Lets vent about ayu?/why did your fandom decrease

[relmy]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Omg I absolutely hate when people pull this card, more than anything.

We all love ayu and it's natural to hope she can do well and have an impact like you know she's capable of. It's not as simple as letting go when she's had such an effect on your life.

Ugh, such a self-righteous and self-sufficient comment.

I know, right? I love Ayu, even if her her material hasn't been great recently, she'll probably make something I'll love again (lmao) in the future. I wish I could love everything unconditionally, but I don't. Life goes on, Ayu keeps making new music.

Originally Posted by Pinguu

She doesn't need to do avant garde stuff (what's avant garde stuff anyway for a mainstream pop singer ?) but I think she needs to give some identity to every album she does, not necessarily reinvent her music, which anyway would be a disaster.

I agree with you. When I said she isn't avant-garde it's not an insult, it's just not what I expect her, or want her I guess, to be. She's... Ayu. I'm tentative about the new album too. Music wise I'm eh but directionally I'm looking forward to what's coming next.

[hsienko]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Omg I absolutely hate when people pull this card, more than anything.

We all love ayu and it's natural to hope she can do well and have an impact like you know she's capable of. It's not as simple as letting go when she's had such an effect on your life.

Ugh, such a self-righteous and self-sufficient comment.

Don't pay that old stunt queen any mind, she's just trolling for attention like always. The point of this forum and this topic is to have a debate - you use your words to make and defend a point. If you ever feel the need to pull the "why are you here then, gtfo" card you do not ever need to be participating in the discussion - period.


Anyone who still call Namie music "hip-pop" clearly hasn't listen to anything since 2005. Really there are manufactured acts who sound kinda of similar to Namie like Rihanna but Namie still has her own distinct sound but that is not even important.

Clearly, you all did not get what I originally meant - Ayu is redundant. She uses the same ideas and formulas well past their expiration dates and as time has gone on it seems to have gotten worse. No one is saying she needs to start making dub step club bangers or go chola and start rapping in spanish - I appreciate her use of classical instruments but its annoying when every song is like 6 minutes long and follows the same verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, 2 minute instrumental part, chorus, chorus formula. On top of that, every song has to have every instrument that ever existed in it - like 80 violins, chellos, harpsichord, rock guitars and kazoos and all kinds of other shit after a while it has just started to sound ridiculous because you can't even differentiate between the songs anymore.

I think she should fire every single last person in her staff from her housekeeper to her manager and restock with new people (old and young!) who can bring her some fresh ideas - it'll send shockwaves through her artistry.

[marty]

First, Namie, doing "new" stuff? You kidding me?
She litterally started to be relevant again when she threw herself on that EDM bandwagon. Let's not.
Secondly, I don't think I get the point of all this. A song is either bad or good. You can do new or old stuff either nicely or badly.
Ayu was always open to try new things, remaining faithful to her style. In my opinion, the important thing is to give "soul" to a song, to make it iconic.
If there's one thing you can't blame Ayu for is to not try. She does. You can list your opinions on why you don't like it, but she did try and still does.

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by Pinguu

I think she needs to give some identity to every album she does, not necessarily reinvent her music, which anyway would be a disaster.

I don't know about you, but I like that Ayu is able to shift styles/moods on the same album.

Not many artists are even remotely capable of making a pop album in the vein of MY STORY or Rock 'n' Roll Circus.

Many of you seem to be taking for granted what Ayu does best...

[Delirium-Zer0]

Even on albums like LOVEppears & Duty - which jump from bubblegum to rock to ballads to r&b and back again - she had a cohesive theme running through it, lyrically & musically; she had a graphic design concept that was interesting & specific to those albums that had a theme; she had a great single released the same day as those albums with graphic design that tied into the album. Just overall, each album had a "brand" to it, both visually & aurally. Albums since 2006 or so have been easy to kinda get mixed up & muddled together. It's easy to forget which token summer song is on which album, it's easy to forget if a song was on "Love songs" or "LOVE again," that kind of thing. And for new fans that's probably gonna make her discography even more intimidating than it already is.

[Zeke.]

I don't mind Ayu doing "the same", I was always one who was happy with her churning out the copy & paste winter ballads. However, my argument has always been, if you're going to stick with the same style, you either need to do it JUST AS GOOD as you've done in the past, or excel over that. Which lately she has not succeeded in doing.

Originally Posted by relmy

Ayu's current stuff sounds like a cheap rendition of her own stuff from 10 years ago.

As relmy says, it retains some certain familiar Ayu style, but done so cheaply and entire flights of stairs behind what she has done in the past. I never wanted anything crazy from Ayu or wild, I just wanted her to continue doing what she was best at doing and maintaining the quality and professionalism within the material. If she were to continually release great rock songs or great winter ballads with a slightly different spin on the formula I would never complain again - the catch is, they need to continue being great.

