Namie Amuro
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Biography
At the age of 15, Amuro along with a group of classmates, formed the pop group known as the Super Monkeys. Although moderately successful in their home prefecture, a move to Tokyo (presumably at the behest of their record label, Toshiba EMI) garnered more exposure for the Super Monkeys, and Namie in particular, so much that the group were known as 'Namie Amuro with Supermonkeys'.
Namie soon embarked on a solo career, in the process moving from Toshiba EMI to the avex trax label (also home of popular Japanese acts such as BoA, Do As Infinity, and Every Little Thing). The remaining Supermonkeys regrouped, renamed themselves MAX, and became a successful group in their own right.
Amuro exploded onto the Japanese music scene with Body Feels EXIT, with the aid of somewhat legendary Japanese producer Tetsuya Komuro. From then, every single Tetsuya Komuro produced for Amuro became a major hit ranking high on the charts. During her most successful time during the 90s, she won the hearts of the teenage girls, inspiring them with her style. The girls had brown-reddish hair or highlights, very thin eye brows and other assorted make-ups, their clothes were made up of short skirts and knee-high boots, which was the symbol of Amuro and were called ?Amuraas?.
In 1996 she became the youngest artist in history to be awarded the Japan Record Awards Committee's Best Artist Prize with sales totals for CDs climbing over a total of 10 million copies in a single year. She also won the same award in 1997 and also the best single award for Can You Celebrate at the 39th Japan Record Awards.
In late 1997, she held a press conference announcing her marriage to TRF member, Masaharu Maruyama (SAM) and her pregnancy. She would end the year by making her last performance on the annual Kouhaku Uta Gassen special. On May 19th, 1998, she gave birth to her only child, Haruto. On December 23rd of the same year, she released her comeback single "I HAVE NEVER SEEN" which debuted at #1.
In 1999, she started working with American producer, Dallas Austin. Her work with the producer brought a harder R&B style to her music. However, 1999 was a painful year for Namie; her mother was brutally murdered by her mother's brother-in-law. In July of 2000, she released the single "NEVER END" which she performed in front of several world leaders including then president Bill Clinton at the G8 Summit. In 2001, Namie and her producer, Tetsuya Komuro ended their working relationship. She released "Say the word" on August 8th the same year, which she for the first time, wrote the lyrics for. At the end of that year she collaborated with rapper VERBAL of m-flo on the song "lovin'it." The song was released to help the victims of the 9/11 attacks in the US.
In 2002, Namie fully immersed herself into the Japanese R&B scene releasing music under the psuedonym, SUITE CHIC. Under the SUITE CHIC project she collaborated with several of Japan's popular hip hop and R&B artists. They released two singles, an original album and one remix album before ending the project in 2003.
Namie returned to solo activities on her own in 2003 with the single "shine more." The subsequent singles "Put 'Em Up" and "SO CRAZY" were produced by American R&B producers Dallas Austin and Full Force respectively. At the end of the year, she released her first original album in three years "STYLE."
From November 29th, 2003 to May 15th, 2004 she performed throughout Asia on the "Namie Amuro SO CRAZY" tour featuring BEST singles 2003-2004, where she wrapped it up with 3 concerts in Seoul, South Korea. She was the first major Jpop artist to hold a concert in the country. Currently, she's on the "Namie Amuro Fanclub" tour. Her single GIRL TALK / the SPEED STAR, was released on October 14, 2004.
Discography
Singles
- Body Feels EXIT (1995/10/25)
- Chase the Chance (1995/12/04)
- Don't wanna cry (1996/03/13)
- You're my sunshine (1996/06/05)
- SWEET 19 BLUES (1996/08/21)
- a walk in the park (1996/11/27)
- CAN YOU CELEBRATE? (1997/02/19)
- How to be a Girl (1997/05/21)
- Dreaming I was dreaming (1997/11/27)
- CAN YOU CELEBRATE?~Wedding Mix~edition (1997/12/25)
- I HAVE NEVER SEEN (1998/12/23)
- RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE (1999/03/17)
- toi et moi (1999/07/07)
- SOMETHING 'BOUT THE KISS (1999/09/01)
- LOVE 2000 (2000/01/01)
- NEVER END (2000/07/12)
- PLEASE SMILE AGAIN (2000/10/04)
