A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of...?

*Petit* · #1 31st December 2006, 01:54 PM

With the first BEST we saw the end of ayu as a rising idol and saw her transform into an established artist. Her image changed, she started composing her own songs, She started writing lyrics to help others and on a more general basis, rather than just writing to "save herself".
The release of the new best collections made me wonder, what will happen next?

I think that she might appear less as a japanese domestic artist and start going international truly. As she no longer sells as much in Japan, and is already like a living legend, making a greater precense in the rest of Asia seems like a natural choice. Who knows, she might later expand into europe and Us. At least we know she'll go where people will listen.

What do you think will change, in music, lyrics, image?

Melody Faus · #2 31st December 2006, 04:26 PM

Ayu already has a changing image currently and it's pivoting her career. You know, being classy. Everything in Secret just screams 'I'm the older, wiser, (richer) Ayu!' Except Startin', maybe.

Totally agree with you on the whole International bit. I think the asian market will finally merge with the US/EU market.... hopefully.

elepop · #3 31st December 2006, 04:36 PM

I don't even want to think about her going to the US because I doubt it will ever happen and I don't want it to happen. As much as it sounds wonderful for all artists to go in the US market, I know Ayu will fail. So I wish she could stay in Japan or at least in Asia. Hopefully, we will see even more writing and composing. I'm also dying to see Ayu play an instrument!

SheFliesHigher · #4 31st December 2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asongforXX

I'm also dying to see Ayu play an instrument!

Me too, I remember in some interview during the MY STORY period she talked about practicing guitar...what happened to that?! It would be so awesome to see her and Yo-chan jammin' together!

criminal · #5 31st December 2006, 04:38 PM

I think it's possible that she will tone down the hectic schedule and will start to release more sporadically.

freedreamer · #6 31st December 2006, 05:55 PM

I think her music will continue to be this way...strong and Ayu-ish (er whatever that means)..

And yes, i see her expanding out of Japan...Asia is really good enough for her if she can successfully be known thru out...

the problem now is, she cant undergo much change i feel..she is already very strong...and if she goes into too much mainstream pop, it would make her as if another artiste (despite the queen status)....i don't know what else she can continue other than her strong rock style, which appeals to many outside Asia..

Outside asia is probably lacking in strong rock..Asia music is mainly chinese and its very pop, r&b , hip-hop..rarely rock..only some artistes can pull it off really well..So i think that's why Ayu is popular outside...its like, her style and she, Ayu, is FRESH to us...tats what i feel (which got me into her)

m-a-z-e · #7 31st December 2006, 06:12 PM

I wonder if she'll learn a new language-like chinese or korean. Now that's interesting. XD

m2yu · #8 31st December 2006, 06:27 PM

well, for me seeing ayu changing from this to that.. if ofcourse a HAPPY sign..
lyrics, dat really dpends on how she is feeling rite now in present time..
since she mentioned dat she wouldnt wan to think of the future much..
music.. hmmm, maybe something much more HER? im looking forward for dat..

image... she wear wad she thinks is confortable n kawaii... i think these changes will sure be changing from time 2 time.. but then for now, i think it will be sumthing in between of immature n mature image..
its nice.. and not everyone can do dat...

well im willing to see much more changes... ^^ coz its ayu..
thx for opening this thread.. its a gud one!!
arigato gozaimashita!

OoxchocolatexmarblexoO · #9 31st December 2006, 08:26 PM

Sadly, I don't think she'll be a huge sucess in the U.S no matter how much support and advertising she does. =( It might be best if she stays in Asia.

ayu_fan929 · #10 31st December 2006, 08:32 PM

I don't think she'll be branching off into Asia/US/EU etc. I think she'll just stay with Jpop. After A BEST 2, she'll slow down her releases even more and do an album maybe like every 1.5 years? She might also focus less on the image side and start composing more songs again. (This is a longshot though)

explodingbird · #11 31st December 2006, 08:34 PM

No chance of U.S. success. Sorry, but the language barrier is very strong here. Shakira was already an established artist when La Tortura came about, plus she's Latin. Ayu.... well, her English is improving, but to record in? No, not at all. Plus, how many successful mainstream Asians do you see here?

I think the next stage is...

...Plastic surgery resulting in monstrously huge and cumbersome breasts!

Zeke. · #12 31st December 2006, 09:07 PM

Maybe Avex will give her her own sub-label or something (like they did with Hitomi) and she will start to sign other artists and basically be the head of the whole thing. She will start to write and compose songs for artists that are under her label?

nodoka · #13 31st December 2006, 09:07 PM

i really hope this means that she's going to go into an international stage now. that would really be a step worthy of these BEST albums.

truehappiness · #14 31st December 2006, 09:48 PM

I think next, she'll go to other parts of Asia more often than before.. and try to promote there as well..

But other than that.. I don't know..

norain · #15 31st December 2006, 10:57 PM

I like the title...it makes me think of this...

"A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of an end"

=)

actually that's pretty sad if it were true.

#16 1st January 2007, 02:45 AM

I really think that If ayumi worked really hard on her english, she could be pretty popular her in the US, but for now she should just try with Asia. Learning more languages and how to play some Instruments would be nice to see. I would love to see her dance some more too though. She should try out with a English version of one of her own song to see how people respond to it. I think if she really tried she could be the first Asian to really make it in the US. (I guess that is really just a dream LOL) The only asian I see that really can make it here is BoA.

Moukyoumaru · #17 4th January 2007, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norain

I like the title...it makes me think of this...

"A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of an end"

=)

actually that's pretty sad if it were true.

It's pretty sad, but I really think that this album may really indicate her retiring from either just the Japanese music scene or from avex entirely. I read somewhere that Ayu, in one of her interviews after creating A ~Best~, thought that best compilation albums were indicators that an artist was going to retire soon... T__T

explodingbird · #18 4th January 2007, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moukyoumaru

It's pretty sad, but I really think that this album may really indicate her retiring from either just the Japanese music scene or from avex entirely. I read somewhere that Ayu, in one of her interviews after creating A ~Best~, thought that best compilation albums were indicators that an artist was going to retire soon... T__T

You do realize that

1. She didn't die out after the original A BEST? In fact, although sales have steadily declined, she sold quite strongly for quite a while after. Nor have other artists, in spite of declining sales, retired after their bests? Namie, Ku, Hikki, hitomi... they may have sold lower, true (well, Kuu seems to be selling well compared to her pre-BEST days), but they're still going. BoA put out best-ofs and she's still chugging on. Do As Infinity put out three albums after Do The Best.

2. Ayu herself said in the TalkAsia interview: If she couldn't sing or make music, it would feel like her life is incomplete or over. Well, really, more like "If I don't have music, it's like I die."

I don't see why people jump to these conclusions with little backing evidence and enough contradictory evidence. Do you all enjoy ignoring these things and focusing on the negative side or something? People here are so negative about everything regarding Ayu, that I've seen - the cover sucks, the singles suck, the sales suck, oh my god she's retiring, she's over, the albums might not both hit #1 (so freaking what?!) and so on... I mean, seriously, do you feed off negative energy or something, people?

ayu_fan929 · #19 4th January 2007, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explodingbird

BoA put out best-ofs and she's still chugging on.

She's only released 1 best-of album.

explodingbird · #20 4th January 2007, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayu_fan929

She's only released 1 best-of album.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kpop_Selection_Album

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_of_Soul

K-Pop Selection may be a Korean compilation, and it may not bear a "best" title, but it was released in Japan, it was a compilation, and I believe it still applies in terms of her overall career.