[Article] Will she sing like before?

[Ani_C]

So from speculation, this may have occured during the Secret era, thus explaining many things being a bit off around that point in time, of course there may have been many conflicts with Tomoya and this and that occuring so her lyrics were strong as usual but the sound was a bit weaker than usual material. Nothing you can do about that, it just wasn't a very strong year, lack of inspiration? EVEN THOUGH I STLL HAVEN'T HEARD GUILTY (damn mail!) I can tell it's amazing so when it comes to recording there's not much to worry about there. As for the lives there obviously are a few kinks here and there, but she's a devoted type so she can overcome this. No tears from me, until that day... then you will get some.

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by alternarist

for once an article from our local tabloids is being praised lol.

LOL yeah . TODAY & Straits Times's Life also talked about her condition as well . Life was only a snippet while TODAY's a full article , pic & the works .

[namiie]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

About ai otsuka, that sort of always made me laugh. I was always aware ai otsuka wasn't queen material, but it was hilarious to see some fanboys defending her so fiercely, mentioning how she'd completely surpassd ayu and be the new queen; a joke obviously I knew sakuranbo was sort of one of those 1 hit wonders that pops up in japanese people's interest but then fades out quickly. I knew ai would be stuck on her sugary-cutesy pop and annoying random mosquito screaming loud rock (yeah, Happy Days sucks), enough to make her famous, but also enough to stuck her on a position that will nerver make her rise to be anything more than that.

Do you know what a one-hit wonder is? It's when the song is popular and then you never hear from the artist again. Like the macarena song--do you ever hear those guys making any other songs? Or Ice Ice Baby. However, Ai Otsuka's had plenty of good songs since then--Ai Am Best was one of the 10 best-selling albums of 2007. You obviously haven't heard enough of her music to label it all as cutesy pop---Planetarium? Renai Shashin? Haneari Tamago? Kumuriuta? Kimi ni Kaeru?

I agree that Ai is not queen material, but she definitely has talent. I won't defend her when someone says she is not queen material (for I agree), but I definitely will when someone so shallowly passes off an entire discography having heard maybe a few songs. Have you seen her on the piano and singing at the same time? Ai also composes all her own music. Ayu definitely has more stage presence than Ai does, but in terms of sheer vocals, I do believe that Ai is more consistent than Ayu when it comes to delivering solid vocals. Man. If you're going to criticize, at least have strong material, eh? (And Katori Senkou is the one with the mosquitoes, not Happy Days )

[KarenPang]

I also want to add to what namiie said regarding Ai in that in addition to the fact that she writes & composes , she also produces all of her albums . Not everyone can be a triple threat in a good kinda way & I wasn't a fan of Ai's music as before that I only heard the sorta 'bad' songs that I was exposed to but it was only I listen to her other songs & realised that she's good although sometimes her voice does grates on me .

Originally Posted by namiie

(And Katori Senkou is the one with the mosquitoes, not Happy Days )

lol Katori Senkou's a song either you like or don't like . I think it's a cute song but my sister hates it & said that Ai went mad/crazy in there .

For some weird reasons , Ai always seems to have a crazy/mad song for every album she produces/makes . For LOVE PUNCH , it was Sakuranbo . For LOVE JAM , it was Monshou-chop & Pon Pon . For LOVE COOK , it was Ramen 3 pun cooking & LOVE PiECE , it was Katori Senkou .

Wonder whether her future album will have another crazy/mad song to carry on the 'tradition' lol

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by namiie

Do you know what a one-hit wonder is? It's when the song is popular and then you never hear from the artist again. Like the macarena song--do you ever hear those guys making any other songs? Or Ice Ice Baby. However, Ai Otsuka's had plenty of good songs since then--Ai Am Best was one of the 10 best-selling albums of 2007. You obviously haven't heard enough of her music to label it all as cutesy pop---Planetarium? Renai Shashin? Haneari Tamago? Kumuriuta? Kimi ni Kaeru?

I agree that Ai is not queen material, but she definitely has talent. I won't defend her when someone says she is not queen material (for I agree), but I definitely will when someone so shallowly passes off an entire discography having heard maybe a few songs. Have you seen her on the piano and singing at the same time? Ai also composes all her own music. Ayu definitely has more stage presence than Ai does, but in terms of sheer vocals, I do believe that Ai is more consistent than Ayu when it comes to delivering solid vocals. Man. If you're going to criticize, at least have strong material, eh? (And Katori Senkou is the one with the mosquitoes, not Happy Days )

Spoiler:

I know what one hit wonder is. I used that mostly in a metaphorical way, because people were cheering that ai would become the most famoous JPOP artist and take ayu's throne just because sakuranbo was doing pretty succesful, but after sakuranbo was released, none of her singles after that made a simmilar success in terms of copies sold.

