Japanese Media Addresses Ayu's Voice

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by tourniquet

one can only hope that her sales dump or that her tour flops big time so that she takes a rest. if not by will, then by force.

That's a terrible thing to wish upon Ayu as a fan, honestly... who says that they want their favorite artist to fail so that they can rest?

@CrystalAgeha: I don't know if the reason she was first for Kohaku is what the article says it is, but CDL really shouldn't have anything to do with her being first. Besides the last 2 years she always performed in the second half of the show even though she had her CDL, the CDTV Super Live, and the Japan Record Awards all in the same night.

PCDL08-09 was longer than usual and started earlier, so I think that's a pretty valid reason for going first in 2008. As for this year... who knows? Maybe after seeing a rather nice boost in the opening ratings with Ayu, they decided to stick with her there rather than starting Kouhaku off on a weak note. (<30% ratings) And since she generally doesn't seem to stay for Kouhaku activities due to CDL, even at the very beginning of the show, might as well have her go first, you know? I've never seen Ayu participate in the gatherings of all the artists... or maybe I haven't been looking hard enough. Perhaps she just wants to get Kouhaku over with as soon as she can so she can go back to rehearsing/preparing for CDL. (7:15-7:20ish is when she performed, and CDL's start time is 10:30)

[waterballoon]

You know... I feel that it has come to a point where she has realized she NEEDS a rest, which probably is why she went first in Kouhaku last year. She can't sing in multiple shows in the same night and then put up a countdown concert anymore. She just can't.

I think it's something like, do we need to lower our standards for Ayu whenever she sings live these days? Because that's what I'm doing, which is why I can say Rule @ Kouhaku was not bad, and teddy bear & RED LINE @ CDL 09-10 was all right as well.

Because... she has gotten worse in singing as compared to around 2005. You can't deny that. One of the videos that Andrenekoi posted... Moments @ Kouhaku. That was really beautiful, you could hear the tone of her voice... how gentle and warm, and she doesn't sound out of breath, nor does she sound burned or scratchy.

Maybe it's time we should be lowering our standards for Ayu...I've done that ever since Sunrise and I've been a happier fan.

[trinka]

Its rather unsettling that her voice is degrading so much that these are being published... Even if these are little catty in their banter, it's true. I hope avex will take action soon...

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

Because... she has gotten worse in singing as compared to around 2005. You can't deny that. One of the videos that Andrenekoi posted... Moments @ Kouhaku. That was really beautiful, you could hear the tone of her voice...

Yeah, but she coudn't sing the chorus properly once on that video, she messed it everytime...

[Amrai-chan]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

Maybe it's time we should be lowering our standards for Ayu...I've done that ever since Sunrise and I've been a happier fan.

I've been doing that and it helps. While a performance may not be good overall it's good for Ayu etc but it's kind of painful to hear her live now. At least that is how it was for me at CDL that I didn't even finish watching it.

[truehappiness]

Maybe it's time we should be lowering our standards for Ayu...I've done that ever since Sunrise and I've been a happier fan.

I don't think one should lower their standards just to be happy... but it's probably a better idea to just not let it bother you as a fan. As long as you acknowledge the problems, and not let them get in the way of liking what she's doing, I don't see the need for lower standards. (Especially when Ayu herself has high standards for herself, but some fans might not agree with that when it comes to certain parts of her career...)

But then again, I guess everyone deals with their fandom in different ways...

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I don't think one should lower their standards just to be happy... but it's probably a better idea to just not let it bother you as a fan. As long as you acknowledge the problems, and not let them get in the way of liking what she's doing, I don't see the need for lower standards.

But then again, I guess everyone deals with their fandom in different ways...

True, but if I look at her now and expect her to sing like in 2005 or something, I would probably ***** about her in every thread here. XD

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Yeah, but she coudn't sing the chorus properly once on that video, she messed it everytime...

"She was never a good singer."

Jokes aside, it's definitely better than the one at CDL 09-10... I just love the arrangement and her voice here.

[love in music]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

You know... I feel that it has come to a point where she has realized she NEEDS a rest, which probably is why she went first in Kouhaku last year. She can't sing in multiple shows in the same night and then put up a countdown concert anymore. She just can't.

I think it's something like, do we need to lower our standards for Ayu whenever she sings live these days? Because that's what I'm doing, which is why I can say Rule @ Kouhaku was not bad, and teddy bear & RED LINE @ CDL 09-10 was all right as well.

Because... she has gotten worse in singing as compared to around 2005. You can't deny that. One of the videos that Andrenekoi posted... Moments @ Kouhaku. That was really beautiful, you could hear the tone of her voice... how gentle and warm, and she doesn't sound out of breath, nor does she sound burned or scratchy.

Maybe it's time we should be lowering our standards for Ayu...I've done that ever since Sunrise and I've been a happier fan.

