Ayumi in SLT = oh, another GaGa copy?

[SKYia]

I guess people compare them not because the PV itself is weird. To ma Lady GaGa represents costumes that don't fit, oversized, non-standard, plastic, etc, they seem like those first future-like costumes from the 70's. Even though Ayu had some huge dresses they were always exaggerated but in normal standards and looking good. Now I look at Sexy Little Things PV and I don't see Ayu style weird clothes, but typically GaGa style weird clothes: they are too huge, distort the silhouette and go with hairstyle that is looking far too fake (I'm thinking about the black & white clothes with pony tail from the PV).

I don't mind reviving some styles from the past, but I don't like it when two or more stars do it at the same time, why did she have to do it right now when GaGa is already doing it too? Because it's popular, "people like it at the moment, so let's do it" kind of thinking.

[ownsarai]

I don't think Ayu is copying. So what if she happens to use outfits from a few FAMOUS designers? That makes her a copycat? Ayu did weird stuff/make up/clothing/PV's way before GAGA was around. People need to realize this. I've said this before. Obviously people are going to beat this into the freaking ground.

[y_nathz]

Oh well Ayu was just apparently wears the clothes from the same designer
That's just something like this year's trend for me, not copying

[HarukaKamiya]

Oh, for crying out loud. It's just one word that Ayu is merely EMULATING (which is not copying, and I haven't seen the Slt PV yet so I can't say anything about it) and that is:

MADONNA

[perfectodub]

Originally Posted by Crystal_Ageha

This. It's only because the U.S. shoves everything they produce in everybody's face. It's hard not to have at least heard her name whenever they try hard as they can to toss it into every media around the world. If GaGa came from Japan, she would have never gotten to be one tenth as popular as she is now, and comparing her to Ayu would be like comparing......Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson. (Random, I know, sorry. >_>)
Japan not only doesn't care about making it outside of the country, but they often even don't want to. Ayumi obviously doesn't care about making it out of Asia, and we know she'd be fine if she was only known in Japan. But despite all that, she has tens, maybe even hundreds, of thousands of Westerners, alone, who know her name. That's a very impressive accomplishment, something that GaGa could only dream of achieving.

"shoves everything they produce in everybody's face" sounds to much noble to be true

the world is plagued by USA companies in every corner of the planet.
USA can promote and publishing anything they want, anytime, anywhere.
is all about money and power.

that not make an artist bigger

[Nessa]

Sorry this has nothing to do with Ayu or Gaga, but when something urks you even after reading on for 7 more pages, it must really urk you.

Originally Posted by perfectodub

"shoves everything they produce in everybody's face" sounds to much noble to be true

the world is plagued by USA companies in every corner of the planet.
USA can promote and publishing anything they want, anytime, anywhere.
is all about money and power.

that not make an artist bigger

This is borderline offensive to me, as an American citizen. After all the crap that gets slung at my country elsewhere, you go and bring BS like this to an Ayumi Hamasaki forum? I don't know if you realize just how offensive this can be. Please leave your bashing of my country off a fan-forum for a Japanese pop-star.

[waterballoon]

Jesus this thread needs to be locked, thrashed and burned pronto.

Honestly, the nature of the thread is fine - what's wrong with discussing if Ayu took inspiration from Gaga or vice-versa, or rather what's wrong with discussing both Ayu & Gaga being huge fashion fans? But really when immature children rush in here to defend Ayu/Gaga it just gets really annoying and retarded imo.

My opinion is, obviously Ayu didn't copy Gaga... wtf really. Neither Ayu or Gaga is your typical run-off-the-mill pop artistes who just do everything their managers tell them to. They have aspirations and minds of their own, and they have a hand in almost EVERYTHING that comes out from them, be it music, videos or fashion.

As mentioned, the fashion in Slt are haute couture fashion which just so happens to be kind of stuff Gaga is into. Does this mean Ayu copied Gaga? Um, no... sorry to Gaga stans (wherever you are, AHS or youtube, I don't give a ****)... Ayu has done way weirder things in the past.

And now for Ayu stans who are bashing Gaga just cos you precious goddess is getting accused of copying. stfu Gaga isn't your new object to bash after Kuu, kthx.

Both Ayu & Gaga are such awesome artistes that it's just painful to be a fan of both and having to see stans killing each other over things like this...

I'm just really sick and tired of all the bashing of other artistes and Ayu... and it has become so prominent recently...

[emi♡]

Wow.

Um sorry people around the world like music from the US?

