Namie Amuro(安室奈美恵) -「－３℃」

安室奈美恵、小６で　ゆうゆ「－３℃」を歌う

Namie Amuro (安室 奈美恵, Amuro Namie?, born September 20, 1977) is a Japanese singer, dancer, and former child actor/singer, who, at the height of her popularity, was referred to as the “Teen Queen [of Japan]” and the “Queen of Japanese pop music”.[1][2] Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of fourteen as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey’s. Though mostly unsuccessful, the group gained popularity during their final year together with the single “Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~” (1995). Amuro left the group after releasing two more singles; she began a solo career with the then-small indepedent label Avex Trax. Under the guidance of producer Tetsuya Komuro, Amuro quickly became a commercial success, producing several million-selling records and starting several fashion trends. Her single “Can You Celebrate?” (1997) became the Japan’s biggest selling single by a solo female artist. However, in late 1997, Amuro put her career on hold to focus on her pregnancy and engagement.

She returned to music in 1998 with the number-one single, “I Have Never Seen”, but faced slowly declining sales. She unofficially severed ties with Tetsuya Komuro in 2001, shortly after taking on the project Suite Chic that would transform her from a pop idol to a R&B artist. Since reinventing herself, Amuro has achieved newfound interest. Her latest studio album, Play (2007) debuted at top of the charts and was followed by “60s 70s 80s” (2008), her first number-one single in ten years.[3]

Over a decade since her musical debut, Amuro has remained one of the longest surviving popular female acts in Japan. She is the only Japanese female artist to have achieved a Top 10 single each year for thirteen consecutive years.[4] She also continues to successfully combat social stigma as a divorced, working, single mother.[5] On July 30, 2008, Amuro released her first greatest hits album, Best Fiction, since transitioning to R&B music. It spent six consecutive weeks at the number-one position. Later this year, she will tour Japan in support of the album. Estimates predict that she could play to an audience as high as 400,000, potentially the largest audience of her career.[6]

Biography

Early life and career

Namie Amuro was born in Naha, Okinawa, raised solely by her mother, Emiko Taira, as she had divorced when Amuro was four.[7] Taira worked as a nursery school employee and bar hostess to support her children.[8]

Amuro did not have ambitions to become a performer early in life; she wanted to become a flight attendant. However, at twelve, while visiting a friend, Amuro was discovered by Masayuki Makino, the owner of Okinawa Actors School, a performing arts school.[9] Amuro eventually joined the school; after only two years of study, Makino placed her in an idol group called Super Monkey’s [sic] with five other girls. They debuted in September 1992 on Toshiba-EMI. A year later, against Emiko Taira’s wishes, the group relocated to Tokyo.[7]

The Super Monkey’s were largely unsuccessful and constantly changed members. They changed their group name to Namie Amuro with Super Monkeys in 1994 to reflect Amuro’s individual rising popularity. Aside from group activities, she had bit parts in television dramas and small films. The group changed their lineup a final time in 1995 and released the Max Matsuura-produced single “Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~”. The single was their only top ten hit[10] as a group. The other four members of the Super Monkey’s continued to perform with Amuro as background dancers but formed their own group, MAX, that debuted on the Avex Trax label. Amuro released two more solo singles under Toshiba-EMI before movin to Avex Trax herself in October 1995.

Studio albums :

* 1995: Dance Tracks Vol.1
* 1996: Sweet 19 Blues
* 1997: Concentration 20
* 2000: Genius 2000
* 2000: Break the Rules
* 2003: Style
* 2005: Queen of Hip-Pop
* 2007: Play

Compilation albums

* 1998: 181920
* 2002: Love Enhanced Single Collection
* 2008: Best Fiction

source: wikipedia.org