Amuro Namie is a JPOP (Japanese Popular Music) singer, entertainer, and actress.  After many years of success she has become known as the "Queen of JPOP".

In Japan she is referred to as Amuro Namie since they refer to people with their last name first, however elsewhere she is known as Namie Amuro.

Namie Amuro was born on September 20, 1977 in Naha Okinawa.  Her father is full Japanese while her mother is half Japanese and Half Italian, so Namie is actually 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 Itailian.

She started her career as part of the Super Monkeys.  The Super Monkeys were formed in Okinawa back in September 16, 1992.  

The group consisted of five singers Anna Makino, Hisako Arakaki, Nanako Takushi, Minako Ameku, and Namie Amuro.  Soon after Anna Makino left the group and was replaced with Rino Nakasone, who later on became one of the harajuku girls.  Rino had left soon after due to medical reasons.

In 1994 the group was renamed Namie Amuro and the Super Monkey’s which consisted of newcomers Reina Miyauchi and Ritsuko Matsuda along with previous group members Nanako Takushi, Minako Ameku, and Namie Amuro.

The Super Monkeys never really had any hit songs until the 1995 hit "Try Me", which hit number 8 on the Oricon charts and ended up selling over 700,000 copies.  With the success of "Try Me’  they were able to launch their album Dance Tracks Vol.1 with huge success. 

The album Dance Tracks Vol.1 had sold over 2,000,000 copies, however the album can almost be classified as more of a remix album rather than an original album since 6 of 7 Super Monkey’s singles are on the album, which have all been remixed.  Only "Go! Go!", "Get My Shinin’", and "Super Luck!" where original compositions.

Dance Tracks Vol. 1 is as follows:

  1. Go! Go!: Yume no Hayasade
  2. Try Me: Watashi o Shinjite (New Album Mix)
  3. Stop the Music (New Album Mix)
  4. Get My Shinin’
  5. Wagamama o Yurushite (Groovy Mix)
  6. Aishite Masukatto (Groovy Mix)
  7. Paradise Train (Groovy Mix)
  8. Dancing Junk (Groovy Mix)
  9. Super Luck!
  10. Heart ni Hi o Tsukete (New Album Mix)
  11. Taiyo no Season (New Album Mix)
  12. Try Me: Watashi o Shinjite (Extended version)
  13. Taiyo no Season (Salsoulike Mix)

Later on in September of 1996 a compilation album of the original songs were released in an album called Original Tracks Vol. 1.

The Original Tracks Vol. 1. consisted of various versions of the Super Monkey’s along with a few Namie Amuro solo songs. The songs are as follows:

  1.   Mister U.S.A. (Super Monkey’s)
  2.   Koi no Cute Beat (Super Monkey’s)
  3.   Dancing Junk (Super Monkey’s 4)
  4.   Rainbow Moon (Super Monkey’s 4)
  5.   Aishite Masukatto (Super Monkey’s 4)
  6.   Wagamama wo Yurushite (Super Monkey’s 4)
  7.   Paradise Train (Namie Amuro with Super Monkey’s)
  8.   Kanashiki Broken Boy (Namie Amuro with Super Monkey’s)
  9.   Try me ~watashi wo shinjite~ (Namie Amuro with Super Monkey’s)
  10.   Memories ~ashita no tame ni~ (Namie Amuro with Super Monkey’s)
  11.   Taiyo no Season (Namie Amuro)
  12.   Haato ni hi wo Tsukete (Namie Amuro)
  13.   Stop the Music (Namie Amuro)
  14.   Good-night (Namie Amuro)

After Dance Tracks Vol.1 and Original Tracks Vol. 1 were released Namie Amuro broke out as a solo artist and the remaining group members formed the group MAX named after Max Matsuura their producer.

 

Soon there after Namie Amuro released her own debut album Sweet 19 Blues which launched herself into stardom.