The 57th Annual NHK Kouhaku

[emi♡]

We all know it's coming. This was posted at Tokyo-Nights by xxhiroxx (link)

NHK's annual end-of-the-year singing competition, the Kouhaku Utagassen, will, as usual, take place on December 31st, from 7:20 to 11:45pm. The theme this year is Love・Family~Songs That Crosses Generations. The hosts of the evening has been decided as Nakama Yukie (who also hosted last year) for the Red Team and Nakai Masahiro of SMAP for the White Team. They will be joined by announcers Miyake Tamio and Kurosaki Megumi, who will be the head hosts of the event.

The Kouhaku Utagassen has become a part of Japanese New Year tradition since it started, though recent years has seen the viewership of the show in steady decline. It'll be up to the staffs to come up with more topicality in the night's events to save the show.

The list of performers and the songs they will be performing have not yet been announced.

More info to come.

So, what song do you think Ayu will sing this year? I think she'll probably sing JEWEL...she seems to like it, but who knows.

[*Petit*]

It was rumoured to be BLUE BIRD. I think she should sing momentum personally, but it'll probably be BLUE BIRD.

[immel]

I think when the discussion popped up in some other thread, quite some time ago, it became apparent that she always has performed songs of her latest single.

I don't know why. Maybe it'll be BLUE BIRD, I'd prefer JEWEL, though.

Maybe she'll surprise us with something completely else.

[Megshere]

I think she will do one of the early songs of the year. Cause she performed fairyland last year and that was released in August. In 2004, she performed Moments and that was released in March. In 2002 it was Voyage, which was released in September and 2001 was Dearest which was released in September too. In 2000 it was SEASONS which was released in June and 1999 was Boys&Girls which was released in July. No way to say in 2004 was her last single and she performed that, but I think that was the only time. So I was thinking maybe BLUE BIRD, but JEWEL kinda fits the theme. I'd like to see JEWEL, too immel. She usually does slow songs anyways.

[Terri]

I'm hoping she will do something unexpected. Or something new, at least.

It'll more than likely be Jewel or another single she's planning on releasing.

[ayu_fan929]

I'm hoping for JEWEL.

[*Petit*]

Perhaps a surprise performance of a new release! =| Probably not though, this is KOUHAKU, new year's eve memory of the recent year in music.

[pop909]

hopeuflly she does an album song(HIGHLY DOUBTFUL)..itll probably be jewel or secret or maybe even born to be?

[Axel_Grease]

I hope it'll be an album song that she ends up not performing at AT 2007. But that'll never happen. ;_;

[evolution7931]

Originally Posted by pop909

hopeuflly she does an album song(HIGHLY DOUBTFUL)..itll probably be jewel or secret or maybe even born to be?

... since when are JEWEL and Secret not album songs?

[AyuMayu]

PLEASE NOT JEWEL she sounds horrible singing it live.

[oro77]

Surprise us, sing Not yet lol

I expect JEWEL as well but Ayu made so many TV show singing JEWEL, it may be "too" much.

[Joey4u615]

i love kouhaku, some of the artists do such cool things =]

can't wait til' this years...i hope she sings something older.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

It was rumoured to be BLUE BIRD. I think she should sing momentum personally, but it'll probably be BLUE BIRD.

It was never rumored to be BLUE BIRD.

There was just that dumb site that had their own predictions >>

[DA1SUK1DAY01691]

Originally Posted by immel

I think when the discussion popped up in some other thread, quite some time ago, it became apparent that she always has performed songs of her latest single.

I don't know why. Maybe it'll be BLUE BIRD, I'd prefer JEWEL, though.

Maybe she'll surprise us with something completely else.

Actually, she doesn't from the past two or three years I remember.

2005: fairyland (HEAVEN, Bold & Delicious/ Pride released after)
2004: Moments (INSPIRE c/w GAME, CAROLS released after)
2003: No way to say (Agrees with your observation)
2002: Voyage (Agrees with your observation)
2001: Dearest (Agrees with your observation)
2000: SEASONS (SURREAL, AUDIENCE, M released after)
1999: Boys & Girls (A, appears, kanariya released after)

So actually, 4/7 are from singles released much earlier in the year. Song selection all depends on the theme that year; fairyland must have been the only song really tailored toward the theme (I have a feeling it would have been HEAVEN or Pride instead).

I think the songs in contention are the ones already performed on TV (Startin', Born to be..., BLUE BIRD, JEWEL), with BLUE BIRD and JEWEL frontrunners.

Originally Posted by Joey4u615

i love kouhaku, some of the artists do such cool things =]

can't wait til' this years...i hope she sings something older.

Haha, I can't wait to see if Kobayashi Sachiko will be on the list. I love her stage animations, ESPECIALLY last year's one. That one was amazing.

But unfortunately, according to the info I drew up, the songs she performs come from singles released that year... So unless Kouhaku is desperate for a better song for the theme, then it'll be one of the four I listed above most likely.

[freedreamer]

this years theme is Family right?...

actually Ayu's songs all have some love in it..except the more upbeat wans..

im thinking JEWEL
but i hope momentum

[alternarist]

i was thinking ayu would like her dancers to perform too.. so probably Startin'. but if she would like something slow, JEWEL is the only choice!!

[Kogepan_19]

I'm really hoping for momentum.........but I doubt it'll happen.

Most likely BLUE BIRD, with her continuation of fairyland, or JEWEL, if she decides to do another ballad.

[truehappiness]

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/news/news_061129_1.html

List is up.

[immel]

Only the list of artists, not any list of songs yet :/.