General Yuzuru Chat

[mercedes]

Not the rest of the world,just the judges?

Ok seriously i don't know why he couldn't do that,If the translation i found on line is correct the lirics are pretty classic story sang in a lot of songs,it's Toshl voice that meks them unique to me(how many octave can he cover really?).

 

Also Opera yes is sang mostly in italian but that's classic music and again the judges are sometimes a little bit tiny on the conservative side?

Anyhow I don't care how he keeps it  just please let's have Masquerade for next season .

[Veveco]

2 minutes ago, rockstaryuzu said:

....again, someone mentions a song having Japanese lyrics as somehow making it unsuitable for competition. Why? I ask this out of honest curiosity. 

 

I think it's more a matter of judges being biased for Western music that worries people. Opera - in French, German or Italian - is still Western-orientated. Seimei was already said to be a risky bet back then, and the program didn't have any lyrics. I don't doubt that Yuzu can touch the audience with *any* song. But we've seen how biased so-called experts can be in that regard 

 

And... by the time I finished typing others have written similar answers. Oops. 

[SuperMin]

i wrote this in the FaOI thread, but wanted to throw it out here.

 

i do find it suspicious  that Jeffrey Buttle choreographed it, has tinges of LGC like the final spin ending and had 3 jump possibilities ( 3A, there was a possible lutz setup at 2:15, then single axel position) and I was really hoping he would do 2 Japanese programs this year.

 

reading everyone else’s thread, here is why he may not turn it into a competition sp. 

 

1.  Yuzu didn’t show his programs in ice shows last year

2. The total length is 3:35, so closer to a free skate. It’d be hard to cut a whole minute

 

as a side note: I love and much prefer masquerade over Crystal . Maybe it’s just so new, but for today, may be my all time favorite.

 

 

 

[SuperMin]

6 minutes ago, Veveco said:

 

I think it's more a matter of judges being biased for Western music that worries people. Opera - in French, German or Italian - is still Western-orientated. Seimei was already said to be a risky bet back then, and the program didn't have any lyrics. I don't doubt that Yuzu can touch the audience with *any* song. But we've seen how biased so-called experts can be in that regard 

 

And... by the time I finished typing others have written similar answers. Oops. 

The fact that these judges can’t see beyond the status quo and appreciate skating for what it is without biases...

I’ll stop there , trying not to ruin the amazing past 3 days of watering the 🌵 

[Paskud]

He simply never skated internationally to a song with japanese lyrics. Not even an exhibition.

That's why pudding is unlikely. Outside of Japan Nats maybe.

[EisElle]

30 minutes ago, makebelieveup said:

You are the better me though 

That's not true

30 minutes ago, makebelieveup said:

That's true and I think the program is very energy consuming already. but I trust that Yuzu can still make it work because he is Yuzuru Hanyu after all, although I understand that means he would have to run at full speed. But man this rock Phantom is soooo addictive. also  *whispers* Jeff is behind the choreo 

Yeah Masquerade (program, look, attitude) is addictive. 

On the other side, DW did the choreo for CM si that could mean it's the ex..but we'll be able to have a better guess after Kobe 

 

@rockstaryuzu the issue isn't really that jpn lyrics or songs aren't 'acceptable' (tho it's always better to treat judges as narrow-minded people who enjoy what they already know), more that afaik Yuzu has never skated on japanese lyrics outside of Japan. He's attentive like that. His version of HYK was a piano adaptation without lyrics so it didn't matter. For TFTT he used the English lyrics, and he only skated Hana wa Saku and Hana ni Nare at NHK and Nats, but used different ex for his other competitions.

(I can't recall if as a junior he ever did Change tho)

Well, tbh there are some of the songs Yuzu likes that are just "not my genre". I am willing to give a try to everything he skates to, but not all people are and sometimes willingness isn't enough for example I still don't like Chemistry (I'm liking ToshI a lot instead) so I was relieved when he did HYK. And it's likely some people are even more conservative and just don't like what sounds "different" (so that would be especially bad for a SP or FP).  So I understand Yuzu being "attentive". At the same time, I want him to skate to whatever he wants, at least for EX, so I hope he won't be as attentive in the future😅

 

[Sombreuil]

Yes judges are biased .  But we have German and Italian opera, French chansons of various eras, American/Uk  rock, folk music from lots of euro countries with the odd Israeli addition - why not Japanese or Korean or Chinese music?  Where is the audience for this sport?  Does the ISU really intend to impale itself on the non existent sword of US ‘popularity’?  

[rockstaryuzu]

3 minutes ago, Paskud said:

He simply never skated to a song with japanese lyrics. Not even an exhibition.

