| Call this young lady the comeback kid because she has done what many thought was impossible in the J-Pop industry. After falling from superstar status she has managed to pull herself back into the music mainstream. Her inspirational story starts when she is scouted out at her hometown in Okinawa. She was pretty and her naturally darkened skin allowed her to stand out more than most. At age seventeen she was tapped to join the dance group SuperMonkeys in the early 90s. It was during this time that she came in contact with legendary producer Tetsuya Komuro (founder of the Avex-Trax label). He and others helped to groom Amuro and in 95 she made her solo debut with the song �gBody Feels EXIT�h. The song and Amuro were an instant hit. Her other top-selling singles include �gDon�ft Wanna Cry�h, �gSweet 19 Blues�h, and the gospel styled �gCan You Celebrate?�h. By 97 she was a superstar outselling many of her counterparts in the US and the UK. She became the �gface�h for all kinds of different products. You could not walk down a city street or watch TV without seeing her image or hearing her music somewhere (spoken from personal experience). As an idol she was adored by most Japanese school girls (and boys) and became a fashion trend setter. It was clear that she was not the best of singers but in this environment it didn�ft matter. Image was the key here and she could do no wrong. That is until at age 21 she married TRF member SAM. This was unheard of for a top idol in Japan. Especially since the common perception among many Japanese people is that a married woman will (or should) choose not to work and support the family at home. Amuro Namie however, continued sing and dance until she took time off to have her first child. It was at this point that the headlines about her music and popularity ceased and stories about her personal troubles began. It started with her much publicized divorce from SAM and becoming a single mother. In Japan many still consider divorce a shameful thing and it can be the Kiss of Death for an idol's image. She even received bad press for choosing to be a single working Mom. This sad event was followed by a deep personal tragedy for Amuro, whose mother was murdered by a family member. All in all it was a very rough time, but Amuro continued to release singles despite it. However, it was quite obvious that her days as the dominant J-Pop sensation had past. With others like Utada Hikaru, Suzuki Ami, and most notably Hamasaki Ayumi taking her place. But instead of quitting she persevered and began making a transition from idol to artist. She started writing her own songs and taking more of an active role in the management of her career. By 2003 she had made a music and image change, This was apparent in her vocal performances on the R&B/Hip Hop project Suite Chic. The most noticeable change could be seen in the first video off the album, �gWhat�fs on your mind?�h feat. XBS. Where fans got a look at the tattoo (another Japanese taboo) on her left arm, which was dedicated to her mother. Since then she has been riding the J-R&B wave and with the help of live events and video channels like Space Shower, Amuro has managed to connect to a new generation of fans. This has all led to her latest single �gWant Me Want Me�h debuting at #2 (her first top 3 single in 2 years) on the oricon charts and being nominated for best R&B female artist at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2005. All that and a single Mom too. Not bad! |
 |