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Mattthecat	Posted: January 02, 2008 12:43 pm
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 2695 Member No.: 1 Joined: January 01, 2008	This is where you can post messages -------------------- Call me the future Mr. Matsuura (thx ILoveMico)

Mattthecat	Posted: July 30, 2008 11:51 pm
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 2695 Member No.: 1 Joined: January 01, 2008	Now that they have appeared on HO I might as well post them here too (didn't want to start any of those scandal discussions ) The first four are older (don't know from when), the last two show Aya with former (?) alleged flame, w-inds musician Keita Tachibana. Seems they went to a friend's birthday or something mid July, accompanied by friends. In any case unfortunately no scandal came of this. Would have been a good opportunity to leave HP and sign with a REAL record company -------------------- Call me the future Mr. Matsuura (thx ILoveMico)

JFC	Posted: July 31, 2008 09:36 pm
Ayayaism Master Group: Members Posts: 447 Member No.: 39 Joined: January 14, 2008	Well, the pictures in themselves were a sort of scandal (at least, that's how FRIDAY wanted them to be). Personally, I'm glad that nothing major happened because of them. If Aya HAD been fired from H!P/UFA because of these pics, there's no guarantee that any other record company would have signed her. The Japanese aren't exactly knowing for rushing to sign people that associated with scandals after all. And no, Maki doens't count, because she left H!P/UFA of her own accord. The scandal with her brother, at most, only sped up the process, but in all likelihood had absolutely nothing to do with her actual decision to leave. Maki herself (and her image) wasn't tainted with any scandal (other than that smoking thing, and even then she was already over 20 so it was just more of a surprise than it was a scandal), which is why she was able to sign with Avex. Okay, that, and her boobies. -------------------- Banner by Fracture. Do not use without his permission.

Mattthecat	Posted: July 31, 2008 10:48 pm
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 2695 Member No.: 1 Joined: January 01, 2008	I think that the no bf rule mainly applies to MM and the kiddy groups where there are concerned parents involved. Neither Tsuji or Iida were fired (or repremanded). Okay, they had something hot in the oven themselves Ans afaik these pics were not really a mater of great discussion anyway. -------------------- Call me the future Mr. Matsuura (thx ILoveMico)

usagi_no_kami	Posted: August 07, 2008 09:01 pm
Aya Adorer Group: Members Posts: 131 Member No.: 13 Joined: January 07, 2008	Funny thing is, the companies of both Aya and Keita denied the relationship and it quickly blew over... had Miki just gone along with the UFA's denial of any relationship it might've also blown over quickly with no long suspension and GAM might possibly still be an active unit! --------------------

ChobiMM3	Posted: August 07, 2008 10:21 pm
Total Addict Group: Members Posts: 531 Member No.: 16 Joined: January 07, 2008	coughAyaandMikishouldcontinuetheirlesbianloveaffaircough --------------------

JFC	Posted: August 08, 2008 03:35 pm
Ayayaism Master Group: Members Posts: 447 Member No.: 39 Joined: January 14, 2008	coughandwhosaysthey'renot?cough -------------------- Banner by Fracture. Do not use without his permission.

Mattthecat

Posted: August 12, 2008 03:57 pm

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As a request from ILoveMico Ronin was kind enough to translate the interview at Hot Press.

QUOTE

Matsuura Aya's first appearance in hotexpress! When she debuted everything was so much fun that she couldn't help it and when she was 18 she was almost about to be destroyed by the "Ayaya image" she had ended up creating herself. Swallowing the buds of her ego and her intentions of becoming an artist, she has struggled on to "Kizuna". She wants to be true to herself. Please have a look at this interview overflowing with the humaneness of this girl.

--Actually I've been observing Matsuura Aya's wonderful power of expression ever since the time of your debut and seeing you perform songs like "Dokidoki! LOVE mail", "Tropical Koi shiteru" etc. while fully enjoying it yourself, I thought "She's no ordinary person...". I thought "How can she be so full of self-confidence even though she's a newcomer?". (lol) How did you actually feel at the time of your debut?