That's why pudding is unlikely. Outside of Japan Nats maybe.

doesn't mean he can't. I was about to use HYK as an example again, but then I realized he did use an instrumental version, even though the original has lyrics. But, perhaps he can get an instrumental version of Masquerade. You never know. 

 

My point is, I think the idea that there would be bias against Japanese music is a bit overblown. Maybe some of the judges are racist old fuddy-duddies, but the judges are from all over the world, not just the west. They can't all be prejudiced. 

 

 

 

[mercedes]

6 minutes ago, Sombreuil said:

Yes judges are biased .  But we have German and Italian opera, French chansons of various eras, American/Uk  rock, folk music from lots of euro countries with the odd Israeli addition - why not Japanese or Korean or Chinese music?  Where is the audience for this sport?  Does the ISU really intend to impale itself on the non existent sword of US ‘popularity’?  

apparently it does ...but again it's not the japanese words,itis about what it is accepted and considered right from a  western point of view ,I don't like itso my faith is in Yuzuru to shake things a bit(and he did it already using H&L and semei)

[Paskud]

35 minutes ago, rockstaryuzu said:

doesn't mean he can't. I was about to use HYK as an example again, but then I realized he did use an instrumental version, even though the original has lyrics. But, perhaps he can get an instrumental version of Masquerade. You never know. 

 

My point is, I think the idea that there would be bias against Japanese music is a bit overblown. Maybe some of the judges are racist old fuddy-duddies, but the judges are from all over the world, not just the west. They can't all be prejudiced. 

 

 

 

Yuzuru disagrees with you.

Spoiler

 

[rockstaryuzu]

6 minutes ago, Paskud said:

Yuzuru disagrees with you.

(wait a bit, I will find this conference)

Well, if it's a belief that Yuzu has, then I'll go along with it, although I don't agree that his belief is correct.  For one, there are judges from Japan, Korea, and China. It's a bit of a stretch to think they would have trouble accepting a Japanese pop song. 

 

I was just wondering why so many people in the discussion here seemed to be taking it for granted that a song with Japanese lyrics would be somehow unacceptable in the rest of the world. That's such a foreign concept to me. Music's music. 

 

[yuzuangel]

1 hour ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Well, if it's a belief that Yuzu has, then I'll go along with it, although I don't agree that his belief is correct.  For one, there are judges from Japan, Korea, and China. It's a bit of a stretch to think they would have trouble accepting a Japanese pop song. 

 

I was just wondering why so many people in the discussion here seemed to be taking it for granted that a song with Japanese lyrics would be somehow unacceptable in the rest of the world. That's such a foreign concept to me. Music's music. 

 

Because unconscious bias maybe? You could be biased without being outright racist/bigoted.

 

And skaters have skated to all types of music before, but how many of them are top skaters, and not from the strongest feds? Kinda just have to see how H&L was underscored all season to be a bit apprehensive about choosing non-warhorse, non-Western music, especially when 2-3 points in PCS could mean winning and losing. 

[Sombreuil]

H&L was a double whammy - Japanese composer and quiet thoughtful music.  He still killed it even underscored.  Japanese composer and in your face rock/dramatic music?  Who knows?  Yuzuru is perhaps the only person in a position to find out.  Judges may still prefer US college kid rock - but for how long?

[liv]

Ok, I've seen both FaoI numbers now... I enjoyed both very much. CM is more of the typical, soft exhibition numbers that we've seen over the years... and once again, just lovely, with some moves that are pure and beautiful.... Masquerade is the hard edged opposite to that, and I admit to being a sucker for these types of programs from him. I love the fierce Yuzu just a tad bit more than the soft and squishy Yuzu, lol! I've said it a million times, but Jeff and Yuzu just click and I'm so glad to see another program by Jeff since we've only seen 4 short programs between them after all these years, with each being absolutely perfect to me.

 

I don't care what language a song uses. I can barely understand those that are sung in english anyway, so it matters little to me. If the music is good, the melody is memorable, then that is what matters because people understand feelings and that is what music conveys.

 

Edit: I really like this Toshi guy. He has a good and unique voice and I enjoyed his performances.... much better than the lady last year!!

 

[SuperMin]

I was a bit in awe of Yuzu’s stamina too in masquerade.  I know he didn’t have many jumps, but he was full force for the entire almost 4 minutes.  I also think he’s been working out his upper body because his shoulders look broader.  I know his ankle is on and off injured, but he is only 24 years old, athletically he has so much potential with what he could make his body do...only if his ankle will let him. 🤞