Ayumi = manufactured?

[MorbidBarbie]

I was having a conversation with a close friend. [He's really fond of Shiina Ringo and the Tokyo Incidents (Tokyo Jihen). And I really like them, but sometimes... I have to admit. Ringo's voice is not a really great SINGING voice and sure that may be her style, but if you aren't accustomed to it, then you'd probably think negatively.]

Anyways. The conversation started when I told him how deep I thought some of her PVs were, and I explained what some of them meant to me and that sent him on this whole tangent about how Ayumi was "manufactured"

So I'll quote a couple things he said:

"You are overthinking it to the point where it's not what it was intended to be.
argh. okay. ayumi is so manufactured. I mean I love her music. Sorry. I mean I like her music, but the reality is that she is handed a schedule, she is handed lyrics, music, a mic and they tell her to sing.

She wrote 12 songs out of 200. CREA, Ayumi, and A in total wrote 12 songs. Look it up. And by writing I mean lyrics.

Ayumi is just so fake... she's likeable. Her music is catchy, yeah. But I can't compare her to any other REAL japanese band like LOVE PSHYCHEDELICO, noodles, etc etc. Where they make their own music, where they don't have to sell singles and calenders, dolls, coffee mugs, stickers, etc. Aka ***** themselves out so that the big man can make money. That's what makes me not respect Ayumi. She is contracted to panasonic, morinaga, and all of these companies. She is branded.

I would love her if she went independent. Like she would be a studio and create an album herself. She wouldn't have to ***** herself in CMs.

Obviously she signed herself onto a 10 year deal. I guess she'll try her best to make the best of it."

I guess, lately her stuff has been less than amazing, but I still love her none the less.
It says Ayumi writes her own lyrics. Sure she has bought songs in the past, like Real Me... and sure she had Sweetbox do a lot of stuff for her as well as other people.... but I'm pretty sure she writes her own lyrics. I mean, she is known for forgetting lyrics in live preformances but that could be for numerous reasons. (Not rehearsing, lack of sleep, really tired, on purpose for being like "cute")
I think personally that Ayumi is more than some catchy marketing device... and even though she realizes that she herself is a product... she uses that status to an advantage... like how she produced Alterna...


He's not just ayu-bashing... I mean... I don't know.
What do you think?


Don't just tell me crap like "OMG I LUV AYU TILL THE END~!!!!!!!!!!111111111"