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[Article] Namie Amuro's 15 Years of Stardom Interview.
Here's a article from mina magazine translated by Duncan. Namie talks about her 15 years of being an artists. Her ups and downs, her family and friends and more! If you wanna know about namie more...read and enjoy! ^_^
Quote:
Text by Takako Tsuritani You made your debut at 14 years old, have already reached the 15th anniversary of that. Still your brightness continues, as an artist and as single woman who attracts wide attention. But during those 15 years it was by no means all plain sailing. Of course it is good to have been able to keep going. But now also strong feeling to go over again, Looking back on 15 years, there were times I wouldn't have thought. In particular the period of several years after separating from Komuro-san was difficult… . Shedding your hugely popular 'Amura period' image, until you managed to arrive at the music that you truly wanted to do was a long long tunnel. And I'm sure you had pressure as one time built up person bearing 'destiny'. You continued fighting against 'that time', the peak of Namie Amuro in the merciless eyes of the world. When I made my debut, intention was to do concerts, to begin with getting a #1 was a dream. But actually, after that was fulfilled, I still wasn't completely happy. I found out it wasn't as sweet as I expected after regular experience of low ranking of Super-Monkeys period. Actually from that time always faced that "Now might be peak, so what happens after this?". But, saying that, since teens I had no idea how to deal with it. If I understood it I thought I could be prepared against it. Actually soon after that I took a one year break from work for marriage and childbirth. After comeback I started to do production, but because it was too sudden, I had a lot to learn, I didn't know how to achieve what I wanted to do… That wall was large. Back then I couldn't see my current image. Honestly, I felt that the peak of wave had passed and my work was becoming unpopular. Staff at that time probably had the same thoughts too. So when I became pregnant, nobody said anything. They might have said take a rest before it's too late. Perhaps with my personality they said it but I wasn't listening (laughs). At the height of popularity, pregnancy & wedding. How do you look back on that time. Pregnancy, wedding, childbirth. That was a very happy time. To me it was best decision. Moreover, when I took a year off I was able to look at Namie Amuro objectively again. Of course I didn't expect everything to go smoothly on returning, I was prepared for that, but result was more heavy than I imagined. New people around me said "If it's not good any more, you could stop?". But I couldn't give up. After all I liked this work, it was enjoyable. As unpleasant things continued, I had the thought "maybe it's really hopeless", but I will keep making CDs and doing concerts, after all "I really enjoy it!" "I won't stop". When I do something, "Next will be like this" desire is born. Up until now I never had 'entirely done feeling'. Year after year, thinking now I will do my best, something will appear "I haven't done this yet". It isn't that I continually seek new things only. When events made her think "maybe it's hopeless", at that time you took a year off concerts with that in mind. I really didn't think there was any choice… Each year when concerts are over, right away start discussing the following concerts, it's what I really like, from pressure negative feelings come…at that time I was thinking "Is this hopeless?". So still a sense of fulfilment rather large work finished, by taking a year off 'I want to do more concerts!!' tension didn't return. But that was a mistake. By not doing what I love most, what's more important than anything, something part of me collapsed. When I did concerts after that break, my intuition was slow. It was as if I had forgotten how to show myself during two hours on stage; it was a shock. […] If it was something that didn't matter to me I wouldn't have worried, but when it's my favourite thing… I felt it strongly. It was a time when I thought about moving towards a new style of music. But as much as I liked Hip-hop and R&B, and wanted to do it, for me to be able to do it the gap was large. If it isn't received or isn't meaningful, then what should I do….Until i leave Komuro-san , after 'Say the Word', gradually i tried to ask myself 'am I going to do Hip-hop or R&B or J-pop ?' while making subtle changes, but sure enough... 