[Tabloids Translation] Ayu Under Fire for a-nation Performance

[ExodusUK]

Singer Ayumi Hamasaki (36) has (almost) always had the honor of carrying out the final performance at avex’s summer festival a-nation.

This year, she performed at four dates in Tokyo and Osaka.

Besides Hamasaki, South Korean top-tier acts like BIGBANG, Super Junior and EXO as well as popular Japanese performers like Sandaime J Soul Brothers, AAA and E-girls were on the guest list.

However, even with such an all-star lineup, not all tickets were sold this year.

“Even though a-nation looks tremendous at a first glance, a lot of fans do not enjoy it that much because their favorite artists’ performances are short. There are plenty of other music events in summer, ‘Summer Sonic’ for example, so people get tired of festivals.


Ayumi Hamasaki is no longer a hitmaker. Her last #1 single was released in 2010 and her 2014 single ‘Terminal’ peaked at #24. The same goes for her albums. Her last #1 was ‘LOVE again’ but the two CDs that followed reached #5 and #4 on the weekly chart.

Certainly, there are still a lot of people who follow Ayu but most of them are in their 30s. They are probably married already and sure don’t want to go to a summer festival just to see Ayu carrying out the final performance.” (Industry official)

If Hamasaki was still as popular as she used to now, her fans would have rushed to ticket booths just because of her name was on the perfomers’ list.

People on the net are saying that the “tragedy of 2012 has repeated itself”. By that, they are referring to an incident that happened three years ago, when Hamasaki was scheduled to perform right after BIGBANG. As soon as BIGBANG’s performance was over, half the audience rushed to the exit and left during Hamasaki’s performance.

This year, the same thing happend when she entered the stage after EXO’s performance.

Not just the demand for her CDs, but also for her lives seems to fade away.

Hamasaki is struggling in other areas as well.

Her fans who watched her segment at a-nation voiced their dissatisfaction with her cover of ‘DEPARTURES’ (globe) which she performed together with legendary music producer Tetsuya Komuro:

“She can’t reach the high notes”
“DEPARTURES isn’t such a vulgar song!”

Also, rumors about a personal crisis have surfaced. It seems that her husband, an American UCLA student, wants her to gain more weight.

“That her husband told her to gain some weight is because unlike Japanese men, American men prefer glamourous women. However, here in Japan, Ayu is a top artist and songstress.
Even if she gains weight, there are limits because she also has to maintain her figure for her fans. Before being a wife, Ayu is a singer and he doesn’t understand this because she is not well known in America. It’s nothing strange that conflicts like these can tear a marriage apart.”

Hamasaki got married only a year ago. Is a second divorce drawing closer? Or is she considering to retire for her husband?

Source: http://aramajapan.com/news/gossip/ay...-rumors/22210/

[Gustavopc]

I am so mad with this article I don't even know where to begin, what the fuck is that last sentence

[jbrat2219]

I honestly feel sorry for ayu. I can't imagine how mentally and emotionally exhausted she must be to face criticism and scrutiny with everything she does. She can't do anything right and is always being compared to other artists. And no matter how hard she may try to express herself, if folks don't like her musical or promotional direction they accuse her of not caring. She's a strong woman, I wouldn't be able to handle it!

[aliceshields]

I'm angry after I read this, esp the last sentence, again they wrote something based on their imagination, why not write some story book? Why this again? Are they really happy and celebrate for days if that's true?

[adantatu2]

Everything is so horrible, and the last part sounds stupid, lol.

About half of the audience leaving after their K-Pop artists, I believe it's true, especially because EXO's fans are insane.

[melissalove]

The part about her personal life was totally unnecessary. But the part about a nations empty seats, is totally true, I saw it in the video. Her singing wasn't that great either. Ayu is at a stage in her career where she can't be the headliner anymore. Man ayu can't catch a break, she has a lot of damage control to take care of before she's forced to preform in halls.( haha now I'm totally over reacting)

[Delicious n Bold]

Still-talked-about queen of pop causing controversies. Rake in the money ayu!

