[Utada Hikaru] Volume XLVIII: The Return of the Queen

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

Do ya'll think Utada's absence has any influence on Namie's popularity?

Because like out of the 4, Namie is really the only one out there right now. Lawd knows ayumi don't count no mo'. Afraid to even release a Single. That should be the least of her worries. It's them Album sales. And Kumi Koda is stagnant and stuck in a rut and hasn't really tried to mature and evolve. Her baby will mature and grow before her music ever does.

I feel like the only one of the originals left to go to right now is Namie so nobody has a choice. And Namie is taking full advantage. She'll release another album at the beginning of next year if she doesn't quit and become a full time Mentor of ayumi hamayuck.

Isn't it funny that namie came into the music scene before the other three, and now she's the only one being active AND popular. I think hikki is still quite popular (judging from her digital sales of Sakura Nagashi), but she's inactive. ayu and kuu are still active, but at this moment I dun think ayu is popular, and I'm not really sure about kuu since I dun really follow her nowadays. And I must include mika and ai-chan as well, since both of them were pretty popular back then. Well mika is kinda struggling (not that she may care). Ai-chan is with that rabbit band and it's not doing very well.

So please, hikki, please come out and do something. I beg for your music...

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

Do ya'll think Utada's absence has any influence on Namie's popularity?

Because like out of the 4, Namie is really the only one out there right now. Lawd knows ayumi don't count no mo'. Afraid to even release a Single. That should be the least of her worries. It's them Album sales. And Kumi Koda is stagnant and stuck in a rut and hasn't really tried to mature and evolve. Her baby will mature and grow before her music ever does.

I feel like the only one of the originals left to go to right now is Namie so nobody has a choice. And Namie is taking full advantage. She'll release another album at the beginning of next year if she doesn't quit and become a full time Mentor of ayumi hamayuck.

What kind of maturing do you expect to see from Kumi? How could she mature? Namie's music has changed yes, but to say it has matured, this is like her least mature album ever.

[Bigtop]

Ayaka doing Utada cover on her upcoming cover album. Do you like it or not?

Originally Posted by Utena

1.やさしさに包まれたなら（荒井由実）
2.シーソーゲーム～勇敢な恋の歌～（Mr.Children）
3.ロビンソン（スピッツ）
4.タユタ（RADWIMPS）
5.瞳をとじて（平井堅）
6.空と君のあいだに（中島みゆき）
7.LA・LA・LA LOVE SONG（久保田利伸）
8.Movin'on without you（宇多田ヒカル）
9.歩いて帰ろう（斉藤和義）
10.真夏の果実（サザンオールスターズ）
11.たしかなこと（小田和正）


【 DVD 】
Music Video / Special Live Session

[KremlinChaos]

Oh, wow! I'm curious to see how it's going to turn out.

[CoriKaru]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

What kind of maturing do you expect to see from Kumi?

None.

Originally Posted by Zeke.

How could she mature? Namie's music has changed.....

A ***** could start right there. CHANGE.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

None.



A ***** could start right there. CHANGE.

Kumi does a bit of everything as it is. She excels at a certain style. Songs like Driving, Whatchu' Waitin On, BE MY BABY, Lady Go!, those are the songs I love from her. That style is what I hope to hear when I download new material from her. She has changed a lot, she doesn't do as much URBAN style anymore. I do miss those type of songs that felt like a sub-genre all her own. Get Up & Move!!, Love goes like... What if Perfume were to start doing metal, polka, country...? You love the artists you love because they make the type of music you enjoy. If you're looking for a certain type of material, seek out an artist who creates such.

[Not Fade Away]

^With the rare exception of a handful of songs, Kuu's songs all sound the same to me. I mean....whenever she performs her medleys in her lives, it's no surprise she's able to flow into the next song so well without a remix from the live band, it's because those songs sound so similar, tbh. Not hating on Kuu because I like her music, but I hear a lot of similar type of music in her discography.

I'm really excited to hear Ayaka's cover of 'Movin' On' lol. I have a feeling it'll be amazing, but I'm wondering if Ayaka will be able to sing as low as Utada does in the song? I mean, given her impressive range, she probably will be able to.....but I don't think I've personally heard her sing that low (I'm not a true fan, just an occasional listener.)

