There is power in beauty. But if not accompanied by inner light, such beauty is merely pretense. The GINGER generation should aim, in work and in life, to keep to their ‘Basic’ axis. That is, take a serious look at yourself, repeating your own questions and answers to guide yourself to your tree’s unshakeable roots. Under such a beautiful tree, a person can seek rest and connect with nature.

Namie Amuro fascinates us with such rich talent and beauty because under elegant branches there are strong roots. She has become a woman admired by other women. This isn’t an easy thing to do. In fact the spotlight that falls on Namie Amuro as a female artist is just one aspect. But what is it about her that attracts us?

‘Namie Amuro’ exists in order to brighten, so perhaps it is her perfect self-production? To begin, I throw this simple question as a fastball.

“When working at self-production, to brighten up Namie Amuro isn’t considered once. At all times I’m searching for ‘something that suits me’. Since if it fits me the result should be something bright. But brightening is not something I think about”

But it’s not just work, she understands fashion too. The clothes she chose this time could be called ‘Namie Basic’. That is, in your 30s you can finally feel comfortable with your own lifestyle, in the same way you now have natural items.

“For example, I can say to someone ‘That suits you’, but for me to wear it could put out a NO sign, it’s just not my style. Say ‘I want to show XX’, a thing that has been repaired, conversely day by day, I myself become repaired. When I aim at something, it’s the only thing at that time. But it is good to try something different, because you age and sometimes your bodyline changes. It is important to accept change objectively, but above all to have that Basic axis.”

She has said “I take final responsibility for my work”. Forced to make various choices every day, how does this Basic axis affect what she does?

“When in doubt, ultimately I obey my first impression. This has evolved through experience. Of course, negative opinions are also important, but while I hear them and take them in, my honest and obedient feeling is to walk the path I chose first. If I think A and then choose B, it just doesn’t work. I don’t want to betray myself I suppose. In life, you start off thinking ‘I don’t want to embarrass myself’, beyond that you want to progress and hope things work out. Even if other people think it’s foolish, my judgment doesn’t change. At work too, when I go along with someone else’s opinion, even if I’m mostly happy with it, there are occasions when I’m not happy. Simply that when I broadened my vision of the future, my axis didn’t collapse, instead surroundings took on hope and flexibility appeared. That was several years ago though (laughs)”

Well, what about in private life? Although things become simpler as we get older, we also become cautious and hesitation increases…. Is that true for you?

“For me, happiness is a thing that must be judged for oneself. Deciding if someone is fortunate doesn’t seem right to me. Anyway, when making a choice, you want to do it without hesitation. If you waver then truly you are lost. Recently, when in doubt I get plenty of opinions. But before deciding what to do I ask myself the foundation. After all, I have already made up my mind and finally I go with my first instinct. Going towards that goal, even if I stumble or fall down. Choosing not to stir up waves is not always the correct choice, and it shouldn’t be a basis for judgment. Because there are walls whatever you do.

You can’t challenge rough seas on your own. ‘Frightened, but I don’t want to compromise myself’. That is her theory.

“If hit by rough seas, I don’t turn away to escape the waves, my feeling is ‘OK, let’s try to ride them skillfully’. Some people say turning away is better, but I search for a way to steer while riding the waves. That is the value of experience, related to growth I think. If you know yourself you can correct the course immediately. Without knowing yourself that doesn’t happen. ‘In life there are no right answers’. What kind of person am I? What lifestyle do I want? They are always the important things.”

For example, what is it that satisfies you, success and love? Who but yourself can put a ‘value’ on what is meaningful? Even if you might seem happy to an onlooker, no-one else can judge if you really are. To speculate about someone by saying ‘They must be XX’ is stupid and futile. Last time she said to me “I won’t be Namie Amuro at the expense of my family”. In other words, she won’t sacrifice her life to it. It always impresses me when I talk with her, there is no blurring. In her work and in her private life, ‘I am not ashamed of anything’ she says with a dignified smile that says it all. While holding firm to her convictions, since her thirties newly dating and in love, there is much feedback between her life and her work. She is just another human being, but continually puts out unprecedented records. And this is one aspect of the path she has chosen in life. Work to live, or live to work? Her words are thought-provoking, ‘Ask yourself, what is happiness?’

“Though people say ‘It’s a good life’, I can throw it away at any time if it’s not what I want.”

“Even if people around me might think ‘Oh, that’s…’, if I do it, people’s views will also change. Even if I hesitate, I don’t hide away once it’s done. In the long span, thinking “It’s over” is the wrong attitude. Judging something while it’s in progress is merely prediction.” Of course, even if you fail surely you will recover the next time, that is her unshakeable belief. And in life it’s the same.

