excite: Your album ‘PAST < FUTURE’ really does make a break with your past albums, just like the title says. You’ve really widened your repertoire in a similar way that you did on one of your old albums STYLE.
Amuro: That’s true. I really tried to go back to the drawing board, and just tried to follow my current tastes without getting caught up in the past. I think I was able to get some good songs, even including my best hits albums.

excite: What were you most particular about on this new album?Amuro: I tried to really focus on a feeling this time. I chose songs based on like, I want to sing this melody or I want to sing this part of this phrase, and surprisingly what I had the hardest time with was the lyrics. I had them change parts where I felt like there wasn’t a good balance between the sound and the Japanese lyrics, and tried things a little differently this time.

excite: Speaking of challenges, the scat on FAST CAR is a new thing for you, isn’t it?
Amuro: That’s right. It’s something I wouldn’t have chosen in the past, because I felt a little embarrassed to sing it, but this time I wanted to sing it because I really loved that part of the song.

excite: It’s a really Namie Amuro like album, even though it really breaks the bonds of genre, the way it has smooth classic ballads like ‘The Meaning of Us’, as well songs that show a new strong and aggressive side for you, like ‘Shut Up’ and ‘LOVE GAME’
Amuro: ‘Shut Up’ was really fresh because it depicts such a strong woman. Both ‘Shut Up’ and ‘Love Game’ are about very carnivorous girls. (LOL) Like, girls who just say ‘Don’t get me wrapped up in it!’ and win love by making the first move in love affairs themselves.

excite: You said you had them change the lyrics a few times, does that mean that the lyrics reflect you as a person?
Amuro: I guess you could say that. I think that there were a lot of lyrics that I really understand like, ‘Oh, I get it…’, or ‘That’s right!’, or things that I was like ‘Yeah, I’m actually like that’ even if I don’t talk about or show it. (LOL)

excite: A lot of the songs are really fun when you watch the music videos. And in the video for ‘The Meaning of Us’you show a very grown up Namie Amuro, wurh three sexy scenes: undressing, on the bed, and in the shower.
excite: And in the video for ‘Defend Love’ you get to appear in an anime with Ray Amuro from Gundam!

Amuro: My last name is actually pronounced the same way that he does when he says, “Amuro, launching now!’, but when I came to Tokyo the ‘Amuro-chan’ pronunciation stuck, and I was like ‘Oh well.’ So I’ve always like Gundam because of the same name thing.
excite: Is that so? So that’s what started the miracle in the video where the first Amuro Ray crosses over time and says “You’re Amuro-san, aren’t you?”

Amuro: Right, I really wanted Amuro and Amuro to collaborate! So happily the production team for Gundam and Furuta Tohru, the voice actor of Amuro Ray helped me out with it. excite: And the story in the video is very deep and Gundam like!
Amuro: The story is a continuation of the one told in the music video for ‘Dr’, which is also on the album. The premise is that my consciousness crosses time into the Gundam world. And then Amuro Ray defeats e, but he does it to save the current Amuro Namie. It’s big story, so I hope everyone will watch the two videos in order.

excite: what are music videos to you?
Amuro: If someone listened to a song and thought ‘What is this song?’ I hope they can then watch the music video and think ‘Oh, I get it. This is cool.” I guess for me a music video is a tool to help communicate a song.

excite: It’s also a tool that can show your own artistic sense. So how do you think this album came out?
Amuro: That’s right..I think in the end I chose a good balance of different songs. I think it’s an album that’s easy to listen to. It’s not too sharp or too soft.

excite: And that will give you room to play around with your concerts.
Amuro: That may be. My last tour was to support my single collection, but this tour I want to enjoy the world of the album. I’ve already started meetings about the set, but we don’t really have the full picture yet. With arenas you have a lot of freedom because it’s a big stage, but you don’t have a lot of space in halls, so there are some things you can’t do. But that’s also fun to think about.

excite: This is the longest tour you’ve ever done. It lasts from April until November, and you’ll be doing 73 shows altogether. You’re going to some places both in the beginning and the end, and people will have chances to see you more than once, which is just great!
Amuro: I’m excited about it! Unlike an arena tour, on a local hall tour you can really go wild at a close distance, so it might be cool if people can find their favorite hall. Please please come and enjoy a show!