Ayu's vocal this year...

[PrincessAyu]

thank you very much for posting this. I agree it sounds forced. Her voice hasn't been the same ever since 2006. It's always been changing actually, her voice, but it was good till 2006. After that I kinda gave up on her singing.
I'm anxious to hear the performance of SURREAL at CDTV....
I think she just can't do it anymore. While some people seem to love this forced singing, I don't like it at all. Best vocal era was 2003~2005 imo.

[ImpactBreaker]

I haven't been watching her live performanes, because I honestly don't care for artists performances, and ayu is not an exception. I like studio tracks, as fake and overproduced as they might be, I'll only focus on those. In that aspect, ayu hasn't been deceiving me LOL

[maikaru]

This isn't the first time her voice sounds bad.. as bad as this...
I don't really like her vocals on the Duty album.. I think it sounds a bit worse than this.
And yeah, Hanabi tv performance is sooo bad..
But more than that, 2001 when she sang endless sorrow and introduced UNITE!~
That was the worst performance.. but even she said her voice was not so good then.

It's kind of bad to say "don't talk about how deaf she is, her vocals" whatever whatever.
Her vocals on the recordings this year have been like any year, and some better.
During live performance, if she cannot hear herself COMPLETELY in left ear, its hard to work during live with only one ear.
Cause, high notes and low notes can become difficult to choose.

She is forcing her voice, to me, because she can't hear herself when she sings more softly.
Like, during those super instrumental choruses, her only ear is listening to the instruments and music~ maybe try to sing while plugging one ear, and with the music in the other ear, of course with your own monitor too, and see if you can sing~ I don't think it's so easy. (._.);
So yeah, I understand, her vocals can't be what they were in huge lives...

But, I guess, if you look at Celine Dion, she could sing still so great..
Even she is soo skinny, and looks like she has no energy,
Even she is like 40 or so... I cant remember..
So.. I dont know, I can say.. yeah, her ear is a major part of the problem.
But what else? I don't know~

But I think she needs to kind of go back and train herself for those big stages more..
Try new techniques maybe? Or some new ideas..
And spend some time on that, maybe half a year..
Take a break from business, to be able to train and readapt herself in new manners??

[Bad Wolf]

I only see improvement in her vocals, not a downgrade....

I think she sings great, so I don't really see the point. :] Her singing style just changed, and she's more easily out of breathe, but that's natural when you age. If I have to choose a year where she sung the worst, it'd definitely be 2003.

I agree completely.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by InoriNoUta

I only see improvement in her vocals, not a downgrade....

Are you really saying that in all seriousness? Because I would love to see a well thought out argument on how her vocals have actually improved this year....

[apple-pi]

I start to notice a quality in her voice that I don't like starting with the Secret album. Something about it bothers me, "air-y" or "velvet-y" are the only words I could find to describe it, but I don't think they'll make you understand what I mean lol.
Anyway the other day I downloaded the Startin'/Born to be... single, which is from that era and has that quality. But upon hearing teens "acoustic version", I noticed it sounded a LOT like her (m)u voice. So I noticed that what I didn't like much was the way it sounded in these lower notes her songs have been in lately (it doesn't sound bad at all, I like it deep, there's just this weird quality to it lol)... a higher-pitched song like teens sounds good to me (unless it was recorded earlier?). (<~btw I might be completely wrong about this, since I don't understand theory of music and maybe teens isn't even higher than her recent songs, it's just my theory ^^; )

But anyway, I'm saying that about the sound/tone of her voice and not her skills in live performances. But I don't really see why to be sad about bad performances... IMO that's pretty much all about training and how her throat's like at the time. It's not like her voice could be permanently damaged and never sound good live again... I think. She just needs a rest, probably, if she sounds that bad. Though I'll admit I didn't really watch the AT08/a-nation'08 clips haha.

Oh, and I think RAINBOW might've been her best vocal era. Voyage and theme of a-nation'03 vocals are perfect. MY STORY seems a tiny tad bit too nasal and high-pitched maybe, then (m)u is great again. But her RAINBROW vibrato was just made of win. I think I am... has my least favorite vocals, but it seems not many people will agree with me on that lol.

[pommy48]

@_@ ayu smokes @_@ i never knew that...got any pics?
i just wish that she would take a break..she's not going to get any more fans with her voice~ go to hawaii~ take a rest~ shoot a photobook or something~ the constant singing is straining her voice!

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by pommy408

@_@ ayu smokes @_@ i never knew that...got any pics?
i just wish that she would take a break..she's not going to get any more fans with her voice~ go to hawaii~ take a rest~ shoot a photobook or something~ the constant singing is straining her voice!

