安室奈美恵

Namie Amuro (安室奈美恵) (born September 20, 1977) in Okinawa, Japan is a retired singer, dancer, and entertainer whose career defined the evolution of modern pop in Japan from the 1990s into the 2010s. Over twenty-six years of activity, she sold more than 38 million singles and albums, becoming one of Japan’s best-selling and most influential recording artists. Amuro debuted in 1992 as the lead vocalist of SUPER MONKEY'S, a group formed by graduates of the Okinawa Actors School. After the group disbanded, she launched her solo career in 1995 under Avex Trax, working with producer Tetsuya Komuro. Early singles such as “Body Feels EXIT”, “Chase the Chance”, and “Don’t wanna cry” made her the face of 1990s pop and the Heisei-era fashion movement dubbed “Amuraa”. Her first album SWEET 19 BLUES (1996) sold 3.8 million copies, followed by the 1997 single “CAN YOU CELEBRATE?”, which remains the best-selling physical single by a solo female artist in Japan. After a brief hiatus in 1998 for marriage and motherhood, Amuro returned with “I HAVE NEVER SEEN” (1998) and “RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE” (1999), continuing her chart success amid personal tragedy. Entering the 2000s, she broke from Komuro’s production to pursue a more contemporary R&B and hip-hop direction, collaborating with American producer Dallas Austin and releasing GENIUS 2000 (2000) and STYLE (2003). Parallel to her solo work, she fronted the collaborative project SUITE CHIC (2003), which introduced urban and dance-oriented sounds that reshaped her artistic identity. With albums such as Queen of Hip-Pop (2005), PLAY (2007), and the compilation BEST FICTION (2008), she re-emerged as the “Queen of J-Pop”, balancing commercial power with creative control. BEST FICTION topped the Oricon charts for six weeks and sold over 1.4 million copies, revitalizing her career for a new generation. Throughout the 2010s, Amuro continued to evolve with chart-topping releases including Uncontrolled (2012), FEEL (2013), and _genic (2015). Choosing to focus on touring rather than media appearances, she cultivated one of Japan’s most loyal and diverse fanbases, performing to sold-out arenas across Asia. After celebrating her 25th anniversary with a massive hometown concert in Okinawa, Amuro announced her retirement from the entertainment industry, effective September 16, 2018. Her farewell compilation Finally (2017) sold over 2.5 million copies and became Japan’s best-selling album of both 2017 and 2018. The accompanying Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~ drew nearly 800,000 attendees and set domestic records for concert video sales. Namie Amuro’s career bridged idol pop, R&B, and dance culture, redefining what female autonomy could look like in the Japanese music industry. Even in retirement, her legacy endures as a symbol of artistic reinvention and resilience. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.