[Coelacanth]

Much of her past work is UNTOUCHABLE and it's futile to hold any of her current work to the same standard.

For me, it's mostly due to her vocals (even in the studio). Her voice simply doesn't have the same quality/emotive power it did in her peak years. Her vocals will never return to that state, so it's something I really have no choice but to accept.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Even in her age she could still be emotive. I just don't feel like she feels too much anymore. "Tell All" was quite emotive, for example - NOTHING on Love songs or LOVE again feels as emotive as that song does, even intense songs like "Wake me up." And only a few songs on Party Queen feel like she's feeling anything as she's singing (like "reminds me"). It's like she's reserving herself too much in the studio, she's not pouring herself into the performance anymore.

[Zeke.]

I agree about emotiveness to an extent, but I did feel like November has some of her strongest projections of emotions out of her entire discography. That last bit after the instrumental buildup is utterly amazing.

[miki_beland]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

I agree about emotiveness to an extent, but I did feel like November has some of her strongest projections of emotions out of her entire discography. That last bit after the instrumental buildup is utterly amazing.

Agree… there is something so special about that song. I'm still in love with it

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

Even on albums like LOVEppears & Duty - which jump from bubblegum to rock to ballads to r&b and back again - she had a cohesive theme running through it, lyrically & musically; she had a graphic design concept that was interesting & specific to those albums that had a theme; she had a great single released the same day as those albums with graphic design that tied into the album. Just overall, each album had a "brand" to it, both visually & aurally. Albums since 2006 or so have been easy to kinda get mixed up & muddled together. It's easy to forget which token summer song is on which album, it's easy to forget if a song was on "Love songs" or "LOVE again," that kind of thing. And for new fans that's probably gonna make her discography even more intimidating than it already is.

I have to disagree, most of albums still have a whole theme from begining to ending, that usually goes through the music, the lyrics, the booklets and her fashion choices (but I agree with seasonal singles). And I don't get how can mistake Love songs for Love again, as even if both are heavily inspired by mid-tempo 90's jpop, the former is focused on Ayu's trademark mix of poprock, dance music beats and orchestral music chords, those having the spotlight through the whole álbum. The album deals mostly with Ayu (finally) becoming an adult and noticing that even if she loves her career, there's nothing to her but her popstar live. Love again mixes several 90's musical influences, without having much of a sound indentity while dealing with the process of falling in love, breaking up, healing and falling in love again while being judged by everyone...

I'm glad she is avoiding the seasonal single thing.

Also, nops, I'm not a girl and I'm not trolling for attention, but if an artist stops releasing stuff I like, I stop following them... I have better use of my time than listening to stuff I dislike for the sole pleasure of complaing stuff were better before.

[primavera♥]

I think is still emotive in songs. As Zeke said, November is powerful. Goodness. And also I think the emotion just comes out differently and depends on the song. In fact, that's why I still like her current music. Love song, do it again, and Novemver are great examples on Love songs. But do it again for example, seems to express it differently from how she would in the past. Same for RnRC. Microphone is one you would expect. But songs like Slt appeal to me because it has this not so serious music but more serious lyrics. It's an interesting and somewhat sophisticated way to express herself. Same with Eyes, Smoke, Magic...she sounds happy but there's this underlying sarcasm and irony and etc. And I like the feelings I get from that. Idk. I certainly don't see how ayu doesn't have feeling to her music anymore. If there is any aspect that I say has stayed true, it's that one. I mean, I can understand if people aren't as emotionally attached to all of newer songs and so relate that with Ayu not having feeling.

I feel like Tell All is kind of that obvious in your face emotion that she does sometimes. But I don't think that all of her songs need to be that way to perceive emotion. I like the varying kinds of emotion as long as they're still there.

And about themes, even if people don't like them, I still think her albums have a very persistent theme throughout. Except for RnRC. It loses that pretty much after countdown lol. I get a certain vibe from these albums: A Song for XX, LOVEppears (though a very simplistic one), Duty, RAINBOW, MY STORY, (Miss)understood, GUILTY, NEXT LEVEL, Love songs...maybe LOVE again...

So I guess I am.., Secret, and RnRc are more like messy collections of good songs to me. Though they have nice themes.

[Andrenekoi]

^I believe Secret does have a theme, evento if a very simplistic one, as Secret as the album ender negates the idealized image she creates during the other tracks, as if Secret really tells the album's secret.

RNRC compares her life to a, well, rock n roll circus, starting with her career, hearing loss, and other personal issues, once she decides she will stop suffering from the past and will move on, opening the most optimistic, and even bolder, part of it.

But I also see Secret, RNRC, I AM... and also MY STORY, ASFXX and Party Queen as album following the same pattern, always dealing with harder topics and putting lyrics way over the music.