Matsuura Aya: I enjoyed myself! Really. However I think I could truly enjoy it only in the 2, 3 years after my debut. I didn't know anything yet so I was happy with it being fun alone. But when I became older and reached the second half of my teenage years, I've come to understand that every single thing I do affects so many people from the staff and that so much time gets wasted because of it. And when I understood that, I started thinking about many other things, but in the beginning it was all fun because I didn't know anything.

--You were seen as the "representative of idols" at a pretty early stage already, right? I had the feeling you were delighted about it from the bottom of your heart. I thought "How much does she like herself?". (lol)

Matsuura Aya: I really loved myself! Ahahaha! No doubt about that. (lol) But I was surprised at the same time. I couldn't help but feel strange when I watched my pvs and saw myself on the TV screen. I couldn't calm down because I kept thinking "I'm on TV!", but I was really, simply happy about it. The more people were supporting me, the more I got fired up.

Now I'm able to get directly into the right mood like I'm switching it on and off, but at the time of my debut I didn't know anything like that, so for the shooting of a promotion video for example, I didn't go in front of the camera until I got into the 100% right mood for it. And when I finally went in front of the camera, I wasn't happy about how the video turned out. Because of that it used to happen often that we had to wait until I got into the right mood. But that also means that I was always 100% into it when I was on screen.

--When you got into such a situation at the age of 14, 15, when you were extremely busy and lots of things kept moving hecticly, wasn't it difficult for you?

Matsuura Aya: It happens at least once in 2, 3 years. Now it's been 8 years since my debut and it's happened about 3 times. I felt pressured, I didn't understand myself very well anymore and many other things happened, but the biggest inner conflict I had was exactly when I turned 18. I was really so busy all the time that my first break was one and a half years after my debut. And since really everything I did was new to me, I didn't have any time to look back. I didn't even have any time to watch the TV shows I took part in because I was already working on something else. But when I turned 18 I looked back for the first time. Looked back at myself.

That's when I noticed it. I had gotten used to being called "idol" and the job wasn't easy at all, but I had become able to act like I was smiling from the bottom of my heart even if it wasn't from the bottom of my heart. My face muscles had memorized how to make the face I call "my best face" and I had become able to smile even if I didn't feel like it. And when I was looking at pictures of myself, it looked like I was making the same face in every picture. When I felt like "?" towards that kind of myself, somehow everything stopped for a moment. I ended up feeling that I was like a doll. I thought "It's not good like this!" and "I have to act and say things upon my own emotions!".

It's not like I had a manual for it, but I felt that I had come all that way only making proper, harmless and inoffensive comments. I thought "But it doesn't have to be like that. It's ok to say things that are more humane.". (she means saying wrong, impolite or even offensive things) That's how I've come to think "I want to be true to myself, I want to be honest" at the age of 18. Since then I tried talking the way I felt like talking even in concert MCs. I didn't know how others would react to it, but I still wanted to try speaking honestly. When I did that the reaction of the audience was even better than usual. The staff liked it too. That means I was the one locking up myself in a shell on my own. That's what I realized. And I could overcome it.

--You've probably come all this way trying your best to keep the "Ayaya image" that you unintentionally created at the time of your debut.

Matsuura Aya: That's right. I've always observed myself from an objective point of view. Seeing "Ayaya" from an objective point of view, I thought to myself "Ayaya has to be like this!" and formed her the way I wanted her to be. And that was wrong.

--I'm sure there were many fans who thought Ayaya would always love and continue singing songs like "Momoiro Kataomoi", "Yeah! Meccha holiday" etc. which have many factors typically for idols and entertainment. But recently you've started releasing songs targeted at a wider range of audience.

Matsuura Aya: That's right. If you ask me why I've entered this world, I'd answer that it's because I wanted to sing. Normally people who listen to music do it because of a person they admire or because they are fascinated by the lyrics. It's the same for artists too. I always pay attention to the lyrics when I listen to music. And when you listen to "Yeah! Meccha Holiday" for example, don't you think "What the heck's that song about!?"? (lol) Songs like that have a very catchy melody, but I wanted to sing songs that you can sing no matter how many years pass, even after 10, 20 years, songs that contain lyrics everyone can relate to. That's why I started singing songs like my current single "Kizuna" and the previous one "Egao".

