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Old 2018.09.01, 01:32 PM   #51
zeroryouko
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IMO her voice hit a low point in 2014 from which she has since been trying to rebuild. I was one of the biggest defenders of Expo '14 at the time and even I'd have to say in retrospect that it was a low for her vocally. I'm thinking here in particular of the train wreck that was NIPPON from Expo '14 and Tsumi to Batsu from (IIRC) Fuji Rock that year. I'd wager money that since that time she's been seeing a vocal coach/therapist as there have definitely been noticeable, but incremental, improvements to her vocals with each successive performance. Particularly with Tsumi to Batsu which is obviously very vocally taxing.

What we're hearing in this performance, it seems to me, is a Ringo that is paying much more attention to controlling her voice. And by necessity, that means she is holding it back a bit. It's not as raw and emotional and powerful as it was. But on the plus side her voice is the best it's sounded in years, and making some investment in it now assures that she'll be able to perform for years to come. IMO she sounds the best she's sounded in years.

I feel like with the current show, she begins by holding back a lot and then pushes it more and more with each successive song. Correspondingly, the excitement builds slowly toward a climax right at the end. The last number, Jinsei wa Yume Darake, is the one where she really lets it go, and it's wonderful. But you really get the sense that she's saving it for that one moment.

Also, as a side note, her performance of Karei naru Gyakushuu (the SMAP song that everyone hated), is absolutely adorable. Another instance where her live absolutely blows the CD out of the water.
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Last edited by zeroryouko : 2018.09.01 at 01:44 PM.
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