The charm of being yourself - the charm of Ai Otsuka

Have you ever wondered why exactly you like Ai Otsuka? I mean – what is the real reason? I guess most of you can answer this question immediately and without hesitation – you like her because of her pleasant music, her talent, her bubbly personality, her pretty and innocent looks or the fact that she’s just cute. Well, good enough. But are those qualities that unique and typical only of Ai? Does enumerating them make Ai-chan pop up in your head? Think about alan, Kana Nishino or even AKB48 or Girls’ Generation. Each of those ladies could be easily described by those words. Nowadays looking nice, having bubbly personality, creating girly music and being cute became cliché – totally meaningless words. The don’t describe anything in particular, mostly due to the fact that those expressions are notoriously overused in relation to young female Asian performers.

That, however, doesn’t mean that all Asian female singers are the same and their creative efforts sound or look overly derivative. Mainstream Asian music is still far from the point where it becomes mould void of any traces of originality. But pondering on the quality of J-pop and K-pop wasn’t my main focus in this article. Let’s get back to the point which is Ai Otsuka and her uniqueness.

Ai’s uniqueness... How is Ai-chan different in her cuteness and talent from other cute and talented performers? What is her secret charm that attracts her fans and make them love her no matter whether she’s active or on 2-year hiatus?

I would say that one of the most important characteristics of Ai as a singer or an idol is her... commonness. Ai is no diva. Ai is a girl-next-door who you can relate to. Ai is approachable and human. You could see her in the street and you wouldn’t even notice. She’s just a young woman who possesses some talents and is successful enough to share her artistic expression with wider audience. She has no celebrity or diva complex, which is easily observable during her concerts of performances. She humbly showcases everything she created and she is genuinely grateful for all the love that she receives. Moreover, she doesn’t need any lavish decorations or special effects to have a successful concert. She doesn’t need to use overt sex appeal to attract attention. Sometimes, it’s just her and the stage. No more, no less – and it’s just perfect.

The video below is one of my all time favourite performances of Ai-chan. It’s a clip from a-nation 2004 where Ai sang “Kingyo Hanabi”. Just like I said before – only her and the stage. Simple outfit, simple hairstyle, no props and no sophisticated frame. Still – a magnificent performance.

Authenticity – this is another key words describing Ai Otsuka. I have no doubts that her simplicity and sincerity are real, that she’s really that person that she appears to be on stage. I believe that the tears she sheds at the end of each concert come straight from her heart. Just look at her while she’s performing – her pupils sparkle with utter enthusiasm during “Happy Days” or “PEACH”, glow wildly during “PON PON”, gleam with nostalgia during “Pocket” and fill up with tears during “Daisuki dayo”. Moreover, observing her ending each of her concerts gives us a peek into her real heart full of emotions: when she bows multiple times thanking modestly for coming to her show. When she just can’t stop waving, running around, smiling and crying, as if she wanted to thank each person individually. When she stands like a schoolgirl and looks around in certain embarrassment, overwhelmed by all those people screaming her name. This is real Ai-chin. This is what she is and this is what she wants us to see. She couldn’t possibly do it if it wasn’t for her sensitivity. Because of this quality, she’s able to appreciate all love she gets, feel gratefulness and find endless inspiration for her emotional music and lyrics.

Moreover, Ai differentiates between her professional and personal life, having in mind the great importance of the latter. That’s why she can decide to take a break, get married and have a baby when she feels the moment is right. Surprisingly, her decision to take on a 2-year hiatus, disappear entirely from the public life and concentrate solely on her family is what makes me respect her even more – isn’t a life full of love her dream she’s always sung about? The fact that she decided to take such a step adds ever more sincerity and authenticity to the content of her love songs.

Talents – another key word. There’s no doubt that Ai Otsuka possesses various talents and this is what most people value in her as an artist. Ai can do a lot of things and she does them well: singing, playing piano and other instruments, composing and arranging songs, writing lyrics, drawing, designing, creating books for children, taking photos, acting... She can use all of those talents to the maximum and she’s very versatile. However, is she a great expert in any of those things? Is her singing talent that extraordinary? Are her picture books ultimate pieces of the finest art? I would say no. As I stated before, Ai is no diva. She has been given some precious talents, but none of them is overwhelming. She will never sing as good as some of her colleagues from the industry. Her vocal delivery, however, is even and always maintains a very high quality. Ai accepts her vocal range. She doesn’t strain herself trying to sound like someone she’s not. She doesn’t do anything she wouldn’t be able to pull off live. All she cares about is delivering the best performance within her possibilities. Even though she lacks power and sass, her voice is always crystal clear and in key – do we want more? As long as she gives us emotional and upbeat music we love her for, we don’t mind.

Ai’s sensible using her talents is one thing that makes her attractive, but there one more... How can you manifest the fact that you’re human? It’s the way you’re dealing with your... lack of some talents. What’s so special about Ai is that she turns her flaws into her unique charm. She doesn’t pretend that she’s perfect, because she’s aware that no one is. In turn, she seems to play with her imperfections, mischievously belittling them till they become her asset. For example, there is no mystery in the fact that our dear AiO can’t dance at all. But she doesn’t worry about it – on the contrary, she dances anyway, making fun of her somewhat clumsy moves, highlighting certain silly poses, laughing out loud at herself or her dancers, pretending this is going to look just like this. Her sense of humour and intelligence prevent her from thinking too serious about herself. This is charm – something that makes us special, unique, attractive and lovable. There’s no doubt that Ai-chan is full of her specific charm and this might be the thing that I love in her the most.

I think that the real factors that made me fall in love with Ai are far more complex than the obvious, superficial ones (cuteness, beauty, nice music). It’s true that I discovered her through her nice looks and appealing music, but I wouldn’t have supported her as a loyal fan if I hadn’t seen in her anything more. I’m really glad that in this modern music industry there are still true artists such as Ai-chan. Ai isn’t just about pretty songs. She isn’t a manufactured popstar who sings whatever she’s given. She’s an artist who plays with her own ideas, grows them and lets them bloom. She’s been profusely blessed with many talents and she uses them to the fullest. She enjoys her art to the maximum and her enthusiasm is truly infectious. She’s not afraid that something isn’t going to sell. She’s so confident in her artistic expression that there are no constraints that could stop her. She’s over-sensitive and delicate; independent and wild. But at the top of that: she stays true to herself and she’s being herself – and that’s her unique charm that makes me and many others love her.