In 2004 she was pictured smoking. It is unknown to what extent she smokes though.

I think more than anything, she needs to retrain her voice. Her voice has been through way more touring and performing in the past than she has done this year, so I don't know actually how much good resting her voice will do.

[Bad Wolf]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Are you really saying that in all seriousness? Because I would love to see a well thought out argument on how her vocals have actually improved this year....

Uh, yeah. Because I think her balloon squeaking voice was horrible and barely tolerable and now that she's in an actually bearable singing range I'm pretty happy.

I can forgive "off" live performances because, like other have said, she's fallen ill. It's just a matter of taste and I prefer Ayu to actually sound like a singer and not a chipmunk.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by InoriNoUta

Uh, yeah. Because I think her balloon squeaking voice was horrible and barely tolerable and now that she's in an actually bearable singing range I'm pretty happy.

I can forgive "off" live performances because, like other have said, she's fallen ill. It's just a matter of taste and I prefer Ayu to actually sound like a singer and not a chipmunk.

But you said that she improved this year. How did she improve this year over last year? 2006? 2005? 2004? 2003? All years when she was not "singing like a chipmunk." And it's not like she just suddenly "fell ill." It's been going on for a very long time. Maybe it did suddenly get even worse in 2006, but that still doesn't explain why her vocals have gotten even worse now than they were in 06 or 07.

[Bad Wolf]

That's why I said it's a matter of taste because I honestly don't see what you or anyone else is talking about when you say her voice has been "going bad for a very long time."

She was still squeaking in 2003. And 2004. And 2005. And 2006. 2007 and 2008 - Secret and GUILTY if you want to be specific - are the only eras of her career where she hasn't, thus, I'm pleased. I never said she improved OVER last year because I think both 07 and 08 are kinda the same but to me that's a good thing.

>but that still doesn't explain why her vocals have gotten even worse now than they were in 06 or 07.

You know what does explain it? That that's your opinion...

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by InoriNoUta

That's why I said it's a matter of taste because I honestly don't see what you or anyone else is talking about when you say her voice has been "going bad for a very long time."

She was still squeaking in 2003. And 2004. And 2005. And 2006. 2007 and 2008 - Secret and GUILTY if you want to be specific - are the only eras of her career where she hasn't, thus, I'm pleased. I never said she improved OVER last year because I think both 07 and 08 are kinda the same but to me that's a good thing.

>but that still doesn't explain why her vocals have gotten even worse now than they were in 06 or 07.

You know what does explain it? That that's your opinion...

Where did I say I know what explains it? If you could actually compare a live tv performance from 06 or 07 to one of her ones now and explain why now is not worse, then maybe I could see your side of it more. Although in general I think most tv performances from 06 to now range from OK to bad. I don't mind the change in her tone to a deeper less squeaky voice, I'm talking about in terms of vocal ability.

It seems you prefer her TONE better now, not her actual singing ability. In terms of technique, she was definitely better in the past I think - including her high pitched days. You can argue that her tone is better now (many people think that), but that doesn't mean that her actual ability to sing is better now (I think that would be incredibly difficult to argue successfully).

[elepop]

I have to agree that her voice has been quite bad through out the year. Well, her voice has been worse and worse year after year, that's for sure. Just look at the newest performance (CDTV MW + SURREAL). In all those flashback at Ayu's previous performances in that show, she sounded so great. Almost as good as the recorded version. She could hit her notes and didn't sound off-tune. And then her MW + SURREAL performance? It was a mess... She couldn't hit her notes and she was mostly off-tune. On the top of that, she does that annoying thing. You know, as she ends a line she goes from normal to super loud? Ayu needs to stop exaggerating her vocals. She does best in songs like "Close to you". When her voice is mellow, soft and calming.

[Moody]

Originally Posted by maikaru

This isn't the first time her voice sounds bad.. as bad as this...
I don't really like her vocals on the Duty album.. I think it sounds a bit worse than this.
And yeah, Hanabi tv performance is sooo bad..
But more than that, 2001 when she sang endless sorrow and introduced UNITE!~
That was the worst performance.. but even she said her voice was not so good then.

It's kind of bad to say "don't talk about how deaf she is, her vocals" whatever whatever.
Her vocals on the recordings this year have been like any year, and some better.
During live performance, if she cannot hear herself COMPLETELY in left ear, its hard to work during live with only one ear.
Cause, high notes and low notes can become difficult to choose.

