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The pop culture icon in Japan and Asia, Japanese singer, songwriter, producer, and more, she is Namie Amuro, a leading figure of the Japanese entertainment industry.
She was born on September 20, 1977, in Shuri, Naha, Okinawa. Her mother Emiko Taira raised four daughters working as a nursery school employee and a bar hostess. Namie had no idea about her musician, dance, and actress talents. But when she was 13, Amuro was discovered by Masayuki Makino, the owner of Okinawa Actors School. He noticed the girl's perfect ability to sing and dance on the stage. Amuro’s family wasn’t able to pay for her study, but Masayuki Makino made an exception for the girl and offered her grants. As a result, Amuro managed to enroll in the school where she realized her life way: to be an artist and make music masterpieces.
In 1992, Namie finally decided to build a successful music career and moved to Tokyo. That year, the young talent became a member of the Super Monkey band of five girls. The debut single "Koi no Cute Beat/Mr. USA" of the band was released in 1992. That’s interesting, but Namie’s mom was against the occupation of the daughter. Amuro promised her mother to return to the home if she wouldn’t become a star in 3 years. It could sound magical, but she had the “star” rank in 1995, after 3 years since the promise was given. In order to get this success, Amuro made a significant effort. Being multi-talented, Amuro got her hands on other career directions too. Back in 1993, she began to have bit parts in various small films as well as in Japanese television series. Also, Namie joined the famous children's program "Ponky Kids" where she sang with Ranran Suzuki in a hare outlook(she left the show in 1997).
The first single of the Super Monkeys was pretty popular. But in 3 months after its release, Makino, the leader of Super Monkeys, left the band. Since that occasion, the band lineup had been changing a lot of times. Meanwhile, the vocal leader Namie Amuro was more and more highlighted. So, as a result, the band was renamed to Amuro with Super Monkeys. The last band’s single “Try Me ~Watashi o Shinjite~” had become a real hit. In the other four singles released by Amuro, other Super Monkeys’ girls took part only as dancers. Moreover, Namie’s solo track “Body Feels Exit” became a sensation in the music world and finally defended her as a solo performer. Amuro made a deal with Avex Trax, started cooperation with enlisted musician Tetsuya Komuro and released the single on 25 October 1995 that debuted at the top three on the Oricon chart. Right after her first release with Komuro, the incredible success got Namie's second track "Chase the Chance" that won the Golden Arrow Award. It became the number-one single on the Oricon Singles Chart and the best-selling in Japan. During 1996 Namie released three more million-plus singles such as Don’t Wanna Cry, You’re My Sunshine and A Walk in the Park.
Lots of awards, top one rankings, participation in many TV shows including one of the most prestigious on the central NHK channel "Kohaku Uta Gassen". Suddenly, Namie Amuro announced her pregnancy and marriage with TRF dancer Sam at the peak of her success. On 19 March 1998, she gave birth to her son, Haruto Maruyama. And, at the end of that year, she released the next single“ Have Never Sing” and became the chart leader again. Unfortunately, 1998-1999 years were not so sweet for Namie. First, on June 16, 1998, Sam's father died of a heart attack. Then, just a month after him, Namie's grandmother died. And finally, on March 17, 1999, Namie’s mother, Emiko Taira was killed by her brother-in-law. She was intent on leaving the career, but the support of fans forced her to give up this idea.
In 2000, Amuro released the fifth and the last studio album produced by Komuro. The album missed the top spot on the Oricon chart, thus Namie's sales started to decline. That year, Namie also divorced her husband after 5 years of marriage and legally changed her name back to Namie Amuro. After releasing the sixth studio album without getting high sales, Namie came to grips with her career. Thus, she devoted several years to raising her position at the career stairs and getting a new look, starting in 2002 a new successful project Suite Chic. By 2005, the singer had stabilized her career, won several awards, and became the first Japanese musician who held concerts in Korea and Taiwan. Amuro continued releasing albums one by one. Namie's release of the eighth studio album became the precursor of her revived popularity. For the first time in 7 years, he charted at the top of the Oricon Albums chart. Also, she took part in the 2008 A-nation music concert, and it was the first time she was invited to perform in 7 years. Then Namie released her third greatest hits album, Best Fiction sold 681,000 copies in the first week and over one million units in the third week. Thanks to this album, Amuro became the first artist who has a million certified albums in 3 consecutive decades.
In 2008, her single "Love Story" sold over 3 million digital copies throughout Japan, furthermore it got the title of one of Amuro's most-selling singles to date.
The "Queen of Japanese Pop" that managed to win over 100 awards from Japan and overseas continued releasing new singles and albums, touring, TV shows participating, giving concerts, and so on. Demie Amuro was really working hard. Thus, on her 40th birthday, she announced that she plans to leave the music industry in one year. On November 8, 2017, the outstanding artist of Japan history released her final album titled "Finally". The album was placed on the top by Oricon and sold in over 2 million units by the end of 2017.