Shibuya Doll

You can now find me here:

http://miss-niliria.tumblr.com/

Old blog. Revamped. New life.
Hope to see you all on Tumblr! You can also find me on instagram with my id: suteisi or on Twitter: suteisichan

Party Queen

Ayumi Hamasaki is back. And she's back "as your Party Queen". Or so she says.

Her lastest album, her 13th album, in 13 years (yes, lucky 13!) is pushing boundaries I don't think she's ever pushed before.

CD+DVD cover

CD only cover

CD+2DVD cover

Party Queen tracklist

01.Party queen
02.NaNaNa
03.Shake It♥
04.taskebab
05.call
06.Letter
07.reminds me
08.Return Road
09.Tell me why
10.a cup of tea
11.the next LOVE
12.Eyes, Smoke, Magic
13.Serenade in A minor
14.how beautiful you are

How beautiful you are was released as a digital single in February, but I hadn't paid much attention to it since I knew it was going to be on the album.

My 1st thought on the covers: Not good. My dislike for the covers has nothing to do with the fact that she's in lingerie, posing on all, hugging a shoe or looking like a drunk. My dislike from them comes from the fact that they just look bad. I never liked Ayu with short hair, and this is even worse. Her jaw and chin on the CD+DVD cover look abnormal and the background? What's with that lamp?. The "13th album" sticker on the bar code looks tacky.

It's pretty bad when the only things I like about these covers are her nails and the leopard print.

Disappointed, yes, surprised, no. I had high hopes for this cover, but that's my own fault for expecting too much out of it. I loved her previous albums' covers so much that I just thought they would keep on being beautiful. Yet I don't find any of these covers to be beautiful.

Ayu took a lot of heat when they were released, so much that she felt the need to explain the meaning of the covers on Twitter. She said they are meant to look like gossip/tabloid magazine covers. They are meant to represent her as a "sad" Party Queen, as someone that even though she is always surrounded by staff and friends, she is always lonely no matter what.

I'm sorry but if you have to explain the concept of your covers, to me that just means that it was poorly executed.

Mind you, I don't love her any less for it, after the FAIL of mini-album FIVE, I think Party Queen brings "old Ayu" back.

Even though the physical copy of the album is set to be released only on March 21st, it was made available for purchase and download on iTunes Japan yesterday.

I had a good 1st listen to the album yesterday afternoon, and had a 2nd go at it later in the evening. My 1st thought: Wow! I didn't expect to like it so much, especially since I disliked FIVE very much and didn't care for Rock'n'Roll Circus.

Party Queen has a very good flow to it, it seems everything was well thought and executed (on the contrary to the covers).

Party queen to taskebab has a dance-rock feel to it which is what I wanted most from Ayu. She had been writing so many slow-medium ballad songs for the last year that I wanted none of them on this album. NaNaNa shocked me the most, when I think of someone singing "Nanana", I think of a pop-happy song. But no, Ayu's NaNaNa feels like raw rock, with an electronic edge to it. The only word I find that describes it best is intense.

call to a cup of tea is the soft and sad part of the album. The lyrics to call clearly refer to the relationship she had with ex-husband Mannie and how their relationship was viewed by everyone on the outside, her fans, the media, etc. Return Road refers to her divorce. It really is true when they say that heartbroken songs are often the best in terms of lyrics. Listening and reading through these songs, I really felt for her.

the next LOVE and Eyes, Smoke, Magic have jazz feels to them. Something new and very different for Ayu. Eyes, Smoke, Magic made me think of burlesque, I hope she applies the concept to her Arena Tour this year.

Serenade in a Minor didn't leave any lasting impressions on me.

How beautiful you are is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. I'm kicking myself a bit, for not paying attention to it sooner than this. I had it on repeat for a good hour last night. "You don't know, you don't know... How beautiful you are..." really describe the song as a whole. There is also a meaningful music video attached to it, I would recommend you have a look/listen. It's well worth it, especially on one of those days where you're feeling down.

Over all, I love this album! The cover disappointed me, and I will probably end up replacing them with another fake cover in my iTunes. But this is the 1st album since NEXT LEVEL (in 2009) that I can say I'm able to listen from beginning to end without skipping a single song.

Good job Ayu! And welcome back~


What do you think of Party Queen? The covers? The songs? The music videos?

Divorce & Break-up

Team Ayu message from earlier this month...

To my overseas fans,

I wish to inform you theat i, ayumi hamasaki, instructes my lawyer to file for divorce on my behalf in the united states today.