[primavera♥]

^Most of her albums are good when it comes to lyrics with themes and their flow. But to me, the combination of the lyrics and the music is how I judge it. Though I understand your interpretation of those albums.

[Andrenekoi]

^Party Queen aside they are all among my least favorito! But I noticed the most personal the lyrics, the less adventurous the sound...

[Delirium-Zer0]

I have to disagree there - I don't really see a correlation. She'll sing about feelings & situations that are quite personal and have a really amazing sound (monochrome, BRILLANTE, Last angel) and she'll sing about things more directed at her audience than at herself that sound very dull and run-of-the-mill, like Thank U. Even her less personal songs will have a hugely personal component though, so it's hard to gauge really. It's just that alot of personal songs deal with topics she's already talked about so many times that it's gotten diluted over time. She recycles lyrics & concepts - not just making deliberate reference (which she often does, like any prolific lyricist would). So in her delivery, it's like she doesn't actually FEEL what she was feeling at the time anymore, so you can tell when a song's feelings are still fresh in her memory and when they're not. More "personal" songs recently, dealing with older feelings or being written when she's not feeling things so intensely, have therefore been very lethargic sounding.

[Leaf King]

Having stumbled upon this thread after a long time of non-activity on my part, I decided to impart my thoughts to you all.

I look at Ayu the way I do at any other celebrity: with an open mind and eye. What I mean by that is, even if someone seems or seemed to be transparent that doesn’t mean what we see is what we think we see or would like to see. It doesn’t even mean it’s real. So, I can say that in the past her emotions were easier to see, or that she was easier to read, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that by observing her 10 years ago I knew her better than I do now when I watch her 10 years later. I don’t dispute the fact that some of her music is less-than-interesting, but I don’t know whether it’s the result of her feelings remaining in one area or a loss of feelings in another area thus effectively hindering her efforts in getting her message across. She has said that her current music is like an update on her personality/life, so who am I to say that it’s not truthful at this point. Maybe it’s not as passionate as I’d like it to be – then again, who am I to say what emotion is and isn’t passionate, when there are different degrees of that fire that can pertain to any emotion? The bottom line is: I won't buy her music if it doesn't resonate with me. I don’t have a lot to compare Ayu to, as I’m not really a pop-listener. I’ve been following her for a long time, and whenever she has a new release, I make sure to check it out. I love Rock’n’Roll Circus and Love Songs, I loved the R’n’RC tour, CDL ’10-11, POWER of MUSIC, and even HOTEL Love songs, but since then have found it hard to connect to her. I want her to do well, but I won’t buy her stuff if it doesn't impress me.

[tsumekaze_]

not so relevant zodiac rant:

ayu is a Libra, she's the embodiment of susceptibility in a woman body.
Chances are nobody (staff, friends, family) dares to contradict or criticise her for fear of being fired or cut off from her life lol.

(I do not mean to offend anyone, it's just a joke, I'm very susceptible myself XD)

[mi|kshake]

I appreciate her use of classical instruments but its annoying when every song is like 6 minutes long and follows the same verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, 2 minute instrumental part, chorus, chorus formula. On top of that, every song has to have every instrument that ever existed in it - like 80 violins, chellos, harpsichord, rock guitars and kazoos and all kinds of other shit

Haha, this is one of the reasons I love Ayu!

[emi♡]

About Namie. No her music isn't "avant garde" (lol please don't use that word), but I think it's interesting that many people liked her change of style.

I don't think that would work with Ayu, unfortunately. Even though Namie changed her style, she went from one mainstream sound to another...even with her mixing it up in the middle for Past<Future. I don't think Ayu has that advantage.

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

Most of you are unfortunately brainwashed by the Western mainstream music consumer's mindset of music that is fresh and "current" = good.

Not sure how any of you could be considered arbiters of good taste anyway since most of you, outside of listening to Ayu, only expose yourselves to K-pop, Namie, Lady Gaga, and shitty EDM. LOL

But maybe they're the best audience for Ayu's current music. It's not like she has the technical or artistic knowledge to do the things actual musicians do.


As for her voice, tbh I never really listened to how "emotive" ayu's voice sounded in her songs. But the other day...I was listening to Boys and Girls, and I wrote on twitter how it sounds like she has such conviction in her voice. Like you NEED to listen to what she's saying cause it's the damn truth. (In a song like Boys and Girls wut)

But going back over her songs...I don't think that quality has been in her voice since like, Rainbow or before :/ Or else it's very rare in only a few songs.

And I mean, I don't think that it really affects the quality of her music THAT much. She still has gorgeous songs, but I think that lent something very special to her older music for a lot of people.

I always just felt, like Ayu's old music was technically better. Better composed, better arranged for the most part, etc. But in this instant, I felt something else. Like I finally understood something that other people have always understood about her older sound.

Maybe it's just the raw nature of that sound, free from any glitz and glam, unpretentious and just honest.