Huh? how can you assume I heard a few songs only? I've heard all of her songs, including her LOVE (yesh, the bunny) material. I have all of her albums/singles in mp3, and I've listened to them several times. I'm not some crazy hater anti-fan. I'm actually, a fan, noty a hardcore one obviously, but I listen to her music and enjoy quite a bunch of her songs. I agree, I haven't listened to her that much recently (as in the last 6-8 months, but then, I could say that to all JPOP artists including ayu). And I can label her music mostly as cutesy pop-rock, yeah, because I heard it and I know it, and i label it like that, because that's the impression it gives me. A few excerptions you pointed out won't erase the fact she's made songs like: PRETTY VOICE, Happy Days, SMILY, momo no hanabira, Ame no Naka no MERODII, Shanbodama, Kataomoi DAIARU, HANII, SUPAAMAN, Ishikawa Oosaka Yuukou Jouyaku, Mousou Chop, Ponpon, Neko ni fuusen, Ramen 3 Pun Kukkingu, Birthday Song, biidama, PEACH, CHU-LIP, Frienger. It's pretty shallow to think her discography is centered on Planetarium, Kingyo Hanabi and Hanaeri Tamago just because those are actually her songs that aren't all HAPPY HAPPY CUTE CUTE. For instance, I realy LOVe biidama, Hanaeri Tamago, momo no hanabira, Kingyo Hanabi, SUPAAMAN, PEACH, Friends, Yumekui, Strawberry Jam, Amaenbo, daisuki dayo, and others.
I've seem her singing and on the piano. I don't think she's that talented of a composer as people put her on a pedestal. The fact you play piano and compose songs doesn't necessarily make you the best thing ever to have existed on a musical scene. If it were so, I'd be a vanessa carlton fan *shrugs* EDIT: I'm not denying she has talent though as she can: plasy the piano (well), sing (alright-average), draw (decent, yet, pretty creative), and blends it all to actualkly play a ggreat role in producing her stuff. also, not sure if she composed 5:09a.m., but if she did, then props to her, because it was clever and creative.

about happy days being "mosquito" sound, I'm talking about her annoying synthetized vocals at the verses ahahha
All the above reasons I stated is what makes me think she would never been queen material compared to ayu. Many of her songs are love or hate. many people get distant from her songs because she has too much cutesy-fluffy stuff. It's not for everybody's taste. For those who do love things like that, then she's heaven.

Sorry if I sound way too harsh on her

[Peger]

Ai is by no means my favorite singer and I can't stand her hyped up cutesy songs but she's hella talented. ***** puts more into her music than any other big j-pop diva - she even does the concept for her videos and plays the piano in her ballads.

[ayumixfan]

^ I have to agree her genre is cute pop, but I disagree with your last comment. I am an AI fan but before when I wasn't I still thought she was a good composer and I use to hate her, even my sister says she is a good composer though she doesn't like Ai's Music that much. I think Ai as a singer is more than just sugary cuteness =O! She is ... unique I can't really describe her approach to things like CHU-LIP and even the PV for PEACH was kinda @_@! LOL! Plus she has other non cute songs and a pretty good amount of them. She might not be able to reach the top like Ayu but I think she is more than just cuteness like Morning Musume(Just an example of Sugary cute not saying u are comparing her to them).

Now about the article! Its a shame that Ayu lsot her hearing =(! I don't think she can perform like she will be able to before, but she's still doing well =)! There's no time to practice for every live performance =(! She has to do other things with her life too XD! But I am sure she will still release quality music. I'd like her to move back into pop >_<! recently I've seen too much rock and not enough pop =S! lol

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by ayumixfan

^ I have to agree her genre is cute pop, but I disagree with your last comment. I am an AI fan but before when I wasn't I still thought she was a good composer and I use to hate her, even my sister says she is a good composer though she doesn't like Ai's Music that much. I think Ai as a singer is more than just sugary cuteness =O! She is ... unique I can't really describe her approach to things like CHU-LIP and even the PV for PEACH was kinda @_@! LOL! Plus she has other non cute songs and a pretty good amount of them. She might not be able to reach the top like Ayu but I think she is more than just cuteness like Morning Musume(Just an example of Sugary cute not saying u are comparing her to them).

well, i have to agree wiith you. There's a reason why I listen to her and not to morning musume.


Now getting on topic O_o;;;

I don't think ayu has lost most of her hearing from day to night as someone stated. I believe over the years, she gradually lost her hearing and last year (2007), her hearing loss was already deep. So, when you have a little of something (in this case, ayu's hearing) and lose even if it is a little of it, it will mean already much. For someone who had already an impaired hearting to even lose a little more of it, made a difference and probably was shown in her recent performances, but I do believe she's been training to not rely as much on that ear over the years.

[Mirai Noah]

Thanks for the article!

[Halla]

I don't really like Ai Otsuka's cutesy upbeat stuff that much, but I do think she can sing really beatiful ballads. Renai Shashin is one of the best ballads of 2007, if not THE best. Daisukidayo , Kingkyo Hanabi are also nice

Ai is definitely no one hit wonder. she's one of the top5 female artists of Avex. (with Ayu, Boa , Kuu and Namie)

Originally Posted by Qt Mashi

thanks for the article, they mentioned AHN Imuya!

I know, ew.

[sibby]

i ran out to buy the new paper immediately after my friend called me to tell me! but its a sad case. still.

[~*Mabushii*~]

I think Ayu wrote "Last year" because it was already new year (2008) when she told everyone the news.. it could have been towards the end of 2007. We never know, that said. Ayu CAN learn to improve even with the 1 year.. she has worked very hard to work with her limited hearing and got better after having issues with it at first. I am sure she can pull through. While she may have only had 20% of that hearing after the infection and ringing from years before.. she learned to deal with that.. then when the rest of it all went away and she found out, she is going to have to relearn to be okay during her lives without the hearing in that ear..

Still, I've got to admire her strength

[Dustie]

Wow, they quoted words from Imuya from AHN, I'm impressed