At the time of our marriage, my husband and I decided to live in the united states. However, approximatetely two months later eastern japan was struck by a huge earthquake. As a result of this tragedy, I felt an overwhelming need to stay in my home county, and was forced to leave my husband alone for a long time.

My husband and I have made every effort to reach a compromise;

However, as time has passed we have grown apart. I no longer feel the same desire to move to the united states. Instead I feel that I must ask myself what I can continue to do for my country, here in japan. This has eclipsed the future I had originally envisaged with my husband, and it is for this reason that I have made this difficult decision.

It was with a grateful, but heavy heart that I read all the messages I received form my fans and the press congratulating me on my 1st wedding anniversary at the beginning of this month. It was then that I realized I had to face up to the inevitable truth that I had been avoiding.

At present, my husband is in los angeles pursuing his career as an actor in Hollywood. I would ask that my fans to respect his privacy and refrain from sending him messages or contacting him to ask for comement.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Ayumi Hamasaki

I was shocked. In disbelief. Sad. Confused.

I rooted for Ayu and Mannie for all of 2011, I was so happy for her, for them...

Yet little did I know or think, that two weeks later (after Ayu's message), I would be going through my very own break-up. I don't speak of my personal life very much on this blog, but to me this is sort of a lifestyle blog: life + style. Life. Much less style these days...

Not to make up excuses, but yes, I guess it is an excuse now. But this is why I've been away. Break-up with D.

Many things were not right for quite some time, there was a constant back and forth, no consistancy and it eventually pushed me to sit on the edge of the bridge (or on top of the fence if you want to be less dramatic) for a while.

There came a time I had to take a decision for myself, not for D., not for my friends or family, for me. Yes, I took the decision. Just like Ayu did. When I read her message, I didn't understand. But now I do.

As much as you might care for someone, it's important to take a decision for yourself, not to please others, not to spare the other their feelings. It might hurt for a while, but time heals all wounds and I'm glad I took my decision, I firmly believe now that it was the right thing to do.

I'm writing all of this in hopes that this might help someone else eventually.

It's OK, to take a decision for yourself. Just like it's OK to "ride the wave", "go with the flow" or "sit on the fence" for a while, as you think towards a decision.

No one pushed me to take this decision, in fact, I was very fortunate to be surrounded by such respectful people, that did not push me into thinking things or taking a decision I might regret.

If you don't know, then just let it go for a little while, and it will come to you eventually. Believe, and it will.

With every break-up I've taken the opportunity to change things in my life, I think many people do.

My 1st break-up, I changed everything. Moved out of town, new apartment, new job, new life. Previous break-up, didn't change job, didn't move, but I got a brand new car and I made new friends. Now this time around...

Well I started with a new hair color.

From my natural dark brown to a rich, more intense dark red. What do you think?

Next, I'm working on re-decorating my whole bedroom. Can't afford to re-decorate the whole house, but I spend a lot of time in my room, so I'm re-decorating it all. Can't change the layout of it, and I like my furniture, but I'll be changing bed sheets, lamps, curtains and probably wall color too.

Look forward to seeing pictures and reports on the whole re-decorating adventure. I've lived in this house for 4 years now and haven't re-decorated since. I think this will be a nice change, for a while anyway.

If I'm lucky... possibly a new layout for this gold old blog too. :)

Did you make any changes after your last break-up? If so, what did you change?

Christmas Gets

I'm late for this too, I know, I know.
But while I'm at it, here are the gifts I received for Christmas!

Gifts from my friend Sharon in Australia! Love everything! She really spoiled me~

PJ's from La Senza. Love love love looove~

Lots of chocolates!

Gift cards. Joshua Perets, La Senza, Tim Horton's, La Vie en Rose

The cutest traveling mug!

Gift boxes from Estee Lauder with perfumes and hand cream.
Super awesome! I was not expecting this one.

Super happy with everything I got!!

What about you? What did you get?
Any bad gifts?!

Late Christmas...

Not much has been going on around here, January tends to be pretty quiet for me.
Is it like that for you too ?

I'm a little late for this Christmas post and I don't know if anyone will bother reading. But I'm putting it for me, next year I can look back on them. Just a bunch of pictures.

Christmas at Dad's...

My outfit... Top and skirt from Le Chateau. Tights from random store.
They were really cheap and I ended up throwing them away at the end of the night.
I should really learn that you have to pay extra for better quality for certain things... Lol

Christmas at mom's...

Outfit... Top/dress from Dynamite. Black(shiny, you can't see) leggings from smart set.

It was a great Christmas!
How was yours?