An Introduction To Namie Amuro In 10 Songs

Namie Amuro is one of Japan’s most successful pop stars, often compared to Madonna in terms of reputation and influence. Get acquainted with this Japanese songstress with these 10 songs.

Body Feels EXIT

Namie Amuro’s first foray into the music industry was at age 14, when she was the lead in the pop idol group Super Monkey’s. The group eventually disbanded, and in 1995 at age 18, the singer released her first solo single “Body Feels EXIT” after signing on with label Avex Trax. The song was a hit and paved the way for the singer’s future success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqxjguBS_T4

I Have Never Seen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA6kv4lX72E

Wishing on the Same Star

Amuro’s mother was murdered in 1999, and the star announced separation from her husband in 2000. Despite these personal struggles, it wasn’t until 2002 that her music sales began to decline. She was legally divorced that summer and her single “Wishing on the Same Star” was released in fall to a less than enthusiastic audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLTsB4B853U

Want Me, Want Me

Although the star hadn’t been commercially successful in years, she was still a household name. In 2003, Amuro was invited to record a couple of tracks for the popular InuYasha anime series. Later, the single “Want Me, Want Me” was released in 2005 and marked the beginning of Amuro’s resurgence with her Queen of Hip-Hop album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzWJvDTfWyc

Baby Don’t Cry

In 2007, “Baby Don’t Cry” was used as the theme song for the drama series Himitsu no Hanazono. It would become one of Amuro’s top selling singles, and the album Play released later that same year became her first chart topping studio album in seven years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NKyeUpO_3I

Break It/ Get Myself Back

Namie Amuro released her 34th single “Break It/Get Myself Back” in 2010. The song was chosen for a Coca-Cola Zero commercial and reached number three in the Oricon weekly chart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnjDjVZhcqE

Love Story

2012’s “Love Story” was one of Namie Amuro’s most widely acclaimed songs. Its album Uncontrolled broke a record for the most sales in the first week of release by a solo artist in Japan, though the record was later broken by Keisuke Kuwata. The song was used as the theme song for the drama Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYb7dtMq7Sc

I’m Not Yours (by Jolin Tsai feat. Namie Amuro)

Namie Amuro and Taiwanese pop star Jolin Tsai teamed up to create 2014’s “I’m Not Yours” for Tsai’s album Play. The song and accompanying music video were loved by fans all over the globe.

B Who I Want 2 B (feat. Hatsune Miku)

Amuro’s album Genic was released to generally positive reviews in 2015. It includes songs with EDM legend David Guetta, and even Hatsune Miku, the singing bot known as a Vocaloid that found fame as a solo artist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAGwY9ODTEQ

Just You and I

Amuro continues to enchant audiences and in early 2017 released another single, “Just You and I”, to celebrate 25 years in the music industry, and possibly another album is to follow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpUkpF7T7xo

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.