At the end of your life to say ‘Ah that was good. That was happiness’ you can laugh. Even if people say ‘It was a good life’, if I couldn’t laugh I am not satisfied. The things people seek I already had, whether I wanted them or not. In the end ‘What is happiness to me?’, ‘Who am I and what do I want?’ I want to know the answers, since knowing that might also change the way I enjoy life.”

“Work and private life are separate things. For example, it’s teenage talk to say being in love influences my work. It’s always what should I do next?

“I don’t just think about returning to work. To my staff and to my family, I am sorry if I don’t do a good job. And I am grateful to all those who give me support in my work.”

That shows the sincerity of the artist Namie Amuro, and her will as a single woman. There are no excuses ‘because of XX’ for her. At times while trying to get through her aesthetic of silence I get annoyed with her, but in the end I realize that she is right. Not for herself but for what she should defend, the strength to shield themselves. Having a firm Basic axis for living, whatever her beauty, asks of the GINGER generation.

“Even though it was misunderstood, and it was wrong not to explain I didn’t intend such a way of life. Why was it shameful for me, I want to know”

As she says, in life there are no right answers. How to express love, if you asked 10 people you might get 10 interpretations. ‘Normally’ is the general opinion but not absolutely.

“If there are no right answers, you have to live for yourself, don’t you? Don’t cause trouble for people and don’t hurt them. As humans we don’t want to do the wrong thing, my point being it’s important that there is no deceit in my heart. At work or in private, when facing someone, I try to be as honest as possible, even if means clashing, if finally we make each other happy. I only nurture something if I think it’s important. When a thing is in front of my eyes every day, I return to it directly. That’s how it is with people, I think”

“When I want to laugh, I laugh, and when I want to cry, I cry. Its important not to lose sight of the real me”

“At the moment everything is stable and comfortable, but there isn’t anything in particular that is enjoyable. I wonder if that’s because I’m not honest about my emotions. Since reaching thirty, I feel ‘It’s good to be like this’. More specifically, I now think ‘It’s good to live with a natural flow’. Getting angry, crying, laughing, I want that kind of straightforward emotion to be more important. In the workplace especially, such emotions are not allowed. Even if it is bad of me, when I hide my true face I lose sight of the real me. Thoughtlessly baring my feelings to people in this way corrects this.

Released last year, her new album ‘PAST<FUTURE’ once again set new records, reaching No.1 in five Asian countries; Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. It’s a first for a Japanese record to achieve such success in Asia, but as expected, she says “Apparently it did. I was surprised”, and drops the matter.

“I am very happy that so many people are interested. Up to now I have said ‘I want to sing this live’ or ‘Can I try a new way of looking at this song’ and evolved gradually, how can I take a new approach? I think in a sense the album came as a response to that.”

As ‘PAST<FUTURE’ has shown, Namie Amuro’s next challenge is to go overseas. It has truly shaken Asia’s music scene. And her attitude toward production suggests she is already looking far ahead of this album.

“Our job isn’t just to watch your step at that moment. Always look ahead, going outside or you don’t advance. The road is endless and limitless. It can go in any way. So the important thing is to have foundations. Even if your aim is on target, if foundation isn’t firm, sooner or later the road will collapse. If someone is giving the road I receive, when there isn’t anyone giving it stops. Only a cliff remains. There is no choice, you have to make your own road. Strategically therefore is important to develop a firm foundation. Relating this to production, from zero built simply and diligently on foundation really feels a comfortable step.”

In fact, without flashy TV appearances, she has steadily spent over a year and a half doing live concerts. And having set new records for arena audiences, she returns to the halls again later this year for her biggest ever tour of 73 venues. With the world’s high evaluation unshaken, and her words showing her single-minded attitude hasn’t changed, it is all the more convincing.

“If you keep making the effort, sooner or later you will get a return. A good example is the results of my Best disc. Plugging away is surprisingly enjoyable. There are people who wouldn’t agree, but I don’t get bored by it. That’s because I love live shows, and by whipping myself on I can find out things. Above all, straining my body doing promotion is whipping myself, but there is a sense of achievement.”

I ask about another face, as a leader who brings together tour staff…

“There too, I have worked hard to cultivate a trusting relationship with staff, so when I delegate I leave it to them. But at times it silently hails down. But that is the pressure I put on myself” she analyzes.

Soon she will plunge into tour rehearsals which start in April. This time, more and more tickets have sold out the same day, the much-awaited tour presenting a new indicator, she herself might find there. Whenever, the Basic of the artist Namie Amuro will be there on the stage.