Ayu couldn't sing until around "Duty" mayyyybe "LOVEappears" time. She just didn't have the skill or training yet. You can't really say she had a natural gift for vocals, but she did learn an impressive lot along the way, and you can tell just by listening to her albums in succession. I like her voice now, although I've heard her sing live very few times, and that's where it really counts. I rarely ever listen to the "A Song For XX" album, just because it's so grating on the ears vocally and arrangement-wise. I'm not sure how people actually like that sound. Early Ayu is an accquired taste. Mid to current Ayu is smooth and natural.