Namie Amuro Gallery

Amueo Namie (安室奈美恵, Amuro Namie?, born in Naha, Okinawa, Japan on September 20, 1977) is a Japanese singer, dancer, and former child actor/singer of Ryukyuan descent. At one time known as the "Queen of J-pop", Amuro has transcended fads and controversy to become one of Japan's most prolific and enduring musical acts. Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group, Super Monkey's. Largely unsuccessful, the group grew popular during their final year together with the single, "Try Me ~Watashi wo Shinjite~" (1995). Amuro would leave the group after two more singles and begin a solo career with then small indepedent label, Avex Trax. Under the guidance of producer, Tetsuya Komuro, Amuro quickly gained major success scoring several million selling hits and creating a cultural phenomenon dubbed "Amura". However, in late 1997, Amuro announced a pregnancy and engagement, putting her career on hold.

Throughout 1995 and 1996, Amuro accumulated three consecutive number-one million-selling singles including "Chase the Chance," "Don't wanna cry," and "You're My Sunshine". Following four successful singles, she released the groundbreaking Sweet 19 Blues (1996) album to massive success selling over 3,000,000, and appeared in two films on the big screen. By then Amuro's success had transcended her music into Japanese fashion culture. Her signature tanned skin, dyed hair, miniskirts and boots created a generation of imitators dubbed Amuraa by the media. Amuraa often romanized as Amurer or Amuler. Amuro is often accredited for the creation of Ganguro which is said to be an offspring of the Amura boom.

At the end of 1996, she was nominated for, and won the Grand Prix Award, the highest honor at the Japan Record Awards, (Japan's equivalent to the Grammy's Best Song Award.) for her hit "Don't wanna cry". She is the youngest artist to have won the award.

Amuro began 1997 with her career defining single, "Can You Celebrate?" Released in February, the single sold over 800,000 copies its first week. In 2005, Oricon, Japan's equivalent to America's Billboard charts, recognized the single as the largest selling single from a female artist between 1996 and 2005. UNtil 2008, this single is still the best selling single by a solo female artist in Japanese music history with sales of 2,296,200 copies. After the release of another single "How to be a girl" and a second album, Concentration 20 Amuro toured Japan's four domes during the summer of that year.