Review of Ayu's new single "Zutto..."

Ayumi Hamasaki’s newest single “Zutto…” (meaning Always or Forever) is Ayu’s 53^rd released single in her career on Christmas Eve of 2014, which is currently at ranking 5 on the Oricon charts. The title is one of the few songs Ayu has released that is a Japanese word in romaji, (a romanization of a Japanese word), like her songs Hanabi and Kanariya.

This single, along with the pairing tracks Last minute and Walk on the CD, represent a beautiful maturity resounding in her voice and her melodies that hasn't been heard before. Tone a nice octave slightly higher than her previous albums brings back a nostalgic innocence from her younger years. A sweet sound, yet somehow vibrating with a painful wisdom.

Her ballads have always been top notch, and dare I say most have a rare tenderness not heard in her other songs. This ballad does not disappoint. Starting out in simple piano, Ayu delicately begins her singing. A deeply pleasing track about love and love lost; building up and voice echoing at the end of the chorus symbolizing her heartache. The “what ifs” and “what could have beens” ring true in her tune.

Lyrically the song is rather simple, compared to her older tracks in the beginning of her career Ayu chose to let go of metaphorical symbolism and speak in easier words, letting her voice add the extra crafting to a deeper meaning . However, the simple way she sings her gentle words in this song fit well with the music backing.  

Ayu’s career has had it’s high and lows, but her slow and steady release of single after single has kept her as a top icon in Japan. All around we have a new beautiful winter ballad from a cherished Jpop star, reclaiming her grounds in the music charts.

I’ll be looking forward to Ayu’s 2015.