SINGAPORE: She is celebrating her 20th
anniversary as a musician and is a mother to a 14-year-old;
however, this 34-year-old “Queen of J-Pop” still looks like she is
in her twenties.
So, what exactly is Japanese R&B Namie Amuro’s elixir of
youth?
The doll-like singer giggled and shook her head profusely when
she got complimented about her youthful appearance.
“Just relax!” said the petite singer, who is best known for her
hits such as “Can You Celebrate?” and “Chase the Chance”.
“When I’m tired, I have a half-bath in a tub to get my sweat out
and that really relaxes me.
“And when I’m not working, I really do nothing but just relax at
home,” shared Amuro, who was all smiles when she met reporters in
Singapore at Marina Bay Sands’ KU DÉ TA
lounge on Friday, to promote her new album “Uncontrolled” and her
big 20th anniversary concert tour in Japan.
This being her maiden visit to Singapore, the J-Pop queen could
not hide her excitement when she talked about the local delicacies
and tourists’ attractions.
“I’ll be having chili crab for dinner!” said Amuro, who
confessed to having heard a lot about this local dish that many
other foreign celebrities love.
“Many of us (Amuro and her staff) want to visit the Night Safari
too,” she added before cordially asking the media for more
recommendations on other places of interest in Singapore.
Amuro was amicable and unguarded during the media conference,
and appeared to be unaffected by the events in her dramatic
life.
From her shotgun marriage to Japanese boy band TRF member Sam at the peak of her career in 1997, to her
mother’s murder by a family member two years later and her divorce
with Sam in 2002, which left her a single parent to her son Haruto,
her life over the past 20 years has been like a roller-coaster
ride.
But Amuro was calm and composed when she responded to questions
about her experiences, as well as what her most difficult times and
her biggest sacrifices in the past two decades were.
“Of course there were difficult periods but I just tell myself,
‘Well, that’s life – there’s good and bad times!’ and it was with
that attitude that I managed to come this far.
“These 20 years have been a very enjoyable time for me and I
don’t think there was any sacrifice to speak of,” said Amuro.
The star also added that she merely “tried to meet the
expectations” of her staff and fans who have supported her
throughout the 20 years.
“Fans are a really, really important presence in my life,” said
Amuro, emphasizing that without her supportive fans, she would not
be able to hold any concerts at all.
Speaking to her Singapore fans, Amuro said, “I would really love
to hold a concert in Singapore!
“If that really happens, I really hope all of you can come to my
concert,” she added while looking at the 20 lucky screaming fans,
who were picked from the hundreds of fans that applied for the
chance to join the media conference.
- CNA/lp