About Opentopia
Opentopia Directory Encyclopedia Tools

Namie Amuro

Encyclopedia : N : NA : NAM : Namie Amuro

This does not cite its .
You can Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.

(born September 20, 1977) is a Japanese pop singer and Japanese idol originally from Naha, Okinawa, born to a Japanese father and a half Japanese/half Italian mother. Debuting in 1992 in a girl group named Super Monkeys, she struggled to reach the top until the release of "TRY ME ~Watashi wo Shinijite~" in early 1995 which catapulted her into superstardom. Leaving the group the same year and joining forces with top producer Tetsuya Komuro, Namie went on to become a cultural phenomenon. Now after performing for well over a decade, she continues to be one of Japan's biggest pop acts.
Contents

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, Okinawa, 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 came to be known as 'Namie Amuro with Super Monkeys'.

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 Ayumi Hamasaki, 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 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 wore assorted make-up. They also wore short skirts and knee-high boots, which was the symbol of Amuro, and were called Amuras.

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 1997, she was featured in a video game for the Sega Saturn console, Digital Dance Mix: Vol 1 - Namie Amuro. It features a digitally re-created Namie, who dances and sings "Chase the Chance" and "You're My Sunshine" while the player controls the camera and lighting effects.

In late 1997, she held a press conference announcing her marriage to TRF member, Masaharu Maruyama (SAM) and her pregnancy. She ended the year with her last performance on the annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen special. On May 19 1998, she gave birth to her only child, Haruto. On December 23 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; during the promotion of the single RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE, her mother (who was remarried) was brutally murdered by her mother's mentally unstable 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 after the release of her 4th original studio album, break the rules. She released "Say the word" on August 8 the same year, which she for the first time, wrote the lyrics for. At the end of that year, as part of avex's SongNation project, which was Tetsuya Komuro's nonprofit charity project to raise money for the victims of 9/11, she collaborated with the rapper Verbal of m-flo for the song "lovin' it", which was released on Song Nation and also as the last of the three collaboration singles (the others being "A song is born" (Ayumi Hamasaki and KEIKO of globe) and "Meaning of Peace" (Kumi Koda and BoA)).

In 2002, Namie fully immersed herself into the Japanese R&B scene releasing music under the pseudonym 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 29 2003 to May 15 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 and Taipei, Taiwan. She was the first major Japanese artist to hold a concert in South Korea after the normalization of cultural relations. Shortly following the tour, she released the ballad "ALL FOR YOU." The song peaked at #6, but sold double the amount of her last single. In late August, she went on a private fan club tour focusing on the songs from her latest album which were not performed on her current public tour. She also unveiled two new songs on the tour, "GIRL TALK" and "the SPEED STAR", which would be released the next month as a double a-side single. When it was released the song charted at #1 on the Oricon daily chart for three days. It was the first time any of her singles had placed #1 in 5 years. The song ultimately placed #2 for the week and repeated the sales success of her previous single.

At the end of the year, Namie shocked fans by choosing to not appear on Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Her decision to decline the offer also surprised critics, who actually felt she had at least earned her right to perform at the event that year. She had previously attended the coveted event nine years in a row. Following the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia, Namie participated as the only Japanese representative at MTV Asia Aid. She secretly donated approximately 90,000 USD to UNICEF for children who were affected by the disaster. In January, Namie surprised fans again when a new song popped up in a Suzuki Chevrolet commercial. The new song entitled "Queen of Hip-Pop" was assumed to be her next single until in April, she released the song "WANT ME, WANT ME." The song was a well-received hit at home debuting at #2 and charting with her highest debut sales peak in 3 years.

In May, Namie had both professional and personal gains. Following a three year split from her former husband SAM, she took back full custody of their child, Haruto. They had previously agreed that SAM would be the child's sole guardian. At the end of the month, she performed at the MTV Japan Video Music Awards for the fourth consecutive year in a row and this year, clinched two awards. She took home the award for "Best R&B Video" as well as a special award for most impressive performance in Asia. Between these two events, she announced the release of her sixth original studio album, entitled Queen of Hip-Pop.