--I've actually believed that you'd overcome the status of an idol and become active as the artist Matsuura Aya one day. The first time I felt that way was when I watched the movie "Ao no Honou" which was shown in 2003. I'm sure playing the role of someone whose loved person turns into a murderer was difficult, but you completely turned into that role when you were acting, right?

Matsuura Aya: The same was true for everyone around me. Director Ninagawa Yukio never gives an OK unless you're totally into the role. The scenes where I appear in were filmed a lot later than the ones with Nino (Kazunari Ninomiya), but still I entered the set before it and studied by observation etc. That way I got to know the way everything works on the set. And since it was my first movie, I thought "I want to make it a good movie", "I want to do everything I can 100%", so I created the role in my mind on my own. The director didn't give me any directions at all. It felt like he was thinking "I don't understand young people nowadays anyway, so I'll leave it to Ayaya and Nino. You can change the lines too, just play the roles the way you want. And teach me how kids nowadays think." and I thought that I have to properly live up to his expectations. That's why I always discussed everything with Nino. The director rarely allowed a second take, so we had to do everything right and get an OK at first try. (lol) But I'm glad that I met Ninagawa-san through that movie.

--You've worked again as an actress several times after that. Do you feel the same kind of satisfaction as when singing?

Matsuura Aya: I do. There's a lot you learn from theater and musicals too. The way to speak for example, also how to put your feelings into acting. You can learn all that from observing the actors and actresses around you. There's something to learn every time.

--Also, I forgot the name of the show, but if I'm not mistaken you performed in a NHK music show with a jazz band in back, right?

Matsuura Aya: It was Momoi-san's show!

--When I watched that show, I thought that you might have discovered the desire to explore more artistic, deeper levels of music.

Matsuura Aya: First of all, I like live sounds. It's the same with my voice and with music instruments. The pleasant feeling you get at the moment when the sounds of the instruments come together is awesome. I really love that groove and that sense of unity as if everyone was doing something together while holding hands. I got to know the fun of that in such a setting as the one in Momoi-san's show. I strongly thought "Ah, I want to become such an artist!".

--It's the same with your movies and your singing with a live band. Whenever you had the chance to do something different, something you haven't done before, you've always made use of it, right?

Matsuura Aya: That's right. I think "I always want to keep on challenging myself". I don't like creating a wall on my own by saying "This is impossible" right from the start. If you try to do it and fail, you can't help it, but I'm the type to think "Let's just try to do it first!". I like that kind of thrill. I think that a life where everyday is an exciting adventure is more suited for me than a stable one. I tend to get tired of something once I get used to it.

--"Kizuna" is your new song. After listening to this song I wanted to ask you about something. What kind of message does Matsuura Aya want to convey to the listeners through this song?

Matsuura Aya: Of course I'm not targeting a specific generation, but I want the generation of parents, the generation of people who have children to see that "we think about a lot of things too, even though you might not expect it". The people around me who are about as old as I am are all level-headed and think about various things. We're not just playing around doing nothing. In this industry your age doesn't matter and even if it's two people who could be parent and child according to their age, they still talk with each other as two adults, so I thought it would be good if the whole world was like that too. I'm sure there are actually lots of children who have built their own opinion about many things, but can't express them because grown-ups look down on them thinking "It's only a child". That's what I want you to feel when listening to my songs.

Another thing I wanted to tell children though "Kizuna" is that "you are not alone". It was the same for me, but when you're 18 or 19, you feel like a tragic heroine when you're worried about something or feeling down. Like "I'm the only one who's in pain.", "Everyone else are enemies.". But it's actually not like that. Whatever you do you're always being supported by someone. We have to make ourselves aware of the fact again that "we're only alive because someone was there for us". I'd like this to be conveyed through the song.

--But you need persuasive power for that because nothing can be conveyed if the listeners think "How does singing about stuff like that help?". You have to overcome this hurdle.

