[Ayu's Diary] 08.02.2010

8th February, 2010 5:09pm

Yesterday, we did recording all the way through the night into the morning.

Papino-san*1 were with me too. ♡

Pino-san has become a giant, like this.



Papiko-san has already achieved such a weight that a substantial effort is necessary to even lift it up. (laugh)

The two of them done nothing more than grow bigger~

And recently, this has been tempting me ☟




Mamiko-san*2 came in between recordings to give it to me.



Oh no.

This is so tempting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also always aim for this kid ☆



A half-asleep Princess Cocoa.

And~~~ so~~~~~~~~~~~~~~, I'll work hard today too, with my Arale-chan*3 glasses~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 Her 2 new puppies are named Pakiko and Pino, so she probably uses Papino to refer to both lol! ^^
*2 Judging by the photo, Mamiko-san may be ayu's mum, since she opens a store called hanabi.
*3 An anime character. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arale

Credit: Misa-chan @ AHS
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[Article] Metropolis - Team Ayu: The Pop Star It's Cool To Paint On Your Car

By: James Hadfield

Pop fandom knows many guises, but few singers have followers so rabid—and blind to the constraints of good taste—that they adorn their cars with images of their idol. Sure, Ayumi Hamasaki has fallen a long way from her early-noughties commercial peak, but her ardent supporters haven’t given up hope—and they’ve got the rides to prove it. The singer’s year-end concerts at Yoyogi Stadium provided a good excuse for the more lunatic fringe of her fan club, Team Ayu, to show off their Hamasakied vehicles: Cadillacs, kei cars and custom vans adorned with stickers and airbrushed portraits of the star. Trunks were converted into ad hoc shrines, with multiple TV screens blaring out concert footage, while the real diehards—read: just about everyone—proudly sported 1002 license plates, a reference to Ayu-chan’s birthday. Note to Lady Gaga: you’ve got a way to go yet.

Credit: truehappiness @ AHS
Original source: Metropolis
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[Article] Review of「You were.../BALLAD From J-ENT! World Groove CD Single

Avex trax’s reigning pop queen from Japan, Ayumi Hamasaki, nears her 50th CD single with the release of “You were…/BALLAD”, her 47th double-A sided CD single with the first song used as the theme for Disney’s video release of “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure” and “BALAD” which is used for the NHK drama series “Soukyuu no Subaru”.

“You were…(Original mix)” features a song written by Ayumi Hamasaki, music by Kazuhito Hara and arrangement by HAL. The passionate, upbeat ballad features a good balance of strings courtesy of Gen Itetsu and definitely a solid single from Hamasaki with a very passionate chorus.

But my favorite single on this latest release would have to go to “BALLAD (Original mix)” written by Ayumi, music by D-A-I and arrangement by Yuta Nakano. A slower ballad featuring strings by Yuko Kajitani. A gentle, delicate touch of the piano and strings with Ayumi’s vocals. Overall, a wonderful and even more passionate ballad.

The coupling track is “RED LINE ~for TA~ (Original mix)” written by Hamasaki, music by Tetsuya Yukumi and arrangement by Yuta Nakano. The song is an upbeat track and personally, I think it could have been an A-sided single itself. Catch, upbeat and pretty enjoyable track. Interesting on the insert, there are no lyrics but a one-line message which translates to: Due to the creator’s intention, the lyrics to this song have not been mentioned/noted/ listed.


I tried to do a little research of the meaning of the song and some say it deals with a friend of Ayumi’s that passed away. But the song is for her fan club “Team Ayu” (TA).

The fourth track features a music box version of “You Were…” and the remaining three tracks are the instrumental versions of the first three tracks (for a total of seven tracks overall).

The CD insert features the lyrics for “You were…” and “BALLAD”.

It’s important to note that there are three different releases of “You were…/BALLAD”. The CD only release, then two different versions of the single+DVD. The main difference is that the version I am reviewing comes with the “music box -retake version-” of “You Were…” and the other version comes with the orchestra version of “Sunset -LOVE is ALL-” instead. But both have the same DVD content.

As for the DVD, the DVD comes with the music videos for “You were…”, “BALLAD” and the making of “You were…”.

“You Were…” features Ayu wearing a white dress that has glowing parts all over (for those who saw the “Tinkbell and the Lost Treasure” film will understand the correlation of the fairy dust to this music video) and singing while snow falls. While another woman is seen, doing a robotic dance and fire flowing all around her.

In “Ballad”, the music video is a very dramatic video with an actual story. A man is seen sending letters through a mailbox in the middle of a field and then we see a flashback with the man and Ayumi riding a motorcycle and see two animated cats on the road and while they try to swerve, they crash. We then see the man surrounded by clocks, while Ayumi is wearing a dress and is in a beautiful, serene place with flowers, a tree and a lake, while the man with the clocks is searching for her in the middle of a field until we learn what happened to the Ayu and the man after their accident.

The final video is the making of “You Were…”.

