[TeamAyu] Ayu taking an "unofficial break" from March 2024

[koumori]

At the beginning of April 2024, Ayu addressed this and a change of heart via a TA App blog. Cross-posting here from the AHS Discord:

TA App Blog, 7.4.24
25th→26th
間違いなくこれまでで一番TAと共に日本中を駆け巡 り、あっという間に過ぎていった、大切な瞬間だらけ の一年でした。

TAには前に少し話したけれど、この1年間精一杯に心 を込めて恩返しし終わったら、しばらくお休みをする 時間をもらおうと。

思っていたのですが、精一杯頑張ったら、それ以上の 精一杯がTAはじめ様々なジャンルの皆様からすでに返 ってきてしまったので笑、26年目も予定大変更して走 り続ける事になりそうです。

いがいとまた、すぐに会いに行きます!!!!!!し ばらくいーやとか言わないでね?笑笑

Love TA

ayu

TA App Blog, 7.4.24
25th→26th
This was definitely the most exciting year I have ever had with TA, full of precious moments that flew by in the blink of an eye while travelling all over Japan.

As I mentioned to TA a little while ago, I originally wanted to take some time away after I gave both heart and soul to my work over the last year.

I really thought at that time that I'd given my all, but now I feel like I can still go even further after receiving an incredible level of encouragement from TAs and everyone else. For that reason, there has been a major change in plans. I'll be running just as hard through my 26th year.

I'll be seeing you all again soon!!!! So no one go and say they're tired of me now, okay? (laugh)

Love TA

ayu


Original post

Full credit to chocopockymaster@AHS Discord for this full translation of Ayu's recent posts on the TA app. These were written in the CDL thread there, and there has not yet been any official statement from Ayu or Avex to the media or on public social media.
As she says in the post below, this does not affect the 23-24 CDL or Act 2/Act 3 of the current tour.

"After much deliberation, I decided it would be wrong of me not to say what’s on my mind.

It’s been more than twenty years now since Yoyogi became the place where we could come together as one. I know TA feels this way too.

What it’s meant to us will never change, and we’ll ring in the new year with the Countdown Live as we always have.

That said…I want to apologize for giving any impressions that we might see each other at Yoyogi for the 26th anniversary next year, or that Yoyogi would always continue to be a venue where we’d come together and celebrate.

After this year’s Countdown Live, I will be stepping away from Yoyogi, our promised land. I am also not planning any special 26th anniversary celebrations. If I tried to write down all the reasons for that, I would run out of space…

Thank you.

Additionally, after the Countdown Live, and the conclusion of the current three-act tour, I’m going to be taking a break from scheduling any activities.

I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to bear being away from TA. I might make it half a year before realizing that I really want to see you all, or I might disappear down a new path that means you won’t see me for a few years.

I don’t consider this an official hiatus or any sort of concrete break.
It’s just, that when it comes to concerts at our beloved Yoyogi, this might be it."

[brener]

oh that's pretty understandable, touring like that might be exausting and she has children now.. although it is kinda sad that we wont have a 24-25 CDL after 25 years... anyway, i completely understand her decision, hopes that this "hiatus" takes the ammount of time she needs to recharge her batteries and mental health <3

[Aderianu]

There is a lot of time until tour final, who knows, maybe ayu will change her mind even before that. Or maybe will decide to get back for one 31st Dec day only
So go see ayu while you can!

Anyway nothing bad in it. As I said at the other thread, now her boy will notice her absence

[Chris85]

I wish she she had written the reasons.
C'mon, Ayu, you're the boss, you can have all the space you need.
It's understandable if she wants to focus on being a mother.

[AyuGAME]

This feels so official that she will take a break which she deserves a lot. I think she is the one and only one who works nonstop compared to the artists of the same generation. Maybe Misia is on par with her, but I don't think Misia is that active.

It's sad and worrying, especially since she really pampered us with so much stuff this year and suddenly she will take an indefinite hiatus, I'm sure I'm going to miss her.

But she totally deserves a break. I don't think she will take long though, half a year - 1 year top.

[JinHamasaki]

No concert on 4/8 to close things out??? Seems odd to end things in Okinawa…��

[mi|kshake]

I can't see her taking more than 6 months but good for her! She deserves a proper break after all these years.

[Ruan Borges]

I'm glad for her, 25 years is a lifetime, after all.

The selfish me would love her to drop a new single before the hiatus, tho.

[brener]

Originally Posted by Ruan Borges

I'm glad for her, 25 years is a lifetime, after all.

The selfish me would love her to drop a new single before the hiatus, tho.

i thought it but didnt write it hahahah a physical single release please on the 4.8

[ayu-michan]

Really happy for her to be taking a break, she’s been working like crazy. But on the other hand I’m afraid of this being the beginning of the end. And I can’t go see her live just yet… not at least few more years. Would be devastating that when I can finally go to Japan, she’d retire the biggest artist of my life, and I can’t even see her at least once.

[brener]

^ i feel you, i hope i'll be able to see her live soon, been following her since 2005 and now i gotta prioritize it for real <3

[CeReSu]

I'm afraid she would not come back after all if she take a indefinite hiatus !
She deserves a break (especially from touring so so much) but selfishly, she can continue to do music... look at Kuu who worked hard even with a young boy !

[kotora]

I feel like A BEST 3 - FINAL - or A COMPELTE - FINAL - or A FINAL BEST is coming.

[brener]

if i remember well, ayu said she wouldn't be releasing best albums anymore, so i dont know...

[Chris85]

Originally Posted by CeReSu

I'm afraid she would not come back after all if she take a indefinite hiatus !
She deserves a break (especially from touring so so much) but selfishly, she can continue to do music... look at Kuu who worked hard even with a young boy !

Utada came back, Ayu will too. Especially if endless touring has been her main source of income.

[voguehoney]

may be ayumi hamasaki FINAL COUNTDOWN LIVE 2023-2024 A？

[~angel*ayumi~]

Originally Posted by voguehoney

may be ayumi hamasaki FINAL COUNTDOWN LIVE 2023-2024 A？

Why should it be?

[AguileraAnimato]

Originally Posted by kotora

I feel like A BEST 3 - FINAL - or A COMPELTE - FINAL - or A FINAL BEST is coming.

That's what I thought too.

[BabyJane]

I don't know... She definitely deserves a break, especially with her two kids and everything, but like she had said numerous times, she can't live without being on stage and making music. I think she will take a break, enjoy the so much deserved time with her family and friends and maybe get new inspiration for music and touring. Who knows...

[brener]

^ totally, she even shared she was struggling with creativity block for the Remember you album. And yeah, she said in past interviews that she doesn't know anywhere else but the stage to be.

It is now quite common for western acts to take a 2-3 year break between major album releases, so it's fair enough for her to do it as well, she rly doesn't need to follow the fast paced japanese music industry calendar anymore.