Matsuura Aya: Yeah. I wouldn't be able to sing it if I hadn't experienced it myself. I wanted to sing this song because I thought that I understand the lyrics. Earlier you mentioned about how I've done everything with a lot of energy at the time around my debut, but it was really like that. No matter if it was a song about love or something greater like in this one, I had no choice but to sing it with the help of my imagination which were sometimes delusions because I didn't have any experiences myself. Now 8 years after my debut I've gained some experience in life even if only little. I've come into contact with many different people, listened to their talk, observed them and now I can finally sing songs as if it were my own words. I think that was a big change in the sense of "conveying something to people". When I think "Ah, I've come to understand this feeling!", "I've also experienced this!", I can properly put my feelings into the words I'm singing.

--Is it that the more you sing your new song "Kizuna" the more perfect and ideal your performance becomes?

Matsuura Aya: That's right. Every time I sing it I feel different inside. I can't sing it exactly the same way twice. I sing the words differently depending on the day. That's why I can enjoy singing it.

--In addition to singing about the negative parts of life and the situation the world is in, you also pray for happiness and say the words of gratitude again and again. I think that's the kind of song "Kizuna" is, but do you sometimes think or feel the way like described in the lyrics of this song in everyday life too?

Matsuura Aya: After watching bad news, I think seriously about many different things. Also, it's the same when you're having a normal life too, you actually don't say "Thank you" as often as you'd think. Maybe you often don't say it to very close people either. I sometimes really wonder if I said my thanks to my family recently. However, everytime I sing this song it reminds me that I should say thanks. I mean these words make me really happy when someone tells it them me too. The song "Kizuna" really made me think about many different things.

--It's a very common question, but at what kind of times do you strongly feel the importance of "bonds"?

Matsuura Aya: For example the bonds between me and my family, people from the staff and other people who are close to me can only be deepened when I talk a lot with them or discuss something until we come to an agreement, right? And if we assume that I can switch between on and off, there are people who know the "off" me. I know how to deepen my bonds with people like that, but my fans, if I were to put it clearly, only know the "on" me, right? Nevertheless they all support me from the bottom of their hearts and tell me that they'll follow me no matter what happens. I think there's no stronger bond than that! As for me I tend to be suspicious of people when I meet them for the first time. I think "What kind of person is he/she? What are his/her intentions?" and I'm the type who doesn't trust others easily. It's because I'm very timid and I don't want to be hurt. (lol) Compared to that, my fans all support me 100% from the bottom of their hearts. I think that kind of bond is amazing. And that makes me really think "Thank you". If someone asked me if I could do the same for someone else, I'd be in trouble.

--You can strongly feel those bonds at the "Matsuura Aya Concert Tour 2008 Spring 'AYA The Witch'" which is currently being praised highly. Can you tell us about the content of the tour?

Matsuura Aya: This time I perform all of it with a full live band which I always wanted to do. So the "Let's all create a groove together!" and "Let's all become one!" emotions all depend on me this time. That's why I learn a lot from this. It's a challenge too. I'm having a lot of fun. Basically it's 2 performances on a day, day and night, so I keep telling myself that I have to pace myself, but everytime I end up completely exhausted. You don't notice it at all when you're standing on stage, but after changing my clothes I notice how exhausted I am. My body is always honest. (lol) But when I'm asked if I can pull off the 2nd performance, I can somehow do it. I think the calls of my fans are amazing after all. They raise the tension so high that even I can't control it anymore.

--Does that mean that you absolutely love live concerts?

Matsuura Aya: I love them! I love live concerts the most! I like musicals and stuff too, but in concerts I can stay as Matsuura Aya. I love talking too, but I can be most honest when I'm singing, even more than when I'm talking. When you're talking you keep thinking about things like "I want to make it sound interesting", "I want to word it nicely" etc. That's why I think I can be myself the most when I'm singing and I want many people to see my real self.

--Well then, this will be my last question. Matsuura Aya, what kind of artist do you want to become in the future?