'Is this good?' dilemma got stronger. "By throwing away pride, feel a new road opened" You really wanted to try a new direction. That was finally embodied in special project 'SUITE CHIC' with Hip-hop and R&B artists. But at the same time you took the decision to cast off your pride. I was happy to take a chance doing something I greatly loved. But in a place I didn't know how to roll, rather lost my way. Until that time kept hold of pride about Namie Amuro, about sales numbers and rankings, so it took a long progress . But what I tried to do completely negated that possibility, nevertheless I try to do! So I defiantly picked up as much as I could. Surrounding noise completely shut out. There was a good response to it, better than I had imagined, so for the first time I thought "Oh, I need not have worried. If I express what I want to do like that, there are people who will accept it”. To think like that gave me self-confidence, and through 'SUITE CHIC' maybe I learned what is important to me now, it also gave me a lot of good stimulation. I started working with michico-san and YAKKO-san, got to do interesting things with AI-chan, in that sense I feel 'SUITE CHIC' was the big turning point. By taking a big risk, she had discovered how to move forward down a new path. Immediately after that the Namie Amuro album 'Style' was released. The following year 'Queen of Hip-Pop' was released. Around that time came a rapid increase in new fans. That was from 'Style'. Not ashamed to say that "This is Namie Amuro" when I put out this work. Not hesitantly [asking] "How is it?", rather "I'm glad you like it". In the period, from my return until I reached this point, literally facing daily difficulties, certainly there was a time when surrounding feeling was "Amuro is finished". Though I shut it out, I still heard such things (laughs). But "Damn it~" I am the type who is stirred up by adversity like that. It might be selfish but I try to stay faithful to what I want to do. There won't always be a natural tailwind. .I was prepared for it and still now it hasn't changed. I think it's a good thing. If i can show results, nobody will say anything but I don't know at all what is certain. As a result what is important "The most to me is good music" so I have no choice but to continue doing it. That is my conclusion. That worry aside, your work could be completed without compromise, and a new album 'PLAY' has been released after an interval of 2 years. With that perfect self-produced work, you regained the #1 ranking after an interval of almost 7 years. In your 15-year history, this may be the most significant triumph. In the past I didn't wear 'mina' type fashion, I absolutely couldn't. I felt that I need to appear pretty to be an idol, so I obstinately resisted it (laughs). But, I was just restricting myself by doing that. Losing this limitation of that Namie Amuro, once I started to find a way to enjoy, type of clothes I wanted to wear steadily increased. But my focus on what is important "singing and dancing" is not blurred. People ask me ‘What do you think will be the next new trend?’ but that isn't really important. In 'mina' I enjoy 'mina'-like me and it's fun! You have a delightfully natural posture, and relaxed manner is conveyed by your words. Which reminds me, I read an article some years ago saying you had around 40 numbers stored on your mobile phone? That's true (laughs). I once went over 50. Generally it's around 40. Now...... Ah! It's 51. 51 out of 1,000 are entered. By the way, approximately half are work related, 8 restaurants, also 8 talent-san, I don't make many calls (laughs). Really I have few friends. I want friends but it's the nature of my job, not to express strong feelings. Polite socializing and such. I tend to be reserved in company of people. I'm relaxed when they aren't fans of mine but if during conversation they say "I have your CD(s)", I worry whether I shouldn't destroy image? or It's OK to destroy it? (laughs) With things like that, you could say I have the feeling workmates = friends. Anyway, it's hard to find a suitable time slot to have fun. I don't go out at night since I havre a family, at weekends too. I want to have family time, the job should come in as little as possible. But it's only natural to think like that. For example, I don't go to the convenience store during the night now even after I have put the child to bed. What if something happened when I wasn't there, anxious feeling is something I absolutely want to avoid. So I won't be getting daily necessities during the night, this is a serious matter in Amuro house now (laughs). Maybe there's no reason to worry so much, but I'm a born worrier, I have a duty to the child not to go out. Normally you don't talk much about family issues. Immediately answer "It's really important for me not to expose what I want to guard". Being a mother before being Namie Amuro has affected her way of life. After all marriage and childbirth are big things, something therefore changes. Though I myself don't change surroundings and environment certainly do, that is happening now. At that time I didn't hesitate it was most happy choice which I don't regret. But in present situation if I became pregnant with first child, honestly I might hesitate. In other words, at last you've arrived at the stage of career you want to do, now surely can be said engine is at full throttle. It's like mountain climbing, making each album production process is going uphill, once completed return to flat road. I have that feeling. No downhill it's an uphill life (laughs). People seem to have this image of me as "A person who sticks to their intentions" though it's wrong to say that I don't care at all about surroundings. […] I