Namie Amuro:One of a kind

TAIPEI — Music is a neutral medium of art and entertainment. Its universality transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. By just listening to it with an open mind and a compassionate heart, one can understand the emotions its sounds evoke and express.

I can attest to this when I recently trooped to Taipei Arena with Universal Records big boss Ramon Chuaying and MYX Channel manager Mila Labendia to experience the musicality and artistry of Namie Amuro. Even though she sang in Japanese most of the time, I left the concert venue, which was filled to the rafters, entertained with music I had only encountered for the first time. The level of curiosity and the feeling of engagement were comparable to that of a K-Pop tune that a Filipino listener will try to wrap his head around it.

If my memory serves me right, Japanese music first reached the local airwaves before K-Pop got into Juan dela Cruz’s pop consciousness. It won’t cost one an arm and a leg to give J-pop or an Asian solo act like Namie a space in one’s playlist. 

“She is shy.” “She doesn’t speak nor do spiels in her concerts.” “She only performs.” These, I gathered from those who have followed the career of Namie. “An interesting one,” I told myself. Perhaps, these add mystery to the Land of the Rising Sun native. It is also the reason why fans pull out all the stops and resources when they get the chance to see her in the flesh and watch her perform live.

Some may think Namie is a reluctant performer. But there was no trace of coyness in her when she hit the Taipei Arena stage. Namie was out to engage her fans in the stories behind her songs. One couldn’t simply resist the energy she brought in to all her solo spots. She was infectious. The Namie Amuro Asia Tour 2013 in Taipei showcased the treasure trove of hits she has amassed in the two-decade-long and still-counting career.

The first LED video of the night transported the enthusiastic crowd to a museum being guarded by a white guy who curiously inspected a gallery of paintings. In a dramatic twist, he was caught by surprise that all objets d’art had only Namie as subject. This gave everyone the cue that the show was about to begin. The reel had crossed over to real. Then, a three-tiered stage with nine satellite smaller stages became the focal point of the show’s spectacle.

Namie opened the Taipei tour with the 1995 hit and debut single, Body Feels Exit, and was followed by How to be a Girl (1997). The next 15 minutes saw Namie belting out latest hits such as Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!, Get Myself Back and Go Round (’N Round ’N Round). After, she shifted back to the ’90s tunes (Fight Together, You’re my Sunshine, Don’t Wanna Cry and Respect The Power of Love).  The fans were on their feet and didn’t show any sign of slowing down in cheering on Namie. I hardly saw them sit. They all stood up all throughout the presentation and sang along with Namie. Her Taiwanese fans — the young ones and the young once — knew the lyrics by heart. Every time Namie acknowledged her followers by hand gestures, it was met by a roaring cheer from them.

Namie, who is always at her best on stage, performed 23 songs and seven more for the encore part, showing her vocal styling and stamina and stage agility. She sang and danced, danced and sang. Namie was energy incarnate. She seemed to prove what the lyrics in In The Spotlight (Tokyo) say, “I feel alive and tonight’s my night. I’ve got nothing to hide. I’m dancing in the spotlight… I go all in tonight. I’m dancing in the spotlight.” Namie is the female counterpart of Gary Valenciano, who is known for emotionally-laced rendition of songs and highly-energized dance routines. If given the chance, a collaboration between two artists is a must-look-forward-to musical experience, especially the hybrid sound that emanates from it.           

The repertoire showed the musical genres Namie has done in her career: Dance, R&B, ballad and hip-hop.

From someone whose musical orientation is Western, I think Namie had moments of channeling Madonna, J.Lo and Gwen Stefani (in In the Spotlight [Tokyo], Damage, Singing ‘Yeah-Oh,’ Big Boys Cry and Let’s Go). With her Hollywood-sounding songs with patches of electronic and juxtaposition of English lyrics, she is relatable and accessible to Pinoys. It’s time to veer away even for a while from the Asian group act bandwagon which has been dominating the radio charts and music channels these days.

After the show, the select members of the media from the region had a short chance to meet and greet Namie. Like what many have been telling me, she shyly and accommodatingly shook my hand. All I could manage to say was “I’m Jerry Donato from The Philippine STAR. Congratulations. It was an amazing show.” She smiled and bowed. It was my first time to meet an artist who enjoys the silence and privacy of her life.

Looking back, the reason why fans pay for the concert ticket is to get entertained and to forget their cares in life. With that, Namie the performer has served her purpose.

(To get to know more the music of Namie, watch Take 5 on MYX on March 11 at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. featuring Naked, Hot Girls, Break It, Go Round, In the Spotlight and March 19 with Let’s Go, Yeah-Oh, Get Myself Back, Love Story and Only You as featured music videos. She recently released her album titled Uncontrolled with accompanying music videos.)