She is forcing her voice, to me, because she can't hear herself when she sings more softly.
Like, during those super instrumental choruses, her only ear is listening to the instruments and music~ maybe try to sing while plugging one ear, and with the music in the other ear, of course with your own monitor too, and see if you can sing~ I don't think it's so easy. (._.);
So yeah, I understand, her vocals can't be what they were in huge lives...

But, I guess, if you look at Celine Dion, she could sing still so great..
Even she is soo skinny, and looks like she has no energy,
Even she is like 40 or so... I cant remember..
So.. I dont know, I can say.. yeah, her ear is a major part of the problem.
But what else? I don't know~

But I think she needs to kind of go back and train herself for those big stages more..
Try new techniques maybe? Or some new ideas..
And spend some time on that, maybe half a year..
Take a break from business, to be able to train and readapt herself in new manners??

I agree with this entire statement. Being a singer myself I can't imagine how hard it would be to sing without one ear. You really need to be able to hear yourself sing.

I give Ayu so much credit for still going up there and singing the best she can and I think she REALLY needs to take some time off and rest. She has looked so worn out in these recent pictures/videos I have seen of her. I know it's been a huge year but she needs to back off next year and rest for a bit.

[GRACE]

Originally Posted by maikaru

It's kind of bad to say "don't talk about how deaf she is, her vocals" whatever whatever.
Her vocals on the recordings this year have been like any year, and some better.
During live performance, if she cannot hear herself COMPLETELY in left ear, its hard to work during live with only one ear.
Cause, high notes and low notes can become difficult to choose.

She is forcing her voice, to me, because she can't hear herself when she sings more softly.
Like, during those super instrumental choruses, her only ear is listening to the instruments and music~ maybe try to sing while plugging one ear, and with the music in the other ear, of course with your own monitor too, and see if you can sing~ I don't think it's so easy. (._.);
So yeah, I understand, her vocals can't be what they were in huge lives...

I 100% agree. Let's look at the facts, from my point of view.

1998-2000-ish, just listen to those songs for a second and try to convince me she's not FORCING her vocal cords to hit those notes. Now, I'm no doctor and have no real training in singing, but wouldn't forcing your voice to go higher than it's supposed too hurt your vocal cords? Listen to the actual singing on Nothing From Nothing and her Idol Stage performances, they're incomparable to anything on the ASfXX and LOVEppears albums because they're lower. I wholeheartedly believe that either she thought she had to force her voice that high to sing well or Avex made her since that was the popularity of the day, and I really think damaged her vocal cords.

Fast forward to 2000, when her voice was making a notable shift that it's still seemingly continuing in. Wasn't it around 2000 when she started having problems with her ear? Her ear's been degrading since around that time, right? Well, I wonder why her vocals are changing so drastically as she kept becoming more and more deaf >.>... Has anyone actually gone back and watched her in her old concerts after learning about her ear? Anyone else notice her constant need to adjust her ear pieces, and the occasionally hand to the ear accompanied by pained expression on face?

Yeah.

[Megshere]

I really just wanna say that I agree with SunshineSlayer sooo much. I noticed her lives in 2006, the Jewel ones, were a bit odd. Like she had trouble holding her notes and seemed like it was just harder for her to sing. And the fact the her singing ability was the best in 2003-2005 is my opinion too. AT05 is one of my fav concerts, although personally, I actually do like Ayu's voice during her 2001 A BEST live era. But just cause I liked it, doesn't mean that it was good.

This isn't really a thing about if you like her voice or tone anymore than you did years ago. It's obvious by listening to her and watching her that she struggles a bit. I think she needs to take some time out and work on how to regain her live voice because it has been through a lot and the deafness definitely doesn't help. But the thing is, if Ayu takes a break for even a few months of doing nothing -no tours, no appearances, no news- then her popularity would probably fall even more. With all the new younger artists releasing every couple of months, I think Avex wants her to try to keep up a bit. Which just sucks

[ImpactBreaker]

Well, it was said in the original post not to bring her hearing loss problem, but well, can't she still be struggling with tinnitus at the site of her hearing loss? If so, tinnitus can surely interfere in a vocal performance. Imagine you trying to sing while something is buzzing/ringing in the ear you can't hear anymore? Some ppl that suffer severe hearing loss have to struggle with constant tinnitus, and the treatment isn't always promising. Other than that, we could think, maybe some stress from too many performances, or the abuse of alcohol or smoking, or both, as stated before? We will probably never know....

[milky_way]

2003-2005 were her best years vocally, IMO.

[GRACE]

Hearing is essential for vocals, especially for a singer, OP had a lapse in logic saying to separate them

[AyUta]

Ayu's vocals are still strong She has it tough though, but still manages to put on a good show <3