Matsuura Aya: I've only recently become able to even think about it, but I'd really like to write my own lyrics. Once I became impatient thinking "Isn't it soon time for me to do it?" though. Was it around the time when I became 20? Just when I was worrying about that, Yuming-san asked me to be a guest in her radio show and I consulted her about it. I asked her "Isn't it time for me to start writing lyrics?". Then she said "It's best to write lyrics when you really feel like it.", "Actually there's nothing more difficult than understanding and expressing lyrics someone else wrote.". That helped me stop being so impatient about it. But in the last 1, 2 years I thought "If I write the lyrics myself, I can probably put even more emotions into them" and "It might be good if I put my own experiences into words" and started writing a bit. But I'm still a bit too ashamed. It feels like someone's reading your diary and since I write everything exactly the way I feel about it, I can't word it beautifully. (lol) But when I'm satisfied with them, I think it'd be nice if I can release a song with self-written lyrics in the near future.

What a great job from Ronin. It is so rare that ones gets to see an inside look at HP members in general and Aya in particular.
Everyone who who thinks that being an idol starting in their adolescence and growing up with it is easy should read this...
It has been evident for quite some time that Aya is trying to shed the idol image (and apparently it is beginning to work outside the wota circles), though I think losing "Ayaya" will be almost impossible. On many TV shows (including Meringue) she is still called that.
Ideally she will be able to incorporate both aspects in the future. And I do hope that UFA will find (or create) a place for her in the long run.

--------------------

Call me the future Mr. Matsuura
user posted image

(thx ILoveMico)

JFC	Posted: August 13, 2008 06:42 pm
Ayayaism Master Group: Members Posts: 447 Member No.: 39 Joined: January 14, 2008	Really good article. It shows that Aya's growing up and that she wants to push herself, but that she's accepting of her past and accepts it, because it's helped make her who she is today. She still seems fine with being referred to as "Ayaya" (it's still a cute nickname, after all), but she's smart enough to know that she can't pull of the "Ayaya Idol" image forever. -------------------- Banner by Fracture. Do not use without his permission.

usagi_no_kami	Posted: August 13, 2008 07:58 pm
Aya Adorer Group: Members Posts: 131 Member No.: 13 Joined: January 07, 2008	Maybe Aya will "pull a Yuko" and perform a song she wrote herself in one of her birthday concerts someday. --------------------

Mattthecat	Posted: August 13, 2008 08:29 pm
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 2695 Member No.: 1 Joined: January 01, 2008	Well, she did sing two songs to which she wrote the lyrics before Remember "Shopping" and "Osentaku" from those MBS Young Town radio shows? -------------------- Call me the future Mr. Matsuura (thx ILoveMico)

usagi_no_kami	Posted: August 28, 2008 09:31 pm
Aya Adorer Group: Members Posts: 131 Member No.: 13 Joined: January 07, 2008	^ That's right... but I'm not sure if she's consider them self written songs as they were more for something funny rather than expressing her feelings. I wonder, now that Gocchin has written and performed her own song would UFA allow Aya and Yuko among other attempt writing and performing songs they've written to sort of remain competitive or keep the girls who have aspirations of doing so from jumping ship to an agency that would allow them to write and perform their own songs? --------------------

BLoNDDyKe	Posted: September 17, 2008 09:09 pm
Still in Puberty Group: Members Posts: 19 Member No.: 56 Joined: March 01, 2008	hey guy any1 can have some facts abt aya's FEARS cuz i really want 2 know -------------------- ★僕は君のネコ★

usagi_no_kami	Posted: September 22, 2008 08:32 pm
Aya Adorer Group: Members Posts: 131 Member No.: 13 Joined: January 07, 2008	Well for one we know she's afraid she can catch a virus from computers! --------------------

Mattthecat	Posted: September 22, 2008 11:52 pm
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 2695 Member No.: 1 Joined: January 01, 2008	Interesting little video in the archives tonight. A trip to Himeji visiting Aya's old school and parental home (I guess). Note that the family name is written in Latin letters... -------------------- Call me the future Mr. Matsuura (thx ILoveMico)

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