She might not be known outside her own country, but Japan’s hottest selling pop star is so well known at home, she’s spawned a cult following. Nineteen-year-old Namie Amuro has taken the Japanese music and fashion scene by storm. With her trademark tan and thin shaved eyebrows, Amuro appears in advertisements for everything from beauty clinics to cars. Her omnipresence has created an Amuro style, with legions of her fans apeing her tan, dyed hair, tight T-shirts, mini-skirts and long boots. Her baby-face look and dancing is daily fare on television commercials, variety shows and music programmes. She’s also made the transition to big screen — starring in her first film this summer. But Amuro says singing is her first love.
“I like singing live on stage. That’s what I enjoy the most…more than anything else,” Amuro, who turned 19 on September 20, said.
The popstar has sold more than three million copies of her new album “Sweet 19 Blues”, released in late July and six million cd’s in 1996 alone. Despite this success in Japan, Amuro says she can’t wait to sing abroad.
“It’s my dream to succeed outside Japan, it’s everything I’ve ever wanted”, Amuro said.
“I want to dance and sing funky music as much as I can.” “I still don’t feel the Amuro phenomenon is about me. I’ve only noticed the trend through television,” she said.
The flamboyant singer has just completed a final leg of a summer tour, in which the final two days of concerts attracted 60,000 fans to a seaside stadium near Tokyo. Asked what the future held for her, Amuro said: “Realistically, I think I have a lot to learn before I can sing outside Japan and I know it will take time for me to get to that level, but it really is my dream.” “Of course I want to play around a lot…play around with the people around my age, but more than that I enjoy working and that’s what I want to do the most now.”
Quotes:
“I don’t feel like this is about myself. I watch TV and think ‘wow so this is what’s in now. These are the Amuro that people talk about. I need to update myself all about this.”
“People tell me that I sing and dance well but there’s this part inside me that’s unconfident. I’m still not satisfied with the way I sing so I tell myself I’m an artist to be able to go out there and sing. I make myself think I have to sing because i’m an artist and in that way i don’t feel pressured.”
“I hope i’m still funky, singing and dancing in five to ten years time,” saying she likes TLC, Fugees. “I like to listen to that kind of music and perform that kind of music.”
“It’s totally a dream (to perform abroad). If it happens, I will be extremely happy but I tend to get realistic. There are lots of things I still have to do. I’d like to keep it a dream.”