am what I am after all. By having confidence, or pretending to have it, I could make progress, but thinking like that and keep saying "I'm like this" won't get to be number one. If someone says negative things, those people won't say 'Look at this'. Really if you're not interested, you wouldn't look and speak. But when a person who cares says something, if it's good take it to be good. Only that is seen. I make albums and do concerts for people who expect them and I do Namie Amuro for myself. Talented or hard worker? I don't say for myself, but usually hard working. You can't keep going without hard work, if something isn't right I don't keep it. So whether hard worker or talented, Namie Amuro would not continue without hard work I think. From past experience I will be praised or criticized. Through carelessness, bad things will happen. So I took really great care. The new album is popular so I am relieved that care wasn't wasted… When I select my music, however complex or simple the song, the standard I judge by is "How will it be when I sing and dance to it?". If I get a clear absolute hunch that it will be cool, I will select even difficult songs. Then stubbornly, make it my own. Recent songs are all like that. If I thought I was in an impossible situation, I could choose a safe move, but now I wouldn't. How would I like to make myself sing it? Since I selected it, even if it would became difficult during recording, I didn't give up. I stuck with it as I was convinced this would be really cool when it was finished. It might be connected with what I was thinking about "I always challenge something new". I don't want to lower the hurdles for myself, stubbornly thinking even if they are high, I want to clear them. "The past was enjoyable, the present is really enjoyable" The artist :Namie Amuro" 's unique existence is brought up, unmistakably by herself . The dignified aura she puts out is, not directly indulge by herself but by her love of music. Unlike usual examples, as years go by, her brightness increases, I got the feeling that she realises that. Finally, I asked her "What do you wish to do now?" It's been an exciting 15 years. "If this is the fate I was born for, I'll take it". Since 25 years old I've thought that way. […] The peak time was enjoyable but I am enjoying it now. Teen years were truly good memories, in future, i want to make reliable work at a steady pace, and also to evolve. After all, I want to live happily! This feeling is biggest change. Before, the word 'happiness' didn't come up. What is happiness, it can sometimes be refer to different things, but what important for me not to lose sight of it, always want life to be "happy at this very moment". I think so from my heart. credit: Duncan from jpopmusic forum |
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thx for your posting,...
she is queen of RnB |
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Thanks for posting. I didn't read it fully yet, but it seems like it's a really interesting interview.
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Very interesting read
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Thanks for the article!
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![]() ![]() There's never a day that I have to remember you because I never for a moment forgot you. My LJ x Hitomi Shimatani @ LJ x Yuna Ito @ LJ x ayaka @ LJ x misono @ LJ |
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interesting! thanks ^_~
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Thank you!! I really hopw that Namie will have an easy way to find her happiness. (not that she's not happy now, but in the way she said) ^_^
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Thank you! She sounds like such a good person and an amazing mom ~ ! That article makes me smile.
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She's so precious. <3
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thanks for sharing this article!!
great job, namie! otsukaresama deshita!!
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Thanks for posting! Now I know more about Namie Amuro
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This is a very good interview! Thanks for sharing it.
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Thanks. Namie staying power is VERY impressive. And her mother death is a big taboo for her apparently, she doesn't mention it once, which is remarkable 'cos it's an interview about her life.
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wow..its really interesting article to read
i give her a big hand too...for achieve what she did now with [PLAY], i remember that [STYLE] did really worse in term of sales, but she never give up and now her [PLAY] sold about 500k...its really WOW!!!
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thanks for sharing the article!
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I always assumed that Namie didn't like to expose her family to the media, but I never heard her say it. It's nice to actually see her address it in this interview. Thanks.
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