Nice thread Deli!
WHEN YOU BECAME AN AYU FAN?
I became a fan of Ayu since 2004 and supported her music by buying her CDs in July of 2007.
I was a freshman in high school when I discovered her unique style of music.
Before that happen, I saw a review about her first album(ASfXX) in a now-obsolete anime magazine in my country about 8 years ago. (I still have it until now)
And then I watched her performance in 2002 MTV Asian Awards performing M but I don't like her at first.
In 2004, thanks to the power of Limewire and the dial-up internet I had before, I managed to download Ayu's songs there but I got only few.
The first song I've listened to is A Song for XX.
And I was amazed on what the song lyrics was.
I mean, I've never seen an artist who uses honesty to her music in my whole life and writes all of her songs in an album.
During that time, the pre-release of MY STORY, I got really hooked on the song HONEY and it was the first Ayu song that I gone addicted before B&D.
The first live performance I watched is B&D. But I can't remember the station where she performed. >_<"
I started to save money in high school to buy her CDs but "man! they're all expensive! $30 for a CD, that's insane!!!" I said to myself when I look on Yesasia for it.
Its equivalent for 1500+ pesos, its really huge amount here in my country.
And the worst of all, I don't have credit card to buy one in that website.
I kept searching for a store with a reasonable payment method but it was no use.
2007 is such a wonderful to me when I finally discovered an online store that solves my huge problem on buying CDs online, it was CDJ.
Cash payment is kinda risky at first since I'll send it in a mail.
Thankfully, there's a Registered Mail kind of sending method.
After weeks of waiting, I finally got my very first Ayu CD, "glitter/fated" (CD+DVD).
And the rest is history.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
It is very privileged to become a fan of an artist who uses God given talent and she was very dedicated to her fans and to the people around her.
I mean, I was amazed by this woman's strength despite of worst times she's been through.
From over-work on her DOME TOUR and then got hospitalized for a while, losing her hearing in left ear, fall-down on the stairs due to fatigue and losing a dearest friend.
I got a lot of respect from her because of that: being a strong person.
That's one of the qualities that I like about her.