- think of me / no more tears (2001/01/24)
- Say the word (2001/08/08)
- I WILL (2002/02/14)
- Wishing On The Same Star (2002/09/11)
- shine more (2003/03/05)
- Put 'Em Up (2003/07/16)
- SO CRAZY / Come (2003/10/16)
- ALARM (2004/03/17)
- ALL FOR YOU (2004/07/22)
- GIRL TALK / the SPEED STAR (2004/10/14)
- WANT ME, WANT ME (2005/04/06)
Albums
- DANCE TRACKS VOL.1 (1995/10/16)
- SWEET 19 BLUES (1996/07/22)
- ORIGINAL TRACKS VOL.1 (1996/09/30)
- Concentration 20 (1997/07/24)
- 181920 (1998/01/28)
- GENIUS 2000 (2000/01/26)
- break the rules (2000/12/20)
- LOVE ENHANCED single collection (2002/03/13)
- STYLE (2003/12/10)
- Queen of Hip-Pop (2005/07/13)
DVD-Audio Releases
- 181920 (2004/01/28)
- LOVE ENHANCED single collection (2004/01/28)
Videos
- NAMIE AMURO WORLD (1996/11/14)
- AMURO NAMIE FIRST ANNIVERSARY LIVE in MARINE STADIUM (1996/12/04)
- Namie Amuro Concentration 20 in Tokyo Dome (1997/12/03)
- 181920 films (1998/07/01)
- NAMIE AMURO TOUR "GENIUS 2000" (2000/08/18)
- filmography (2001/03/07)
- 181920 films + filmography (2002/03/13)
- namie amuro tour 2001 break the rules (2003/11/19)
- namie amuro SO CRAZY tour featuring BEST singles 2003-2004 (2004/09/23)
- namie amuro tour 2001 break the rules [Limited Reissue] (2004/12/08)
Featured Releases
Singles
- Sister Rabbits / Issun Momo Kintarou (1995/06/01)
- TK Family / YOU ARE THE ONE (1997/01/01)
- SUITE CHIC / GOOD LIFE feat. FIRSTKLAS / Just Say So (2002/12/18)
- SUITE CHIC / "Uh Uh,,,,,," feat. AI / baby be mine (2003/02/05)
Albums
- SUITE CHIC / WHEN POP HITS THE FAN (2003/02/26)
- SUITE CHIC / WHEN POP HITS THE LAB (2003/03/26)
- ZEEBRA / TOKYO'S FINEST (2003/09/18)
Videos
- Various Artist / DJ GROOVE (1995/09/01)
- SUITE CHIC / WHEN POP HITS THE PIX (2003/03/26)
- ZEEBRA / THE LIVE ANIMAL '03 ~TOKYO'S FINEST~ (2005/01/19)
Concerts & Tours
- 1996/08/31 - 1996/09/01: SUMMER PRESENTS '96 AMURO NAMIE with SUPER MONKEY'S
- 1997/03/23 - 1997/05/18: Namie Amuro tour 1997 a walk in the park
- 1997/07/26 - 1997/08/13: mistio presents namie amuro SUMMER STAGE '97 Cocentration 20
- 2000/03/20 - 2000/05/07: NAMIE AMURO TOUR GENIUS 2000
- 2001/03/18 - 2001/05/27: namie amuro tour 2001 break the rules
- 2001/10/17 - 2001/11/10: namie amuro tour "AmR" '01
- 2003/11/29 - 2004/05/15: Namie Amuro SO CRAZY tour featuring BEST singles 2003-2004
- 2004/08/27 - 2004/09/20: namie amuro tour "fan space '04"
Filmography
Extra Information
- She has four tattoos. Two are located near her wrist on her left arm and the other two are located on her upper right arm. The two on the right arm are dedicated to family members. One tattoo reads her son's name while the other is a tribute to her slain mother.
- She got her first tattoo during a trip to Jamaica in 1996. It is a barcode on her near left wrist which reads her birthdate "19770920." A picture of the now famous tattoo would become the cover to her only photobook released that year.
- She is 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 Italian.
- Her single "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" is the 14th highest selling single in Japanese music history.
- Since 1995, she has reached sales of approximately 27,000,000 domestically in singles and albums.
- She was the first female artist to perform a concert at Chiba Marine Stadium.
- She was the first solo female artist to perform at Japan's four Domes.
- She has a pet dog named, Betty.
- She divorced her husband SAM in July of 2002 giving full custody of their child to him.
- She received the Inspiration Award Japan at the first annual MTV Japan Video Music Awards.
- She idolizes American pop singer, Janet Jackson.
- She has nine #1 singles, five of which have sold over 1,000,000 copies.
- Namie sports a silver belly button ring. In an interview given to the Mainichi Shimbum, Namie related that she had pierced her belly button in response to a comment from her son that his mother was 'old'.
External links
- Namie Amuro Official Site (http://www.avexnet.or.jp/amuro/)
- Namie Amuro Official Management Site (http://www.visionfactory.jp)
- Namie Amuro Korea Fan Site Kazenoyukue (http://kazenoyukue.com)
- Template:Imdb name
- Nippop Profile | Namie Amuro (http://nippop.com/artist/artist_id-72/artist_name-namie_amuro/)
- getasianmusic.com asian music fansite - namie amuro (http://www.getasianmusic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=37&sid=dbf18427a94d0b55954ec83ea8ffdfe3)de:Namie Amuro