Also wondering where the last 4 pages of this thread went....

...........Down the rabbit hole again, Alice.

[ahtka-chan]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

but to say it has matured, this is like her least mature album ever.

I don't believe it, and I'm actually hating myself for saying it, but Iagree with Zeke, Feel is not a mature album, even though it's quite solid,

And about Kumi, I love her but her latest materials sound all the same and boring.

Btw, Lady Go! and Watchu Waiting On are some of the worst songs Kumi has ever released so far.

But putting that aside, isn't this Hikki's thread?

[Lady~Deviance]

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

Lawd knows ayumi don't count no mo'. Afraid to even release a Single. That should be the least of her worries. It's them Album sales. And Kumi Koda is stagnant and stuck in a rut and hasn't really tried to mature and evolve. Her baby will mature and grow before her music ever does.

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Namie's music has changed yes, but to say it has matured, this is like her least mature album ever.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

Do ya'll think Utada's absence has any influence on Namie's popularity?

Nope. Not at all. Namie's sales hasn't fluctuated enough imo. She more or less sells the same with or without Hikki being on the scene.


Back On Topic:

I wonder how ayaka will pull of "Movin' On Without You". I'm anxious to see her handle those lower register notes.

Hikki please make a 2014 come back at least for pete's sake.

[& + H]

I love moving on without you, I'm excited to hear her version.

[Andrenekoi]

1984 indeed.

I'm curious to hear how Ayaka's take on Hikki will sound like... Wasn't she regarded as "the new Utada" when she debuted?

[pommy48]

Just a quick remainder since most of you probably noticed some of your posts are gone

But please try to keep speculations on what Hikki does with Kuma out of this thread
It's more of a conversation better discussed in private

[mizuki-7]

Originally Posted by Not Fade Away

I'm really excited to hear Ayaka's cover of 'Movin' On' lol. I have a feeling it'll be amazing, but I'm wondering if Ayaka will be able to sing as low as Utada does in the song? I mean, given her impressive range, she probably will be able to.....but I don't think I've personally heard her sing that low (I'm not a true fan, just an occasional listener.)

Me too and I like the fact it's not one more First love cover ...
I don't think she will have difficulties to sing this song her vocal range is bigger than Utada !

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

I don't believe it, and I'm actually hating myself for saying it, but I agree with Zeke, Feel is not a mature album, even though it's quite solid,

And about Kumi, I love her but her latest materials sound all the same and boring.

Btw, Lady Go! and Watchu Waiting On are some of the worst songs Kumi has ever released so far.

But putting that aside, isn't this Hikki's thread?

Lol

[emi♡]

...what IS a "mature" album?


And out of all the gorgeous hikki songs...she chooses that one. Japan and their boring tastes.

[jean-baptiste]

Originally Posted by emi♡

...what IS a "mature" album?


And out of all the gorgeous hikki songs...she chooses that one. Japan and their boring tastes.

I agree. And I agree. Lol

Since everything in music is so subjective, defining mature could be tricky as we all have our own idea of what mature is.

[Zeke.]

Well I don't know what mature is, but I know it isn't Namie's new album by any means, lol.

[CoriKaru]

Since this horse isn't dead yet.

In an interview for her HEART STATION Album Promotional Tour Utada herself stated HEART STATION to be her most "MATURE" album so the ADJECTIVE "MATURE" has been used to describe the NOUN "ALBUM" before. Just saying.

#Whodathunkit
#ME

[Andrenekoi]

By some comments around here it looks like mature people shouldn't like clubbing or something?

IMO a "mature album" is that with a more sophisticated sound concerning more adult themes, instead of a simpler safer teen-friendly sound... I don't know what Namie is singing about on Feel, so I have no idea how mature the lyrics are, but the sound for sure isn't all that simply or teen-focused (what makes it the opposite to Uncontrolled). To be fair, Hikki, Ayu and Namie all have their shares of mature music... I don't know about Koda cuz I don't really follow her.

[Delicious n Bold]

She was right about the maturity of HS until we get to the Kuma song.
Then it's borderline Kyary pamyu childish bad.