[Perfume] Exploring the Cosmos in their 12th thread

[thinkingoutloud89]

^the song sounds pretty okay to me, especially after a few listens. The PV is kinda weak yes. Overall i think it fits their major theme of becoming more grown up. I gotta say I still love them for sticking to the same hairstyle for years. i love if you decide one thing is your thing and you stick to it till the end (like Mika Nakashima album names and so on)

[ahtka-chan]

I thought the PV was beautiful, but the chorus isn't really good.

[EndOfTheWorld]

I am loving this new song.
It reminds me of 2000s Perfume and I think that is why I like this song a bit more than some recent releases. I felt like Perfume was heading in an EDM direction that I didn't want.

[Irish_Ayu_Fan]

Love this song, it's chill but still exciting!

[Corvina]

The song is really good - except the chorus. A pity or else I'd really like it.

[pedronekoi]

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

^the song sounds pretty okay to me, especially after a few listens. The PV is kinda weak yes. Overall i think it fits their major theme of becoming more grown up. I gotta say I still love them for sticking to the same hairstyle for years. i love if you decide one thing is your thing and you stick to it till the end (like Mika Nakashima album names and so on)

Actually Kashiyuka changed her hairstyle for the PV of "1mm" ans fans get CRAZY about it. Like "why is she so different??" but all she did was to pull her fringe to the side. Probably they just keep the same hair because of the fans and because it became a "tradition" (but it must be really frustrating for the girls).



And, yes, I feel like Nakata is really out of inspiration with Perfume. He probably have a really long term contract with the record and can't stop doing musics for Perfume. That's my theory. Because he is really recycling some stuff for their music. :/

[thinkingoutloud89]

^I don't think it is frustrating to them...since they seem pretty much in charge of their own and choose to do that.

and that is no different hairdo, just a style as you said.. I rather meant that they keep the overall concept in their triangle. Nocchi changed the style of her hair to from time to time, but the length remained

[koumori]

There's no way they are allowed to change their hair on a whim. Perfume's whole image is based around them being super in-sync robots, so keeping the same look is definitely part of that. If fans throw a fuss about a hair parting I'd hate to see what would happen if they dyed their hair or cut it

[pedronekoi]

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

^I don't think it is frustrating to them...since they seem pretty much in charge of their own and choose to do that.

I don't think they are on charge of their own :/ I'm pretty sure they don't have the lead when choosing outfits, concepts, lyrics or even their own hair. A lot of music groups don't have control of their own careers and Perfume is one of them. (not saying that they are forced to do that but it's not like they have a voice) I remember that A~chan once told that she don't even like electronic music. :~

[thinkingoutloud89]

^hmm from what i can remember they pretty much have say, yet they have a team that does it for them and they tell what they like and don't like. As for their music, Nakata wants to do them all on his own, but the girls wished for less autotune and pretty much got it the time before Sweet Refrain and you still can hear how their music has changed and progressed since then.

You have to remember that they are neither newcomer nor new to the business and most contracts last for 5 years. When you get successful pretty quick, you get more say when you renew a contract - like own lyrics, music etc., if not, you just can't wish for things like that and hope for a good deal.

As they became famous with GAME and their popularity only increased, it is the label that has to offer so that the artist does not leave - of course it is up to the musician what he wants in the end and I don't think the girls want to coordinate what they do (which is more like a whole product made from different parts (visuals, choreography, sound and lyrics) on their own - and I don't even think they would be able to since they are not "just a band" that can write their own music and go on tour with that.

You can see that other artist fought for that to - but everything you do is still negotiation (only a very few label say "do what you want and we will see", sometimes they try that and let it go when it works or work closer with the artist if it flops). Koda Kumi is a pretty good example - she is producing all her tours (just like ayu) chooses her music and her way of presenting it, but probably gets the notice that she should include certain songs for profit (or at least gets the suggestion by her team).

[ahtka-chan]

^I still don't think they have control over their image. There's no way normal women wouldn't change their hairstyle even a bit just to see how it'd look like.

The more success, the more freedom, yes, but for some things the labels are pretty restrict.

BoA, for example, debuted in 2000s, but her label only allowed her to cut her hair short in 2011. She said in some interviews she was forbidden to change her hairstyle and I think it's pretty much the case with Perfume, which is a shame, it's tiresome to be wearing the same hair for years.

[thinkingoutloud89]

^well, they are changing it a bit

[Beauty4123]

Full "TOKYO GIRL" PV!
https://vimeo.com/202188789

[~kashifaita~]

Originally Posted by ahtka-chan

^I still don't think they have control over their image. There's no way normal women wouldn't change their hairstyle even a bit just to see how it'd look like.

The more success, the more freedom, yes, but for some things the labels are pretty restrict.

BoA, for example, debuted in 2000s, but her label only allowed her to cut her hair short in 2011. She said in some interviews she was forbidden to change her hairstyle and I think it's pretty much the case with Perfume, which is a shame, it's tiresome to be wearing the same hair for years.

Actually, I don't think it's the label that's enforcing it---I think they're enforcing it on themselves. I do agree that the girls have much more creative freedom (except musically) nowadays compared to the past. But I believe they once said before that they feel that they'll lose their identity as 'Perfume' if they ever drastically changed their styles. So, essentially, they do have control over what they wear, what they look, but they still try to maintain what makes them 'them'.

Nocchi did express wanting an even shorter hairstyle and Kashi wanting something like a pixie cut in a radio show before I think.

[ahtka-chan]

^I think it's sad that they believe they need to stick to the same hairstyle to not lose their "identity".

[thinkingoutloud89]

^for me they kinda have to. I dunno, it makes them them and everything they do (especially their performances) seems to be on point. Their image was always kinda robotic-like and I'm both lad and surprised they sticked to it and lastet so long.

[ahtka-chan]

^But maybe you have this feeling because they have been with that visual for all these years. If since the beginning they changed little by little their hairstyles and etc, maybe their image wouldn't be so dependent on their looks.

[thinkingoutloud89]

^but I love consistence in an artistic concept. I think art needs that - to o through with it. They could were wigs though.

I think it is a bother when artist stop that. Good examples are Ai Otsukas or Mika Nakashimas album-titles. A bad example are the album titles of YUI.

[~kashifaita~]

^ Truthfully, I like the consistency. It just makes every little change that they do with their hair super refreshing, at least in my opinion. Like A-chan's styles in SAMT/Spice for example, Kashi's in Laser Beam/Glitter/1mm or Nocchi's in Tokyo Girl/Cling Cling---all were surprising but pleasant. They were still recognizable and well received by most fans. I think it's a good marketing technique, since anyone, even nonchalant fans who only know Chocolate Disco, would be able to recognize them. I personally don't think they'd be as successful if they didn't stick to it.

Honestly though, I'd feel weird if Nocchi suddenly donned long blonde hair, or Kashi/A-chan went with something outlandish like lime-green or pink lol.

[ahtka-chan]

Guys, it's just hairstyles. They've been releasing successful songs, concepts, albums and etc. Irefuse to atribute all that just to the fact that they "never changed hairstyles so they can have consistence".

I like to believe that, yes, if they changed hairstyles every albums they'd be just as successful.