[Utada Hikaru] ʕ•̫͡•ʔ A Vacation for Only Two Hours in the 55th thread ʕ•̫͡•ʔ

[Andrenekoi]

^The term "idol" started being used back in the 70's, way before cute childish girl groups existed. Actually, idols used to have a low and deep voice and a mature image before Seiko made it big. Momoe Yamaguchi for example is one of the most respected female vocalists in Japan history, and she was basically an idol.



There's nothing wrong with being an idol and saying Namie is an idol doesn't mean she is talentless or something like that... But even her control over her career means she will hire the best team to keep her around more than it mean she will actually get herself in the creative process. There's someone on the forum who worked on the company that produced the Golden Touch PV and they made it very clear Namie had nothing to do with it. This is essentially being an idol.

[Baco__]

I also don't see Namie as an idol anymore. Although I have to study a little more - since andrenekoi has brought some interesting academics to this conversation -, speaking solely from a non-expert pov she is just like any superstar out there, in the same league as utada, koda, BoA (in Korea at least) or ayu tbqh. The difference between them is that they are actually producing their stuff, their own words and/or composition. Namie has said she composes and she writes, she just don't release the stuff (whether it's too personal or wouldn't fit her public its beyond me). Maybe when she dies and avex wants to make the most of her death? Haha but I don't think she is like that robot or a stooge for avex as some of you do (she has her own label, right? She has power inside that company, I presume). I think she's in control of everything and will do what she wants to and that's it. But then I may be wrong and she is a robot after all and I've been fooled lol

(that's totally out of the blue, but I just remembered that last semester in a Japanese Culture class my teacher actually talked about Namie and how she was the first female superstar with tattoos to be accepted, in terms, by the japanese lol and I never actually dreamt about listening to her name in the academic field lol)

EDIT: oh, well, andre said it all, just forget what I wrote hahaa totally forgot about the 60/70 and 80s idols.

[ExodusUK]

The title idol suggests a maintained image and reputation..something Ayu does not have.

[Michan]

I am late to the Hikki vs Ayu thing but I will give my 2 cents on it. I am a die hard fan of both for years but what made me stop buying Ayu stuff was when she divorced her 1st husband and she pulled alll sort of tricks in the media like the Americans do. It felt like she was using the Kardashians type of PR. I hated it. It is one of the things I lothe about american celebrities and admire in Japanese culture. Also she was and still is lost on her music. She tried to do those glittery happy summer songs maybe to get new fans or whatever and I could not stand it. I havent listened to ayus songs for years until out of curiosity I listened to MIJ which is not all that great but comparing to her previous work it looks good. She needs a break and a long one. As much as I hate Hikki longs breaks I much prefer her PR strategy than ayu and it saddens me to witness Ayu's downfall. She is so talented but so full of herself that it blinds her . Anyway I am loving Fantome. It isn't Utada's best album but it does the job xD

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Michan

I am late to the Hikki vs Ayu thing but I will give my 2 cents on it. I am a die hard fan of both for years but what made me stop buying Ayu stuff was when she divorced her 1st husband and she pulled alll sort of tricks in the media like the Americans do. It felt like she was using the Kardashians type of PR. I hated it. It is one of the things I lothe about american celebrities and admire in Japanese culture. Also she was and still is lost on her music. She tried to do those glittery happy summer songs maybe to get new fans or whatever and I could not stand it. I havent listened to ayus songs for years until out of curiosity I listened to MIJ which is not all that great but comparing to her previous work it looks good. She needs a break and a long one. As much as I hate Hikki longs breaks I much prefer her PR strategy than ayu and it saddens me to witness Ayu's downfall. She is so talented but so full of herself that it blinds her . Anyway I am loving Fantome. It isn't Utada's best album but it does the job xD

I feel like ayu has to be "full of herself" at this point because she feels nobody else really is. If she doesn't prop herself up the way she does, she won't find that anyplace else.

[Andrenekoi]

^If she composes and writes lyrics but never releases them, as far as her career and public image is concerned, is like she does neither. I wouldn't be surprised to know she actually aproves everything she releases (actually, I would be surprised if she didn't), but I don't think she goes as far as changing lyrics and arrangments for example. Even because a huge part of her current discography is in English and as far as we know she doesn't really know the language.

And I don't get people complaining Ayu praising her releases, what do you guys expect? "Hey, this is shit, but buy it anyway, plz? <3" Not that I think her current releases are shit, anyway, Party Queen still among my favorite albums and both Colours and A ONE are perfectly crafted pop albums, even if overly safe.

[Miduhyo]

I don't know about Namie composing music, but I do know she's done some of the lyrics in her discography (or at least contributed.) But you're right. If she doesn't release them, how can they be of concerned to us?