I lowered my standards for her live vocals when I saw Concert tour 2000 and watched a ton of her lives from 1999-2002. The only times I thought she did a very good job live were in the years 2003-2005, and maybe a few times in 2006, but even then she had her problems. After I watched CDL 07-08 TV version and heard she lost her hearing in one ear, my standards for her live voice hit an all time low, and they're pretty much going to stay there unless one day she magically gets her hearing back. Now I'll pat her on the back for anything that sounds decent. I didn't really lower my standards to be happier though, I did it because a lot of live performances she has had in her career make me want to tear my ears off and I can't ignore that.

[hsienko]

I think this article is just going to open the gate and start a flood of other articles complaining about her voice so even if her staff manages to keep her from seeing this one article, eventually it would be impossible for them to keep them from her.

imo, her voice hasn't been good live since asia tour 2007. After that her voice got really weird and it was kind of a drastic change if you ask me. I think a lot of the excuses you all are making for her are kind of farfetched. She's been deaf since 2004 (at least that's when she announced her hearing problems) and she's sang great many times so saying her singing now is related is kind of strange. And we don't know if she is using drugs or not because a drug problem is usually something you keep private and she wouldn't announce it to everyone on TA and if she was I’m sure her staff and avex would do everything they could to keep it under wraps if even they knew. And there could be a thousand more reasons we all could come up with for why she sounds the way she does. Maybe she started drinking before shows to calm her nerves and she's too drunk to control her voice when she is singing live. Or maybe her and Tomoya got in a big fight that eventually led to their break, it got violent and he punched her in the face and broke her nose which made her unable to sing nasally like she used to. Like I said it could be any number of reasons.

The point is though, her voice sounds awful now. I mean from glitter-Green it was tolerable but now it’s just getting out of hand and a lot of you are turning a blind eye to her because you are a fan to her. Never the less, She should do w/e to fix it, if it can be fixed because it could be anything that caused the changed.

[mischief9]

I just watched her I Am and Teddy Bear performances from the CDL and then from her previous Arena Tours, her voice is definitely strained and starting to go.Her voice isnt changing again, Ayu is losing it. She keeps on performing instead of cancelling shows like she should to preserve what she has left. She has this need to constantly perfrom for her fans as seen when she hurt her leg before the dome tour and wrist before a CDL. I think fans expect her to always be the megastar and she is sacrificing her health to do. Constantly singing. She put out an album every year for the past several years, and launched a long tour every year.

Watching some of the older songs compared to know, you can tell it doesnt come as easy and she pushes it out. Like in Teddy Bear from CDL she was about to cry not from the song but getting frustrated she couldnt get her voice out. Evolution from Best Artist was really bad. She sounds terrible now. I loved her squeaky and love her deeper voice, but this is something else entirely. I cringed at I Am. She still had a voice in 2007, sounds like she hurt her throat and didnt let it heal. Doesnt seem like its her tone, or her ear, its the voice.

She needs to take the rest of the year off, or if she feels she has to sing, then release a couple of singles and take a while to craft a new album, then drop one at the end of the year. Kind of like Namie Amuro releasing Wild back in March and now releasing PAst/Future. I dont get the idea of announcing a tour before announcing a new album. Her music went from being full and beautiful to being snack food basically but thats another topic. She rushes everything and its starting to show. Cancel the Arena Tour, fans will become concerned "Has Ayumi Hamasaki lost it?" Then make a big comeback around Christmas or New Years and sell huge. She comes back with a great fresh sound and an improved voice from training and rest. Her taking time off doesnt mean she will lose popularity, people will be interested in what she will be when she returns. Shes been everywhere for the past 10-11 years. Let people miss her and she could have another peak.

[truehappiness]

She's been deaf since 2004 (at least that's when she announced her hearing problems) and she's sang great many times so saying her singing now is related is kind of strange.

2004 was when it was announced, but it had pretty much been at the same level since 2001. 2000 was when she missed a few concerts due to an ear infection or something, and it's believed to be the start of her left ear's decline. She only became completely deaf in one ear in 2007 according to what we've been told.

Like in Teddy Bear from CDL she was about to cry not from the song but getting frustrated she couldnt get her voice out.

I thought it was more like 'MY ALL/untitled ~for her~' emotional tears, not frustrated ones. At least, that's not at all how the came across to me.

I think this article is just going to open the gate and start a flood of other articles complaining about her voice so even if her staff manages to keep her from seeing this one article, eventually it would be impossible for them to keep them from her.

I'm sure she won't let it get to her, and if she does, then she's been way too sheltered. People say some of the most rude things about Ayu in Japan, and I think she's at least somewhat aware that there are people out there who cannot stand her presence in the industry. Basically, I think she's going to try fixing things when it comes to her voice because she feels that she needs to improve, not because some "reporters" felt like trashing Ayu's (admittedly bad) vocals in an article or two.

She rushes everything and its starting to show.

Ayu's not exactly one to work on albums for ages before they release. As far as I know, most of her albums have also had the same sort of treatment, just that the results were more... well loved as opposed to the reaction to say Secret, GUILTY, or NEXT LEVEL. I must say though, that Secret was probably the most rushjob-like of the three albums, and that came out wonderfully according to quite a few people who like the album. It's always really astounding to me how people judge the albums when they first come out and immediately say "IT SOUNDS RUSHED TO ME. I DON'T LIKE IT" only to listen to it later on and realize that they did like it.

