As many of you may know, there have been lots of rumors about avex dropping Ayu, Ayu retiring and everything, sales figures dropping,so Max Matsuura posted this on Ayu's official site. I thought it was very interesting and uplifting, to hear something nice about Ayu for once. Translated by evolusean at AHS.
Recently Hamasaki and I went out to eat together.
We went to "Makkuroo" in Roppongi.
Why there?
For some reason or another I was at that restaurant and met Ayu's friend,
Mika John (the president of Peach John). Afterward, Ayu heard that I was there
And asked me to take her, or something like that.
So there's no particular reason.
Occasionally we'll eat together. It's a normal thing for us.
We talked about different things. How she should attack the second half of the year.
She's been coming out with a lot of songs that make good singles
And the possibility of a new album at the end of the year is likely.
If so, a tour shortly after is likely, but right now I can only say it's a possibility.
In 10 years I think Hamasaki will be a Madonna or a Yuming, not just anyone.
She will be the first Japanese woman in today's Japan
To be in her mid-thirties and still continue
To be supported by young people.
Make no mistake about it.
Jeez, the tabloids say all sorts of things like she's not selling as much anymore,
Or that Hamasaki is over, but they simply don't know her at all.
Their merit and creativity should be more properly evaluated.
I believe it's the staff's fault that it's not.
It's sad that no one takes evaluations as much as doing it is doing it.
Certain people have been looking at Hamasaki through rose-colored glasses from the start.
When we've taken away those glasses, I bet they'll realize how wonderful she is.
There are so many creators who can't speak with her even if they're working with her,
Even though she wants to talk.
Something needs to be done about that. [Kore kara wa....]
I'm telling you of her true strength and talent firsthand.
Girls like Hamasaki don't come along very often.
Even thought I'm told to go find another Hamasaki, it's pointless.
Because there is only one Hamasaki Ayumi in this world.
Her distinct talent combined with her distinct visual,
Having her superior taste and fashion sense
And still she writes poetry, music, and sees through her generation.
Maybe I could find a person like that.
But I definitely won't find Hamasaki Ayumi.
It's not a matter of comparison. There's only one of her.
When an article saying "Ayu has been dried out by Avex"
Came out recently, Ayu laughed so hard.
It was an article written by a foolish reporter with no grounds at all.
But nowadays it's not so funny when even those kinds of tabloid articles
Get around in blogs and stuff, and it seems as if they were true.
Hamasaki and I said, laughing,
That we should do a commercial saying
"These articles are lying."
"I'm not dried ou~t."
"I'm not drying her ou~t."
But among the people that believe these articles are fans.
Naturally we thought we should pay careful attention to the reality of that fact.
For myself and for Avex
We think of Ayu as the first and final specially existing talent.
And from now on, no matter who I produce, I have no intention of writing
The inscription of "produced by max matsuura" in anyone but Hamasaki's credits.
We haven't discussed it much, but my relationship with Hamasaki is that of war buddies
Who have fought together and who are irreplaceable to eachother.
There's no way we could not have eachother.
Our relationship is one that no one can cut into.
Well, that's that.
And the next music video cost 240,000,000.
I wonder if that's an all-Japan record. With that sort of production cost, you could make a movie! (LOL)
Usually a music video is made on 4,000,000 to 10,000,000 yen.
I think EXILE's are like, between 40-50,000,000.
It's not really great to spend that much,
But please try to see her next musc video.
Incidentally, my name's WOMEN cost more than 100,000,000.
But it's because Ayu doesn't half-ass anything... Seriously...
That's my unrivaled partner.
[WRITTEN BY MAX MATSUURA ON AYU'S SITE]
CREDITS -
AURATOBE@JPOPMUSIC.COMGo Ayu!
<3<3<3