The US music industry doesn't make people in other places buy their music. Japan is the second largest industry in the world. They have the munny to promote and publicize their artists in other parts of the world.

Why don't they? Oh yeah. Because they probably wouldn't reap the same profits of what they get in their home country.

Yes, everywhere, it's all about munny.

[microphone]

Originally Posted by emiko

Wow.

Um sorry people around the world like music from the US?

The US music industry doesn't make people in other places buy their music. Japan is the second largest industry in the world. They have the munny to promote and publicize their artists in other parts of the world.

Why don't they? Oh yeah. Because they probably wouldn't reap the same profits of what they get in their home country.

Yes, everywhere, it's all about munny.

American singers don't make the same profit in foreign countries either.

The current trend is english language songs. Not japanese. I think that is why. Someone said Ayumi doesn't care about her foreign fans but she is writing more and more in english. I don't think she do it because it is exotic trendy thing but because she really desire to communicate to all of us.

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by microphone

American singers don't make the same profit in foreign countries either.

The current trend is english language songs. Not japanese. I think that is why. Someone said Ayumi doesn't care about her foreign fans but she is writing more and more in english. I don't think she do it because it is exotic trendy thing but because she really desire to communicate to all of us.

why did you use a rolleyes smiley when that was part of the point O_o

In any case, there are a lot of reasons for the US having more international success.

The US doesn't really have as much as a margin for loss in other countries. They are never going to make as much in other places as here. Not many other countries are as big and populous as the US.

In their case, I think, they don't necessarily see expansion into other countries as a complete question of dollars and cents as many companies would. There are other reasons why they want to be there.

[microphone]

Originally Posted by emiko

why did you use a rolleyes smiley when that was part of the point O_o

In any case, there are a lot of reasons for the US having more international success.

The US doesn't really have as much as a margin for loss in other countries. They are never going to make as much in other places as here. Not many other countries are as big and populous as the US.

In their case, I think, they don't necessarily see expansion into other countries as a complete question of dollars and cents as many companies would. There are other reasons why they want to be there.

You did not make your point clear. Then, why do you say it's all about money? You said,

Yes, everywhere, it's all about munny.

I can't understand your purpose. Don't you think it costs a lot of money to promote a singer in over 30 countries? You can bet big money loss if promotion is not successful. Also, a minimal margin for loss has no relation to domestic sales nor does it contribute to international success. What do you mean by this?

Do you mean to say American companies do not care about profit but rather, show western culture to other countries? If so, I think you are still wrong. I don't understand how an entertainment company can do this. Their primary goal is money, not cultural enlightenment. I think this is a fair accusation. What do you think?

[terra]

^^woo nice thoughts waterballoon, I agree with you

[Tasked]

If anything, Gaga is the western Ayu...

[y_nathz]

@waterballon : Nice thoughs dude!

[noisy_harmony]

Originally Posted by amorphose

I don't think Lady GaGa is copying Ayumi and I don't think Ayumi is copying Lady GaGa. If either of them is copying ANYONE, it's Madonna

THIS x100000000000000000.

Because Lady Gaga is hugely popular worldwide now (we can't argue with it ofc), every well-known female singer is compared to her. Because we're in AHS, community about Ayumi Hamasaki, it's normal that she's compared to her and vice versa. That's all. Other artist/musician will become famous also because of appearance and style and everyone will say that other artists copied her/him. And so on and so on. It's Gaga time now and she can feel safe because she's ~original~ at all. But is it true?...

[se7entheaven]

I love both ayu and Gaga. But just because Gaga makes more controversy everyone now tend to link something crazy as GAGA. the SLT PV might remind some people of Gaga, but ayu did it really ellegant and nicely.

[yamadashun]

what i'm really appreciated is that, no matter how "weird" ayu does in the costumes/styles/performances/PVs, she keeps them all ELEGANT and pretty.

not some weirdo or freak... and i think this is the biggest difference.

[thatstacey]

Delurking (hi!) to add a couple things. I should preface this by saying that I've been a huge fan of Ayu for a little less than half of my life, and my love for Lady GaGa has grown exponentially in the last few months.

1. Not everyone is as literate in fashion as Ayu, Lady GaGa, and some of the members on this board are. Lady GaGa became famous wearing McQueen, so a lot of people are going to equate McQueen designs with her simply because they don't know any better. Although I think some GaGa influence is inevitable--simply because of the sheer cultural saturation we're experiencing right now--I don't doubt that Ayu knows enough about the fashion industry to know McQueen is a go-to designer if she wants to represent England in the best of its fashion (and the most recognizable--partially thanks to Lady GaGa).

