Pure charm and adult strength. Her versatile nature holds our attention. The photo-shoot theme this time is the day face and the night face of woman. Concentrating strongly as she stood in front of the camera , the aura that Namie Amuro emits filled the studio… In the interview that followed, our girls talk opened up her enjoyment at returning to being a single girl. I report on the many faces of Namie Amuro.

“To have a good balance between love and work, that can be difficult”

Namie Amuro has topped polls of  ‘The woman that women in their twenties and thirties admire’. Her new single ‘Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! / Love Story’ is the theme song of Fuji TV drama “The reason I can’t find my love”, which starkly depicts the troubles faced by women today. This offer came directly from the producer of the drama, “I want the influence on lifestyle provided by Amuro-san to give courage to charismatic young women.”

As in the drama, there seems to be a growing number of women who can’t find love. As you work, getting to know and to see various things, you unconsciously make judgements whether or not that person is an object of love. Also, when you work you can’t help getting tougher. But you also get tired and wish there was a lover to depend on and to take care of you. For the women around me too, I’d say many tend to think that anything is possible even if someone is unreliable (laughs) But really it’s never OK for women on their own. If you think that, it’s quite difficult to have a good balance of love and work.

For single working women like yourself, is there the feeling that ‘When a woman has a job, love is never simple’

When you have a job it’s inevitable that you’re pressed for time. But I think time can be made. To say you can’t meet when it’s not busy, because of each other’s work, wouldn’t you say that’s not a reason?  So I prefer someone who can regularly make time to be together. To me, to hope for marriage like that, somehow that isn’t what I desire. After all, as you get older the things you require seem to increase, and there is the feeling that you become cautious about marriage, about relationships, even if you spend time together.

For Emi, played in the drama by Karina-san, there were new encounters even when she was absorbed in her work, but there are a surprisingly large number of women who don’t take steps toward love mode.

Even if there was someone at work that I thought was cool, I wouldn’t know how best to say it to them, and I’m sure it would be the same on their side. But I intend to be more open than expected. (laughs) Then, isn’t there a boom in ’herbivores’? I wonder if that’s why the world is becoming no good (laughs). When you appeal for kindness, not casual understanding, men would understand the appeal. Now the roles of men and women tend to have been reversed.  Saying that is ….bad isn’t it (laughs)

Speaking for exactly that kind of woman’s real intention, ‘Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!’ is a danceable number that is used effectively in the drama.  Affectionately training a lover. Produced by T.KURA & MICHICO, familiar from Amuro-san’s work. This devilish look is a delightful song!

Well, it’s bluntly said that women seem to be getting stronger recently, but I don’t think the way women look at men has changed from the past. For example, when a husband returns home after a bad day at work, his wife cheers him up and flatters him. By doing that his mood improves and he can go to work the next day, I think it’s safe to say. The man simply isn’t aware of this. In “Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!” I think the wife actually has him in the palm of her hand. (both laugh)

The drama’s theme song ‘Love Story’ is a beautiful love song with an impressive opening line, “For a long time maybe I’ve known, that I’m not good at love stories”     

Perhaps I’m not very good at love stories either. If they’re too real then I get embarrassed. But at the moment I’m addicted to DVDs of the foreign drama series “the Vampire Diaries”, I get kyun-kyun (very emotional) when I watch it (laughs).It’s a ‘Twilight’ like love story, about a person who loves vampire brothers, but it’s very good. Of the characters, when I first watched it I preferred the younger brother, but recently I’m more in love with the older brother. The younger brother is really a good young man. For me, though the elder brother acts tough and the way he talks is sharp, really he’s a good person. Incidentally the leading lady is also very pretty. Unexpected that such sensation for her (laughs)

Interviews with her are always great fun, girls talk about various subjects. If you think about it, on the stage you get the coolest woman singing, high quality music and wonderful dance. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also her great charm as an artist.

For live shows, all those aspects exist together. But cuteness is always during ballads, where appeal is concentrated. (laughs)

Her beauty secret is to imagine a “new me”

Quite different from her gorgeous image on stage, normally Amuro-san’s make-up and fashion are adult simple. Nevertheless, when going out at night she always enjoys getting dressed up.

Occasionally when I have time I’ll dress up and go out for an evening meal. Dressing up and going out are both important. But when I dress fashionably for a girls meet-up, no-one ever notices (laughs)

That may be so, but not only is her body-shape unchanged since her teens, but as she gets older Amuro’s cute beauty is still evolving. It would be of great interest to GISELe readers to know her secret to this?

I don’t think there’s any secret…. (laughs)  It doesn’t matter, perhaps what’s important is constantly doing kyun-kyun things. I think in my case it’s my work. So for today’s photo-shoot, I was given various clothes to wear, various make-up and hairstyles, I  could get immersed in that sort of atmosphere. Through my work I’m able to challenge myself to “always a different self” and can easily imagine a “new me”. That sensation is really important, don’t you think?  But, recently we all can do great make-up. Since Esprique products are made so that anyone can easily do their make-up using one palette, I too private make-up, ganbarimasu! (laughs)

Secret scheme planned for after the tour is over

At present, a national tour “namie amuro LIVE STYLE 2011” is taking place. Working hard on the tour, her recent fun is ‘online shopping’.

On one site a thing is sold out but on another it’s in stock etc. that makes it fun to check various sites. I buy all sorts of things. Sometimes I buy clothes. A site might have suggestions on how to wear them. By doing this, something I’d seen on a previous site didn’t quite work, but done another way it looks cute and I’ll change my mind. Therefore, by online shopping I hope to get various suggestions for coordinates.

Next year she will commemorate the twentieth-anniversary of her debut. Before that, it seems she has a secret scheme planned.

Right now I really want a short bob. So once this year’s tour is over, to give the color a softer feel, I plan to get bangs.