---------------------------
And Namie is under her own private sub-label, Dimension Point, that Avex created so she wouldn't leave their label after they butted heads a couple years back about her lives. Also, she's stated in an interview for _genic (I'll find the link later) that she chooses the songs herself and decides whether to sing them in English or not. Right now she likes doing songs in English because it 'sounds cool.' (though I doubt she actually knows it. At least, not as fluently as Ayu and definitely not as fluently as Utada xD) But she does have control over her career now--maybe not in the beginning--but I think, when it comes to releasing her music, she is the one behind the drivers wheel. Everything else I assume she relies or considers heavily on her teams opinions and such, but when it comes to the music itself nowadays it's all Namie. Well, unless she's doing a promotion like Hero or the soon-to-be-released Dear Diary/Fighter for that Death Note Live Action movie/mini-series/I don't remember what it was. I bet those are chosen by others, but for her albums/singles I'm 95%-100% sure it's her.

...I'd keep going but this is Utada's thread and I've hardly even mentioned her in this post. So I'm just going to stop here. I just wanted to spread the Namie love, that's all.

[thinkingoutloud89]

^Namie wrote I WILL for example, and it is still rumourd that she is the writer Jussme on SUITE CHIC.

Whatever, how is Utada doing?

[Andrenekoi]

The problem of being a Utada fan is that there's very little to discuss about her once she is done with the current release xD

Will she tour this album?

[Miduhyo]

Do you mean Namie composed I WILL or just wrote the lyrics? (And I've never heard about the Jussme rumor. That's cool.)

------

And about her touring. I wish she would but with a kid and a family now and so many more potatoes to find, who knows? I don't think she's said anything official on that yet.

[taskinillusion]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

And I don't get people complaining Ayu praising her releases, what do you guys expect? "Hey, this is shit, but buy it anyway, plz? <3"

Originally Posted by Miduhyo

I wish she would but with a kid and a family now and so many more potatoes to find, who knows?

You guys are hilarious!

[Miduhyo]

oh my gawd how dare you come into this thread and say that.

I'm totally messing with you, it's cool. if you don't feel it, you don't feel it. no biggie. At least you gave it a try rather than just sampling some songs and just throwing it away. (I wish we had a more casual shrug emoji cause that one makes it look like I'm so concerned about this.)

[Earth_maiden]

Originally Posted by Miduhyo

oh my gawd how dare you come into this thread and say that.

I'm totally messing with you, it's cool. if you don't feel it, you don't feel it. no biggie. At least you gave it a try rather than just sampling some songs and just throwing it away. (I wish we had a more casual shrug emoji cause that one makes it look like I'm so concerned about this.)

Forum problems! I miss the thud emoji so much but it never works for me anymore! <-- didn't work yet again. T_T

I really like Michi and Sakuranagashi but the rest just doesn't do much for me. I feel that for me, her hiatus was quite lengthy and I pretty much forgot about her since the second single collection came out. Call me spoiled but I like my artists to release things at least annually.

Don't get me wrong I still love Hikki and her music in general, I'm just not actively into her at this moment. Do other people go through this with other artists?

[thinkingoutloud89]

^^Namie wrote the lyrics to I WILL and Say the word
------------------------------------------------------------

Utah said in an interview she does not want to tour this album, at least this year, because of her family. It does not surprise me, she rarely does concerts. i can see another one in like 3-5 years.

[ahtka-chan]

^Actually, she said she would like to hold concerts but she can't because her baby is really young. But she's thinking about doing a live showcase or something like it.

[thinkingoutloud89]

^annually? in america you what 3 years....wich is usually a good thing

edit: not exactly to you, so don't be offended, but I really can#t stand people that need new output like all the time and forget about the old stuff. I could live off for years from like 4 albums. But there really are popped who are like "oh I totally forgot about that song because I only listen to recent stuff."

[Miduhyo]

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

^annually? in america you what 3 years....which is usually a good thing

edit: not exactly to you, so don't be offended, but I really can't stand people that need new output like all the time and forget about the old stuff. I could live off for years from like 4 albums. But there really are people who are like "oh I totally forgot about that song because I only listen to recent stuff."

I'm personally a fan of that too. I rather wait a couple of years and get some really good music rather than just rushed sounding computerized junk. I.e: since I'm a fan of the pop stars (Namie, Ayu, Koda Kumi) nowadays I usually hear more repeating beats and catchphrases rather than actual music. I think that's one of the main things I love about Fantome. It's r.e.a.l. m.u.s.i.c.

[S4MU3L]

I like Fantome but I dont love it, is not her best album for sure. Im addicted to Michi though.

I love your signature Miduhyo, Utada is so random.

[Miduhyo]

^ You're not doing that on purpose? xD I thought you totally were. It's hilarious.

Originally Posted by S4MU3L

I love your signature Miduhyo, Utada is so random.

And thank you! Who doesn't love a good potato and rolex watch?

[koumori]

That potato is way too clean for her to have just found it. I just imagine her being at the grocery store and someone reminding her of having to be more active on social media to promote the album, so she just saw the potato and went with it.