Overall, for those who have stuck with Ayumi Hamasaki for the long haul throughout her musical career will find “You Were…/BALLAD” to be a single release featuring three solid tracks, while others may question what happened to her original style that they loved back in the early 2000’s. But for the most part, if you are a Hamasaki fan, this CD+DVD release is solid. I enjoyed all three songs and the DVD, especially the music video for “BALLAD” is well-done and very enjoyable.

If you enjoy her music, “You Were…/BALLAD” is a single worth having in your Ayu music collection.

Credit: truehappiness @ AHS
Original source: J-NET
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[Photos] Team Ayu Magazine Vol. 34 Preview

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The front and back cover are so nice!



Credit: Empry @ AHS
Original source: Yahoo! Auction Japan
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[Photo] Meeting Ayu At London Lots Of Pictures!!!

Going to share more pictures of UK fans of meeting Ayu at London last week

Click the pictures for larger version and don't forget to click "click here for more..." for more pictures!







Credit: Elisabeth Van den Steen + Elia Roos + Ianieee @ AHS
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[Ayu's Diary] 05.02.2010

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5th February, 2010 5:58am

This is bad~ I just can't get over the jet lag~ I get anxious whenever I look at the clock everyday, but recently, since I have been leading a life which does not follow normal hours anyway, there's no~ need to worry about me. And now suddenly, I have an urge to continue with my London report. Yes, at this time.

And that was my introduction.

Moving on, let me begin out of nowhere. About my many days in London! Hmm, on this day, I was wearing a checker-ed outfit, and my eyes felt unusually prickly when I made my appearance.



But, I smiled. For some reason, this was the scene when I just stepped out of the hotel.



And my coat had no sleeves. Because I chose those clothes when I was in a warm room, I made a mistake.

From time to time, my nose became red from the cold.

However, I was still feeling good enough to take photos for memory.



Yep, at that time, someone said this.

"Today has been the coldest day we've had recently!!"

Aa... I knew it??? (laugh)

Because I always sweat alot after recording, I tend to wear light clothing. Hmm, even though~ I think this way, I didn't sweat at all then. (laugh)



I sang, with a bulky knitted sweater wrapped tightly around me.



And then, as expected... "It's soooooooooo cold.."





Jiiiiiii---------------------------*1

Someone's demanding for oil heaters*2 with her eyes. (After they got what I meant, they installed 5 heaters for me. So many!)

That day, when we were done with recording, I went to the hair salon. The place was owned by a stylist called Nicky Clark-san. I've heard that this place is really really really super famous in London.

However, because I wanted my usual Zacc colouring*3, I only borrowed the private room in the salon.

In other words, it only looks like I went to Nicky Clark.







Inside. ZACC!! (laugh)



I've brought along the chemicals necessary for colouring and treatment from Japan, just in case. To the ZACC team, good job!!!



Even though this private room was in the basement, the stairway and walls leading down to here were covered with many autographs. I didn't know they had so many famous clients, I was quite shocked.

However, I was even more surprised at the bathroom, which was totally covered with mirrors. When I tried to leave, I couldn't find the exit.

I really panicked~ (laugh)

There were mirrors everywhere, I felt really nervous and my heart was beating so hard as I walked along. (laugh)

Hmm, looking back now, it was all fun.



My hair became a pecan-brown colour~ ☆



When I returned to the hotel... Everyone was still cheerful as always~!



And of course, I couldn't help smiling too, as I saw everyone's smiling faces~



Goodnight~♡



The next day.

Remembering the lesson I learnt the previous day, I've prepared myself totally. I wore 2 layers of knitted clothes this time.

It was so warm ♡



I'm proud that I've managed to match the pen colour with my nails.



Heh heh heh~



After this, I realized that I'd left my sunglasses back in my room. After talking with the staff, we decided to stroll along the road and maybe buy a new pair.

So we stopped along the way.



Did I really have to choose this. (laugh) ☟



Or this ☟



Stands out too much!! Doesn't it? (laugh)

Yeah, I played around with lots of them. But this has got to be the champion. ☟

Gori.... You're really on a different level, aren't you.

By the way, here's Gori's assistant Kanie-kun, wearing a pair of sunglasses that Bancho selected. ☟



He really knows how to angle his neck, so that you get different feelings and expressions, such a talented boy.

He looks like Yuki Matsumura-san.*4

Uwahahahah----------------!!!!!!



And we were fooling around here and there, then for some reason the shopkeeper suddenly asked "May I have your autograph!!"

Eh.. Wait...!!! Now???!!! (laugh)

He must have been embarrassed, that's why he didn't say so earlier. (laugh)

At that point, I bought all the sunglasses which I've tried on at once.

Then, I walked on wearing the sunglasses featuring the flags of different countries.

Yes, work.

I underwent a big change, and became super serious.



Everyone~ was really serious too.



I sat behind Nobita-kun, and we were having a discussion.

Aren't the roses beautiful?

At that moment, I totally lost concentration-



We made many good things- ☆

That day, when I returned to the hotel, I received a super surprise present from everyone waiting for me!!!!!!!!!!!!

They sang Curtain call for me.



They had such wonderful Japanese.

I wonder how long they practised it. That was really really such a beautiful moment.

Music is just wonderful, isn't it- ♡

Credit: Misa-chan @ AHS
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