In collaboration with MGM Studios, Namie has licensed for the use of the Pink Panther character to be used in conjunction with the album. A female panther counterpart has been created in her image for the album as well. There seems to be no connection with the usage of the Pink Panther and the possible Japanese release of the American remake. Upon release, the album charted at #2. The album has since become her best selling album in 5 years, eclipsing the sales of her three previous albums. In September, Namie kicked off her 7th national public tour entitled Space of Hip-Pop.

Shortly after the start of her tour it was announced that she would contribute to the Japanese theaterical release of the American motion picture adaptation of "Sin City." After viewing the movie, Namie made an offer to the Japanese distribution company to sing its theme song. The company felt that her image fit it and accepted her offer. When director Robert Rodriguez heard Namie's contribution to the film he asked to be a part of it. He can be heard speaking "Welcome to Sin City" in a distorted voice towards the end of the song. It was released as part of a double a-side single, "White Light / Violet Sauce" on November 16, 2005. The other a-side track, "White Light" is her first attempt at a Christmas ballad. Shortly after the single, she released "FILMOGRAPHY 2001-2005" a compilation of twelve of her music videos from 2001 to 2005.

In early 2006, she recorded vocals for the track, "Do What U Gotta Do" by ZEEBRA. The song also featured contributions from AI and MUMMY-D. In February, her music video for "WoWa" was nominated for "Best Female Video" at Space Shower TV music video awards, but lost to YUKI's video for Joy. In May, she released the double a-side single, "CAN'T SLEEP, CAN'T EAT, I'M SICK / Ningyo." She is currently planning for a nationwide tour set to start in August. Dubbed the "namie amuro BEST tour -Live Style 2006-," it will find Amuro returning to arena venues after a five year hiatus.

Discography

Singles

Body Feels EXIT Chase the Chance Don't wanna cry
You're my sunshine SWEET 19 BLUES a walk in the park
CAN YOU CELEBRATE? How to be a Girl Dreaming I was dreaming
CAN YOU CELEBRATE? (Maxi) I HAVE NEVER SEEN RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE
toi et moi SOMETHING 'BOUT THE KISS LOVE 2000
NEVER END PLEASE SMILE AGAIN think of me / no more tears
Say the word I WILL Wishing On The Same Star
shine more Put 'Em Up SO CRAZY / Come
ALARM ALL FOR YOU GIRL TALK / the SPEED STAR
WANT ME, WANT ME White Light / Violet Sauce CAN'T SLEEP, CAN'T
EAT, I'M SICK / 人魚

Albums

DANCE TRACKS VOL.1
SWEET 19 BLUES
Concentration 20
181920
GENIUS 2000
break the rules
LOVE ENHANCED ♥
single collection
STYLE
Queen of Hip-Pop

DVD-audio releases

Videography

Videos

Limited DVD-only reissues

Collaborative releases

Singles

Albums

Videos

Concerts and tours

Filmography

Trivia

See also

External links

Official sites
Fan sites
Namie Amuro
Albums
DANCE TRACKS VOL.1 | SWEET 19 BLUES | Concentration 20 | 181920 | GENIUS 2000 | break the rules | LOVE ENHANCED ♥ single collection | STYLE | Queen of Hip-Pop
Singles
Body Feels EXIT | Chase the Chance | Don't wanna cry | You're my sunshine | SWEET 19 BLUES | a walk in the park | CAN YOU CELEBRATE? | How to Be a Girl | Dreaming I was dreaming | CAN YOU CELEBRATE? (Maxi Single) | I HAVE NEVER SEEN | RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE | toi et moi | SOMETHING 'BOUT THE KISS | LOVE 2000 | NEVER END | PLEASE SMILE AGAIN | think of me / no more tears | Say the word | lovin' it | I WILL | Wishing on the Same Star | shine more | Put 'Em Up | SO CRAZY / Come | ALARM | ALL FOR YOU | GIRL TALK / the SPEED STAR | WANT ME, WANT ME | White Light / Violet Sauce | CAN'T SLEEP, CAN'T EAT, I'M SICK / 人魚
Other related articles
SUPER MONKEY'S | MAX | SUITE CHIC

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

Search Titles
0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJ
KLMNOPQRST
UVWXYZ?

E-mail this article to:

Personal Message: