The LoVendoЯ Thread - Group Activity Suspension & Miyazawa Marin Contract to End in July 2019

[aerosuffly]

I think it is more that UF has different expectation for their artists and idols. They groom and expect their artists to be independent. That is basically what is happening with Bitter & Sweet. They have been forced to write their own songs and experiment with various way of performing, focusing more on live performance rather than single releasing. It makes sense in this era with low sale of actual music - performing live is the only way for an artist to survive. Bitter & Sweet has become very independent now. They have constant gigs at live houses and events and have their own weekly Showroom (internet) live. They do gigs in various forms including their normal set up, as a band with members from other bands supporting them or supporting other bands themselves, acoustic live, dinner show, and etc. They both have been learning to play other instruments. Asahi can now play a piano, a guitar and a drum, and Moemi plays a guitar in their live performance all the time now. It works for them because they both have strong drive to become "artists."

LoVendoЯ is a bit different because Reina was not really interested in doing a band in the first place, and I think Marin and Marina do have various interests like JonCC said. Plus, they get stable income and benefit being with UF as opposed to being freelances where you would have to sell your skills.

Up Up Girls and Ciao Bella are more like, matured, indy, idols in my opinion, so the management treat them differently groups in Hello! Project and UF artists.

[Celedam]

I think it is more that UF has different expectation for their artists and idols. They groom and expect their artists to be independent. […] They have been forced to write their own songs and experiment with various way of performing, focusing more on live performance rather than single releasing. It makes sense in this era with low sale of actual music - performing live is the only way for an artist to survive.

That is an excellent observation.

[downfrontguy]

It's a chicken and egg situation. As noted, more or less the only way to make ¥ is doing live gigs for basically everyone except for select few at the top in the business - even for them, those stadium gigs "can" be quite lucrative. Or by becoming a prolific songwriter/arranger or high demand session musician maybe. This hasn't been changed for ages, especially after Napster era. The problem is if you don't sell, your music won't reach (general) public and while you may be able to carry a small club/live house, that's about it - you can't grow if virtually nobody ever hear of you. Word of mouth (from a handful hardcore fans) has its limit, especially when the market is saturated with so many wannabe musicians. It's why it's an endless grind 'cos you slowly grow to a point then stall and more or less it's the ceiling for the vast majority of these "artists".

So in that sense, it's UF's job to help these folks to sell. UF Create is a management company after all. As noted, obviously it has very low budget for their rosters and they don't really go anywhere and remain obscure. Also can't imagine these monthly stipend can't amount to much, but enough for them to stick around with them, so what do I know? Guess it still beats working at 7-11. Being able to write their own materials will obviously help their bargaining chips with UF (or any company, should they ever leave), whether they were forced to do that or not. That's more of traditional route for musicians anyway unless one is so freakishly talented in some way or a company is looking to build a "product".

Ahem, since Bitter & Sweet was brought up here, want to say my 2 cents on them just briefly - this being LoVendoЯ's thread and all. NOT a fan of the way their vocal coaches or high ups convinced them to sing these days. What is that pseudo-idol way of vocalizing notes (all in throat, too hard to sound cutesy, bottom/presence virtually gone, straining notes, etc). Also they are increasingly trying to sound alike with each other when they have different vocal characteristics. It's okay if they end up sounding great, but they don't IMO. Not as obvious on produced stuff (i.e. singles), mind you, but was quite put off by what I was hearing from them last year. A night and day from a couple of years ago. UF is totally messing them up IMO. ...Perhaps they are others who like this B&S live sound better. All righty then.

[JonCC]

Seems like former member Uozomi Yuki is now a mother.
https://twitter.com/Uozumi_Yuki/status/ ... 8297677824

[JonCC]

In a fish related interview with Okada Marina by The Television, there appears to be a some questions asking about LoVendoЯ's activities.
https://thetv.jp/news/detail/153934/

――おかまりんは2人の経験値を上げていく活動と捉えてもいいですか？

そうですね。それも大きいです。おかまりんを始めて、今までがすごい恵まれていたんだと分かったんですよ。LoVendoЯでのデビューは恵比寿LIQUIDROOM(東京)で、衣装も作ってもらって、スタッフさんも何人も付いてという環境で。1年目から大きなフェスに出させてもらったり。だけどそれは田中さんがいたからこそで、普通デビューしてすぐにそんな環境になんてならないですよね。

おかまりんでは、自分たちで仕事を取るところから始めたんですよ。今までの人脈でライブ出演をさせていただいて、機材の運搬や物販、経費の管理も2人だけでやって、本当に何もかもイチから自分たちで。ライブ1つやることの大変さを知って、今までもスタッフさんに感謝はしてましたけど、全然感謝し切れてなかったんだなと思いました。

LoVendoЯだけをやっていたらこの大変さを知らないままだったと思うし、だから、すごく良い経験になっています。おかまりんを始めて1年以上で、最近はライブハウスから声をかけてもらえることもありますね。

――売り込んで、2度目からはオファーを受けるというのは良い形ですね。LoVendoЯの活動についてはいかがですか？

今LoVendoЯの活動については明確なお知らせはまだできないんですが、ファンの方が活動を待ってくれているというのはちゃんと届いてます。おかまりんの活動は本当に良い経験になっていて、LoVendoЯに戻ったら、スタッフさん、お客さんにこれでもかっていうくらい感謝すると思います。そういう恩返しをするために、今は自分にできることを頑張って、スキルアップをして、もっと色々なことを吸収していかないと。そういう積み重ねで身に付けたものを持って、LoVendoЯをいい形で再開できればと思います。

Anyone here able to shed some light as to what it says?

[Nayoko-Kihara]

I think it (the second quote) roughly just says she can't comment directly on LovendoR activities, but she knows fans are waiting for something. Her activities as OkaMarin have been enjoyable, and she appreciates(?) the staff and the fans. In order to show how grateful she is(?) she wants to work hard and absorb/learn more so she can resume LovendoR in good form.

...ish. very roughly. I'm sure someone will properly translate it.

[kirigirisu]

I think it (the second quote) roughly just says she can't comment directly on LovendoR activities, but she knows fans are waiting for something. Her activities as OkaMarin have been enjoyable, and she appreciates(?) the staff and the fans. In order to show how grateful she is(?) she wants to work hard and absorb/learn more so she can resume LovendoR in good form.

...ish. very roughly. I'm sure someone will properly translate it.

Yep, that's pretty much it. I would read it slightly more definitively, like it sounds like they are coming back. But I'm sure she can't say for sure.

[JonCC]

This was the final episode of their radio show.

[JonCC]

What is this? Okada Marina tracks? On iTunes, recochoku & mora?
http://www.up-front-works.jp/news/9067/

[Denki]

Yep. She wrote the lyrics and composed both of the songs.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnBZXaZlmBE/

I'm just happy they let her released her content.