Eradicating the Deadly Silence… Aya Matsuura back with her “Smile”

Posted under Aya Matsuura, Hello Project, Morning Musume by Aece McCloud

Lately, it has been too silent from HelloProject and after so many discouraging news UFA finally decided to release a single from Aya Matsuura on August 29th, 2007. The single is called Egao and courtesy of Totally! HelloProject a performance is available on YouTube subject to its continued availability.

I feel a little sad of what has previously happened in HelloProject. There was a time when I was considering HelloProject to be a small miracle between year 2003 and 2005 when HelloProject was very productive releasing the best of singles and enjoying the best of the concerts. But later too many good girls left including Yaguchi Mari, Abe Natsumi, Rika Ishikawa, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Tsuji Nozomi, Kago Ai, Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto and now recently Fujimoto Mikitty. This is more than the half popular cast of HelloProject & Morning Musume and despite UFA is making every effort in pushing the group forward, as of now the popularity is ranking lowest compared to its previous years. It almost seems like someone has died in the group and now everyone is only trying to adjust with the situation knowing there is nothing else that can be done in improving it.

I wish all the girls good luck and hope they do their best in years to come. The new members of JunJun and LinLin must be afraid of the continuous news and confused on how to deal with it. I am also stumped of what to expect of next years graduation, because it can be a great loss if Takahashi Ai or Risa Niigaki is to graduate. I previously discussed of Fujimoto Mikitty and Michishige Sayumi up for graduation; now Mikitty out of the way it is very dreadful for Michishige and she must be careful of what to expect next. Also it would be the worst decision of UFA to graduate Takahashi or Risa because the group will need them for at least couple more years. The reason is both girls retain the highest potential in Morning Musume and any loss will drastically decrease the overall performance of the group. Morning Musume needs no graduation next year if it can be delayed and new members can mature properly, but very sadly it is inevitable.

I still wish them good luck and hope they do good in their next single.

Apart from the general criticism some people pointed my blog posts to be of random tangents pointing in no specific direction, which may be very true. The reason is it has been kept that way because the strategies followed around all Morning Musume members is specialised for individual members and it is difficult to conclude it in just one or two blog posts. If it is difficult for people to follow-up then I will try to be more rational in posts. Also some people pointed out the posts to be immature and that I am only following the club for just a year now and may not possess the understanding required for analysing UFA or HelloProject or even the decisions of Tsunku. Just to clear things up, I am not calling myself to be an expert on anything about HelloProject and will never do. However, all the blog posts are posted based on going through 98% of all MorningMusume & GAM(including individual) TV appearances, performances, concerts, backstage clips or anything related with the club ever released since 1998 (Musume) till March 2007. I think it counts something in understanding the very nature of all members.

I will keep things plain & simple and not much exaggerate. There are somethings which are hardly perceived by the fans because they are ‘fans’. For example the very first tour of GAM has been decided and I hope it will be the best concert yet for them. However, much of the Matsuura’s song selection has continuously been exhausted in her concerts especially in Aya Matsuura Concert Tour 2006 Spring OTONA no NAMIDA which featured all her songs till yet in a very exotic way. Aya Matsuura has been slow in releasing singles. With Mikitty with no solo career and dragging an old selection of songs with Matsuura; it would be hard for UFA and Tsunku to make the first concert 100% successful. The fans will be there to support them in the concert but it doesn’t show the whole picture of their decreasing popularity. We need good numbers and we need them fast because that is the strategy always worked for Justin Timberlake if anyone follows him.

UFA and Tsunku is taking time in producing numbers for HelloProject members. I think they do need to give time for fans and for themselves to adapt with the situation because IMHO they never thought the situation with the group will become this worse in a very short time and not allowing them to rehab and get back on their feet again.

Lets enjoy the music while we can. Egao is the next number and fans need to give Morning Musume some time for them to improve themselves. We seriously don’t need anyone graduating next year (if its possible because only the thought of graduation gives me the creeps) and we want to see Morning Musume enjoying once again the same way they used to during year 2003 and 2005. We may never have another Eri Kamei, Risa, Takahsahi and Reina in the future but lets support them fully while they need it and retain them in the group as long as possible.

Amen