Looking back on old critiques of Ayu in English publications on Japanese culture...

[marty]

Originally Posted by emi♡

I think a lot of people at this forum also fail to realise that Ayu's sort of Jpop is not what is considered high class, or meaningful. It's just pop music.
Just like people here talk crap about Riri or Katy Perry, or Taylor Swift.

My poor little baby. Nobody understands this as much as Taylor fan. She's either very loved or very hated, being the "pop version of country". (I'm not even beginning with the relatioships stuff, 'cause it's such a huge bullshit, what does it even have to do with music, again? Bha.)

Anyway, that's why I always say usually only fans can really judge a singer. It's so difficult to grasp improvements, concepts and faults of someone you're just not interested to. While fans, even if sometimes blind, usually spend a huge amount of time analizing and trying to really get the work and message behind a song. Doing this is so much difficult when you're not liking someone.