Movin' on Without You

“Movin’ on Without You” by Ayumi Hamasaki | A One, 2015

Out of dozens of her singles, it was a cover that moved me to start digging into Ayumi Hamasaki’s discography. Ayu updated Utada Hikaru’s iconic single “Movin’ on Without You” from her 1999 debut, First Love, for the present day. Producer RedOne replaced the retro piano riff of the original with slick, throbbing EDM synths, which lifts the final punch of the chorus to even bigger heights.

The modern sound might sidestep turn-of-the-century J-pop nostalgia, though history still hangs heavy behind this cover. Universal Music Japan commissioned a tribute project of cover songs of Utada in 2014 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of First Love. The invitation of Ayu stirred attention due to a media-conspired rivalry between the two superstars of Japan, first started by a sales war back in 2001.

Ayu’s involvement with an Utada project put a decade-long fake feud to rest for good. And for such a context-heavy statement, then, she could not have chosen a better song to tackle than “Movin’ on Without You.” To shatter lies and trappings of a past, why not a break up song?

The original sung by Utada details a timid young woman who plans the best dialogue of her break up. Ayu, meanwhile, takes it upon her own hands to step into a course of action. More than the trail of confused thoughts filled in the first verse, she gets down to business to rightfully claim her power in the dialogue of the second. “I’ve already forgot about that promise," she sings. "I’ll return the ring, so give me back my heart." Ayu’s signature vibrato-heavy vocal style amplifies that last bit with intensity.

Another layer to the power of Ayu's take on "Movin' on Without You" connects to the relationship between her and Utada. Utada's refrain – “It’s not easy being a good woman, is it?” – echoed as a question to herself. But when Ayu sings that part 15 years later, it sounds like a nod in agreement.

Life struggle experienced by Ayu forms a bond between not only young Utada but the Utada of today. They both sing about the hardships in navigating romance as a woman in "Movin' on Without You." With their personal lives so intertwined with the process of making their records, they also share a heart to heart on the cruelty of life in the pop world. The cover becomes a conversation between the two pop stars, like a wink in mutual understanding of their personal hurdles.