Amuro Namie
From Jrrpwiki
Contents |
[edit] Amuro Namie
It soon became clear that Namie was the star of the Super Monkeys, and the group was renamed Namie Amuro with the Super Monkeys. It wasn't until she was taken under the wing of the famous producer Tetsuya Komuro that her popularity began to soar, however. With Komuro writing her music, and Namie's exotic look and unique fashion sense, she rocketed to the top of the charts, with single after single finding its way to the number one spot. Her sense of fashion (mini-skirts and knee-high boots) was adopted by thousands of young teenage girls, who were called Amuraa. Her influence can still be seen in the streets of Tokyo today.
At the very height of her popularity, in 1997 at the age of twenty, Namie suddenly announced her pregnancy and impending marriage to her choreographer, SAM (Masaharu Maruyama) of TRF. Her son, Haruto, was born on May 19th, 1998.
Namie returned to the music scene after a year hiatus and began work with producer Dallas Austin. Around this time her music started to take a turn towards the more R&B side.
In 1999, Namie's mother was brutally murdered by Namie's uncle-in-law, who committed suicide right afterwards. His motives remain unclear. Namie, who was raised solely by her mother, nearly retired from the music business in the aftermath of the murder, but decided to honor her mother's memory by continuing to do what she loved.
2001 saw her divorce from SAM, who had custody of Haruto for the next three years. Rumors suggest that it was his playboy nature coupled with pressure from Namie's in-laws to retire and care for Haruto.
In 2002 Namie took a break from her solo career to focus on a new project: Suite Chic. Suite Chic featured AI, Verbal, and Zeebra, and brought a more hip-hop edge to Namie's music, serving as a transition towards the style she wanted to achieve. The Suite Chic project dissolved after a single album, but the members have remained close friends and gone on to other successful projects.
Since then, Namie has released two full length albums: Style and Queen of Hip-Pop. Though her popularity has waned some, she has proved to have remarkable staying power in a very fickle industry.
[edit] As a Muse
[edit] Quirks/Facts
- Namie can become fond of things very quickly, and it takes her a long time to get tired of whatever it is that catches her interest. This goes for food, clothes and people. She's especially fond of the Korean singer Bi, and has chased him across Korea, Japan and even all the way to America.
- She has four tattoos; the first was acquired on a trip to Jamaica. It's a barcode on her wrist that reads her birthdate. The second is decorative, on the same wrist. The third is an epitaph for her mother on her shoulder, and the fourth is her son's name in elegant script just below that.
- Though onstage Namie has a very strong, sensual image, offstage she tends to be shy and demure. Except when she gets drunk, which is when she tends to say surprising, and most often amusing, things. She also has a very childish side to her, and likes to get up to mischief, and enjoys the company of those who share the same sense of fun.
- Her around-the-house-wear consists generally of frumpy sweaters, long fluffy skirts, pajamas that feature Sonic or Tweety, and other similar clothes; she has a preference for what's comfortable over what's stylish, and often will leave the house in a sweatshirt and jeans.
Perhaps due to her difficult family life, and the fact that family is so important to her, Namie has gathered friends about herself in a pseudo-family of her own making.
[edit] Family and Friends
- Hamasaki Ayumi: Though the two in real life are rumored to not get along in the slightest, as muses Namie and Ayu consider each other sisters, with Ayu calling Namie "Ane" and Namie calling Ayu "Ayuchan". The two have made even made an appearance together dressed in matching outfits.
- Yuichi: Affectionately called 'Anpanpan-nee-sama' by Namie, she really considers Yui a little brother. Who tends to take away her alcohol. Probably wisely. Even though he taught her how to pound it down in the first place.
- Ninomiya Kazunari: Introduced to Nino in a roundabout way by Yokoyama Yu, Namie latched onto him when she discovered his loyalty for his friends. Now he calls her kaachan and lets her put him in stilettos, and she calls him up at night and tells him bedtime stories.
- Yamashita Tomohisa: Swept off her feet by Tomohisa (Pichan) in March, their brief (and essentially happy) relationship ended two months later due to their mutually busy schedules, thankfully on a positive note. Though unable to see each other much, they remain in contact.
- Uehara Takako: Namie considers the ex-SPEED vocalist something of a kohai, and certainly one of her main confidantes in matters of the heart.
- Uchi Hiroki: Namie is horribly fond of Uchi, and has been from the start, though her fondness tripled once Uchi let her and Ayu dress him up in drag.
- Masa and Kusano Hironori: She doesn't yet know either as well as she would like to, but she does consider both to be her friends, and quite charming.
- Attack and Xmas: Unable to pronounce the word 'Attack' properly, Namie has dubbed him Takkun. They're her nephew and niece by relation to Yuichi, who is their 'mum', but she knows very little about them.
- Komuro Tetsuya: Former producer.
- Bi