To me, the most obvious difference between the designs we typically see on Lady GaGa and those we see on Ayu is that, while GaGa often wears strange, even unflattering shapes that challenge our ideas of femininity and female sexuality, Ayu plays it (comparatively) safe. Even the more bizarre outfits--like the two checkered suits--are still structured to give her a traditionally-feminine figure. This makes me think it's more about the British fashion as British Fashion than a larger statement (however pretentious). In other words, yeah they use the same designers, but the clothes' narrative payoff in the video (so far) is different.

2. A big part of Lady GaGa's shtick is the creation of pop culture pastiche. She isn't just ~copying~ legends like Madonna and Michael Jackson for the sake of trying to emulate them and their success; she's consciously trying to evoke them in her themed performances about fame and pop culture consumption.

Ayu has also mimicked Madonna in her performances without coming out and saying "this is a statement about fame" or anything. However, I don't think we should ignore the fact that this album in particular is called Rock'n'Roll Circus and includes extensive photo and PV shoots in London. If she wasn't trying to consciously evoke other artists in previous performances, than I think it's safe to interpret this album, at least, as having an element of pastiche.

Of course, some people write off pastiche as just another despicable case of plagiarism, and not everyone buys into Lady GaGa's act; this post may be totally meaningless to you. I feel better putting this out there when there's so much hate flying around. Both Ayu and Lady GaGa are too awesome for this kind of debate.

[Delirium-Zer0]

Originally Posted by thatstacey

Delurking (hi!) to add a couple things. I should preface this by saying that I've been a huge fan of Ayu for a little less than half of my life, and my love for Lady GaGa has grown exponentially in the last few months.

1. Not everyone is as literate in fashion as Ayu, Lady GaGa, and some of the members on this board are. Lady GaGa became famous wearing McQueen, so a lot of people are going to equate McQueen designs with her simply because they don't know any better. Although I think some GaGa influence is inevitable--simply because of the sheer cultural saturation we're experiencing right now--I don't doubt that Ayu knows enough about the fashion industry to know McQueen is a go-to designer if she wants to represent England in the best of its fashion (and the most recognizable--partially thanks to Lady GaGa).

To me, the most obvious difference between the designs we typically see on Lady GaGa and those we see on Ayu is that, while GaGa often wears strange, even unflattering shapes that challenge our ideas of femininity and female sexuality, Ayu plays it (comparatively) safe. Even the more bizarre outfits--like the two checkered suits--are still structured to give her a traditionally-feminine figure. This makes me think it's more about the British fashion as British Fashion than a larger statement (however pretentious). In other words, yeah they use the same designers, but the clothes' narrative payoff in the video (so far) is different.

2. A big part of Lady GaGa's shtick is the creation of pop culture pastiche. She isn't just ~copying~ legends like Madonna and Michael Jackson for the sake of trying to emulate them and their success; she's consciously trying to evoke them in her themed performances about fame and pop culture consumption.

Ayu has also mimicked Madonna in her performances without coming out and saying "this is a statement about fame" or anything. However, I don't think we should ignore the fact that this album in particular is called Rock'n'Roll Circus and includes extensive photo and PV shoots in London. If she wasn't trying to consciously evoke other artists in previous performances, than I think it's safe to interpret this album, at least, as having an element of pastiche.

Of course, some people write off pastiche as just another despicable case of plagiarism, and not everyone buys into Lady GaGa's act; this post may be totally meaningless to you. I feel better putting this out there when there's so much hate flying around. Both Ayu and Lady GaGa are too awesome for this kind of debate.

QFT. As far as I'm concerned, this post should end the thread. I wish more people like you would delurk and contribute, thatstacey - most intelligent post I've seen at AHS in years.

[Suteisi]

I don't understand why people feel the need to compare Ayu to Lady Gaga all the time.

Ayu's been around a lot longer than Gaga, so if anything Gaga is the one taking ideas and inspiration from her. (But I agree on what some others have said, BOTH of them are highly inspired by Madonna.) She's been doing weird PVs and wearing high fashion designer clothes before going to England for Rock'n'Roll Circus.

I love both Ayu and Lady Gaga, I'm a fan of both of them, I've seen both of them in concert and follow their releases (ok, maybe I follow Ayu a little more closely than Gaga, but anyway) and I don't compare them every chance I get, every time either of them releases something new.

Not to sound mean or offensive, but some people really need to stop obsessing, it's getting a little out of control...