[hayasaki]

I wanna slap the one who wrote that article for God's sake. But since mama Ayu don't give a f**ck i'm good. Let them have a good life. lol

[oaristos]

"She is not popular anymore, her CDs don't sell that much... AND BY THE WAY HER HUSBAND WANTS HER TO GAIN WEIGHT." This article is disgusting.

[LONJJONG]

Read it at arama already yesterday. Not very amused at how they highlighted Terminal peaking at #24 meanwhile her other singles and albums are doing quite well they are clearly trying to create a buzz out of this!

After all she keeps being slammed for doing anything, duh. And girl will just do anything she wants

[ayumisrael]

lol like that article is legit.
It's like the chinese tabloids, just Japanese.

Half of the crowd lol, and the remark of her husband, like they would know. XD

[luna7996]

This article just makes me sooo sad. Even tho I know it probably isn't legit. I still want to believe that Ayu is The most popular artist in Japan even tho I know she no longer is.

[Yumsushi]

Its funny how the article starts by naming all sorts of popular acts that performed, and then blaming Ayu solely for the sales. And how do they know about this weight gain request? And so what? whats between her and her husband is there business but its not like he asked her to donate her kidneys to science so he can dissect them

[NintendoHTF1242]

I'm not surprised about everyone leaving before her performance, ya know? a-nation is essentially a music festival, and EXO has been the craze much more than Ayu is this year. You can't really force people to stay and watch Ayu, especially considering a-nation starts at like 1PM and she doesn't perform till like 8PM lol

[AyumiAi]

LMFAO the thing is this article is completely unfounded...

I think the majority of the people I saw at A-Nation were in their 20's and young kids and a LARGE number of them all had their Ayu Towel and T-shirt they just bought. literally sitting next to me was a group of 3 girls maybe 15 max 18 with like Ayu merch from not only this A-nation but a bunch of other concerts. Also A-nation is usually just for Japanese music, and so the people who go enjoy mostly all the line up, but the people who go for the k-pop groups tend to really only carea bout that one group, so once they're done performing the leave. The same thing happened to every group, Acid Black Cherry performed before exo and i saw a bunch of people leave after ABC performed its not just that no one wanted to see Ayu, its that people go to see who they want to see.

That being said, by the end of the concert the venue was still like 80-90% full. I don't think this article has any real truth behind it.

[Matt_rq]

Come on guys... what can we expect from Arama Japan? This "article" omitted so much information about sales and more.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

Still-talked-about queen of pop causing controversies. Rake in the money ayu!

As long as people keep writing articles about her, she is relevant. If they wrote bad things about her is because they knew people would be interested to read it either to bash her or the article.

[Bigtop]

Another article like this... (sighs)

This is surely shocking. But it isn't surprising.

I don't know what the future holds about Ayu... (along with my interest in her)

[AyUmIXx]

i was also so angry reading this article yesterday...heck..
it's not liked half of audience in the stadium were gone, i watched the last day of anation, there were still at least 80% ppl watching her perform, wth?
ppl only were leaving when ayu was about to finish 1st july song, courtesy of my friend who attended the concert.

so what? it's not liked EXO fans were all there to fill the stadium..geezz.. (i personally don't have problem with EXO)

and the rumor about her divorcing her husband just because her husband demands ayu to gain weight LOL..that's so ridiculous, even if it's real, heck, just divorce him, she doesn't deserve a man who doesn't accept who she is.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by AyUmIXx

and the rumor about her divorcing her husband just because her husband demands ayu to gain weight LOL..that's so ridiculous, even if it's real, heck, just divorce him, she doesn't deserve a man who doesn't accept who she is.

It's not real, the tabloid it was taken from could have said anything.

They could write her husband asked ayu to go through a surgery to become a man or to become Angelina Jolie, will they divorce?

That's so stupid lol.