namie's FUTURE vs ayu's NEXT LEVEL

[Andrenekoi]

Well... in the end I find the concept of "selling out" completely ridiculous... People sometimes think that artists do photosintesis in order to live, and that the music/paiting/writing/whatever isn't really a job, but some bizarre way to give love or whatever to the world...

If Namie needs to sing bossa nova in order to sell, do that just cuz she wants more money and the final product is good, kudos for her!

[jbrat2219]

I probably shouldn't even be posting here since I haven't hear P<F yet, but that's not what this is about anyway. To be honest, I trust both with their music in the future. When I look at the whole picture of each artist, neither of them has ever failed me. With Ayu, she always found a way to experiment while keeping her music the same. Some criticize her for it, but if you really think about it, do ANY of her albums sound exactly the same? No. Key songs do (summer, winter, etc.) but her products and overall progress as an artist doesn't. Ayu has never disappointed me. I may not like some songs but I can't like everything.

With Namie, it seems like she just keeps growing and growing. If you listen to her music from the 90's and listen to her music now, it doesn't even sound like the same person. She's always keeping people on their toes. However, her music doesn't have any personality like Ayu's does. It's just great, fun, catchy music. In my opinion, I think that's why she's able to completely change her style so often, because there's never really any of "her" in it. But that doesn't discredit her as an artist.

In short, I look forward to both of their future music and I trust both of them not to let me down

[Marin_chan]

Namie

[Midori-chan]

Ayu!

I really loved Namie's music like it was a few years back, but I don't like her new style. It's so common. She is not standing out anymore and the lyrics don't have any meaning behind them...at least, not to me!

Ayu's just getting better and better. She is constantly re-creating herself, but she still stays true to her old self!
She writes her own lyrics and has her own voice and style. That's what makes her different from so many other Jpop-singers and that's also one of the reasons why I'll always love her.
Ayu is unique!

[Chandrachan]

I'm gonna go for Namie's album which totally blew me away

[aqua_crystal]

Namie of course.It was awesome from the beginning till the end. The only thing good about NEXT LEVEL were the tracks that were already singles. The other songs were

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

people still voting for the albums LOLOLOLOLOL OMFG

[ville]

Namie of course!
ayu's songs sound nowdays totally the same and they aren't good :< namie is fresh and her new songs are cool.
and namie's sales aren't dropping like ayu's.

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by Crystal_Ageha

I DO believe Hikaru sold out with her last English album. But not because she went from electropop back to R&B, but because that album obviously wasn't who she really is.

I know this isn't part of the discussion...but I don't think this is really cool.

I mean, hikki is a person, not only with an extensive knowledge of music, but also someone who has always loved R&B and the western scene. I mean, she even talked about Ace of Base when she was interviewing for her english album lol as an example of the feeling of what she was looking for. And the lyrics and such is something we've seen from her before, and we all know, well her fans I guess, know her quirky personality lol I think, in many ways, her english album is more "her" than some of her other works.


I agree with Andrenekoi anyway. The concept of "selling out" with your musical direction is a little...eh...hard to pinpoint.

I think it's a little bit more difficult with pop music anyway...I mean, it's such an all encompassing genre, when you really do think about it...a lot of other genres have certain staples that are always there, but there's a lot of freedom of movement in pop.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

^I don't wanna hear about utada in this thread ever again please.

[amorphose]

Going with Namie on this one... PAST<FUTURE owned NEXT LEVEL and if that's any indication... yeah.

[theSKYBLUETIES]

I adore Ayu but I am really digging Namie's new stuff.

[Amrai-chan]

I don't really care for the direction either of them are going but I still think they can release good music. Ayu's music has been in a type of safe zone. Namie's music is changing but a lot of her new stuff seems to blend together to me.

I still think both will release something good but we just have to wait.

[Aspen]

Neither Namie nor Ayu.
I like Past<Future, but it doesn't sound new to me. Everything except Wild/Dr was more like an upgraded version of Play, therfore I don't see much progress.
NextLevel & Ayu's latest releases were nice too, but also nothing special.

[Yoake]

Ayu's NL for me^^

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

Originally Posted by SURREAL__RAINBOW

Well we've seen a bit more of ayu's NEXT LEVEL than namie's FUTURE so far, but what do you think?

Who is going to be able to give more and make better music/works etc on the new stage of their musical careers? Who do you trust the most?


Right now, I'm putting my money on namie's FUTURE. Everything that she seems to be doing since PLAY is so fresh and new. I can't get tired of her ^^


your vote




NOTE: THIS IS NOT A PAST<FUTURE vs NEXT LEVEL ALBUM FIGHT. THIS POLL IS ONLY ABOUT THE NEW PART OF THEIR MUSICAL CAREERS.

READ READ READ READ READ



urgh...

[Miduhyo]

while music-wise they're BOTH going on new tracks. Ayu is experimenting and Namie is starting with fresh stuff. They're bringing in the new decade in different styles but with similiarities... truthfully, I don't know who's going to make it better. Right now Namie is riding on a Comeback wave while Ayu is kind of just "Around" so probably Namie will be recongized more but if Ayu perfects whatever she's experimenting with (I'm speaking of how NEXT LEVEL was full of different-sounding tracks for her) and people start to see the potential thats in it i'm sure she'll go to the "next level" as you put it.

I see none of them giving up though, that's for sure

[lovelism]

ayu! But Namie's PAST<FUTURE is really freshh

[Aditmi Krisnasaki ~II~]

PAST < FUTURE is a PERFECT ALBUM (far from NEXT LEVEL. LOL) but i'll go with ayu, and she said that she's going with the new ~future classics~themed-album and i can't wait to hear this. Sunrise and you were... really touched my heart, and yes they're fresh and new. (at least i think so. LOL)

[adrtwb]

My only answer NEXT LEVEL from ayu.