Her taking time off doesnt mean she will lose popularity, people will be interested in what she will be when she returns. Shes been everywhere for the past 10-11 years. Let people miss her and she could have another peak.

It's possible, but I find this scenario highly unlikely. Most of the time when artists/groups take breaks (see Do As Infinity among other groups that revived themselves after a few years or so) sales plummet in comparison to before they took their breaks. Very few artists can actually make a comeback after disappearing for a year or two, and Ayu definitely is not one of those artists. (Plus if she disappears, just what are fans going to discuss until she 'comes back'!?)

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

^ So was Seiko Matsuda and she was also known for not being a strong live vocalist...

I'm not taking my opinion as Japan's opinion, I just read more than once, that she was never seen as a strong vocalist (but she was, and wouldn't be surprised if she still is, seen as a good songwriter, composer, performer and fashion icon)

Actually Seiko was always considered a good vocalist. Ayu was never known as like amazing or something, but she was known as good at least. I don't remember ever seeing Japanese media calling her a bad vocalist until recently.

[yoshino]

oh my.. I dun like to see this, where pple are start arrowing her.
Ayu may not be in her best condition at all times. I dun think anyone can be at his peak all the time. Ayu might be just too busy n her health condition is not tat good anymore.
We can't expect her to have the best voice throughout since the deaf of her left ear.
I hope she could take a break for a while which I think it will be better for her. Not tat she will disappear from the music scene. Ayu will always be here I'm sure!!

[truehappiness]

Ayu was never known as like amazing or something, but she was known as good at least.

It's a little sad, but a few years ago (2005-2006?), I remember watching the Ayumi Hamasaki - The Face on Every Billboard (Japan Video Topics) video along with the NTV interview, and every time that I would hear a fan say "Oh! She sings so well!" I'd kind of laugh on the inside because that was never really the case in my experience as a fan, haha. I love her voice because it's so unique, but she really has never made my jaw drop when it came to her singing. Though at her best, her singing vocal was very sweet and powerful at the same time.

I'm going to say what I've been saying all along, that she needs time before we're going to see results. For her to take a break would be rather uncharacteristic of Ayu, but I'm confident that with time, she'll be able to undo the damage (again...) that she's done with the crazy schedule she had in 2009, or at least fix it and avoid it happening in 2010.

(To note: she basically toured/performed all year in 2009. CDL occurred, then planning for AT09 began. NEXT LEVEL was released on 3/25 a month after Rule, and AT09 started in early April. The tour went on until July before she performed at every single show at a-nation '09, released and promoted Sunrise/Sunset, and resumed activities for AT09 until the end of October. By November, she was already planning for CDL09-10, and beginning work on her new single. It's pretty insane how she basically went through the entire year performing...)

[Andrenekoi]

^I even read once that one of the reasons that made her famous is that people felt that if she could archieve success, anyone else could, and they felt inspired by this... what IMO is VERY harsh

[SunshineSlayer]

@truehappiness: Yeah, I miss that sweet but powerful tone. That's why I think even her early vocals like 98-01 get an unnecessary bad reputation. (only on western forums though; people in Japan seemed to really love that vocal era) They were often very sweet and had a raw emotional quality to them. In fact I've always felt one of her best performances ever came in 1999 w/ her Itsuka no Merry Christmas cover. I haven't heard her sound so soft and sweet like that in such a long time.

[truehappiness]

^I even read once that one of the reasons that made her famous is that people felt that if she could archieve success, anyone else could, and they felt inspired by this... what IMO is VERY harsh

Honestly, it's because Ayu's story is a very inspirational Cinderella story. Ayu was never good at much growing up, and struggled to find her place in the world. She was found by Max and from there, history was made. Having had no particular ambition to become a singer up until she was offered the chance to do so by max, and having such success is rather AMAZING imo. (This is if you were saying it was harsh because people were saying, "IF SHE COULD DO IT SO CAN I! HAHAHA.")

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

@truehappiness: Yeah, I miss that sweet but powerful tone. That's why I think even her early vocals like 98-01 get an unnecessary bad reputation. (only on western forums though; people in Japan seemed to really love that vocal era) They were often very sweet and had a raw emotional quality to them. In fact I've always felt one of her best performances ever came in 1999 w/ her Itsuka no Merry Christmas cover. I haven't heard her sound so soft and sweet like that in such a long time.

Really, and I'm the crazy one?! xD

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Honestly, it's because Ayu's story is a very inspirational Cinderella story. Ayu was never good at much growing up, and struggled to find her place in the world. She was found by Max and from there, history was made. Having had no particular ambition to become a singer up until she was offered the chance to do so by max, and having such success is rather AMAZING imo. (This is if you were saying it was harsh because people were saying, "IF SHE COULD DO IT SO CAN I! HAHAHA."

Actually, that was how it was written xD Something like "She can't sing and she is not that pretty, and she did it!"

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Really, and I'm the crazy one?! xD

Have you actually watched it? It was very soft, smooth, and controlled throughout. I really don't see how it's "bad." That song has been covered about a million times and her rendition of it was the best one I've heard.