start, I can’t imagine them as separate anymore; both songs respond to each other.”

Ayu said, “I want to take good care of my present self”. Music, fashion, love; everything concerning Ayu is the present.
Everything continues to move forward and continues to change ---.

I’m not sure what she meant with this line: “Until now, since I’m weak in vocal range and chords, everything would disappear unnoticed” (9th paragraph) Maybe that her voice gets weak or something.

Well, this explains why she created two similar songs, right? And why the NEXT LEVEL tour has less props than usual ^-^

EDIT: feel free to post this at other places, just credit me ;D