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March 29, 2009

Amuro Namie and Sakamoto Ryuichi

One of the blogs I frequently visit is by the talented editor Moonrat...since she recently blogged about one of Japan's singing talents, Utada Hikaru, I thought I'd introduce someone else that pop lovers might enjoy.

Namie Amuro is a 31 year old pop icon in Japan.  She is originally from Okinawa and debuted in 1995.  I prefer her new stuff (her earlier work was produced by a famous producer that I don't really enjoy...).  My favorite is the song released in 2007 and used in a shampoo commercial...the video is really cute and it has a very nice 60's-ish look/sound.


and here is her latest hit Wild...




Namie's record company is the mega label AVEX... they are huge in Japan...
a couple of years ago they started to represent a few foreign artists as well, 
including Sugar Cult, a band I have had the honor of translating for on several occasions...

and along the same note...it is the same record company for the talented pianist, composer and sometimes actor...Sakamoto Ryuichi. 

 I went to his solo concert yesterday and blogged about it in my Music Flat blog...if you are up to reading my abstract review it is here: Kaleidoscope of Sounds.

I also must mention that I had the pleasure of shaking his hand last night...and I did manage to mumble a few things...

I learned something yesterday.... always be prepared... ALWAYS.  I had on an awful looking sweater and my hair looked like a bird's nest...I had NO IDEA I was going to be given the chance to meet him backstage...  

I vow never to under dress for a concert EVER...you never know WHO you are going to meet.

11 comments:

moonrat said...

you know, i never got into her--i think because i wasn't listening to the right stuff. so thanks for this.

hey. i JUST NOTICED you're not a bookbook blogger. how has this happened?! anyway, i sent you an invitation; i hope you're not offended. you comment all the time so you might as well be an author even if you don't want to post reviews!

I_am_Tulsa said...

Wow! Thank you! Of course I'm not offended...
I'm not very good at writing reviews so it didn't even cross my mind! I just love reading what everybody has to say and throwing in my two cents now and then;-)

Namie's former producer had some bad taste in music in my opinion, and I'm glad she has changed her style!

Jelica said...

Isn't that murphy's law that probably this one time you under-dressed for a concert you got a chance to go backstage?

I was sitting in the first row when the Portuguese fado singer Mariza had a concert in Budapest and got to shake hands with her--that was so exciting. My husband and I were both kind of elated afterward :)

I_am_Tulsa said...

Jelica, you are right it probably is some kind of Murphy's law...I was stunned!

Mariza! I have her first album Fado em Mim!...I love her voice...it's amazing you got to shake hands with her! I wish she would come to Japan!

Butternut Squash said...

The first time I was in Japan, 29 years ago, I couldn't understand why the Japanese girls sang two octaves higher than American girls. It's easier to listen now that the voices aren't so squeaky. When I went back to Japan as a teacher about 9 years later, the music had already changed a lot.

The fashion song reminds me of when I went to get my hair cut and they put little braids and bows in my hair. (Really not my style!) I went to school the next day and all of the students wanted to know what terrible thing had happened. Apparently they thought that there must have been some life altering event that caused me to cut my long blonde hair.

I've been away for most of the past two weeks and not able to keep up with the bloggers. Looks like you've been very busy, good stuff.

I_am_Tulsa said...

Oh no braids and bows!?

I agree with the music sounding squeaky!

As for being busy...my week is starting today....I have to go to work now...it is hard to peel myself away from the PC...

Delwyn said...

Hi Tulsa,
I have just noticed that you have the shelfari bookshelf. (Probably the one that gave me the idea) I am having trouble updating my blog shelf. When I added to the shelf at the home site it did not add to the blog shelf so I deleted the widget and started again but it only uploaded the original. Can you add on OK and do they show up on the blog shelf?

I_am_Tulsa said...

Hi Delwyn! I'll send this same message to you via e-mail just in case but for anyone else who might be having the same problem, I'll post it here too!

You have probably already done this but just in case!
When you go to http://www.shelfari.com/MyWidgets, and click “edit” what list do you have selected? For example, I have selected “I’ve read”. Unless your latest entries are selected with the same tag, in my case, “I’ve read”, they won’t show up on your widget.

I added a new “I’ve read” book just to see what would happen. The widget wasn’t updated the first time I checked…

I checked again about 30seconds to one minute later and I still didn’t see it on the first shelf.
I had to click on the “next” button several times before it showed up….so, I think that it probably doesn’t always show books in the order that you have updated.

It would be nice if the latest ones showed up, wouldn’t it!?
I’ll have to see if there is a way to do this…let me know how your widget works out!

Lori ann said...

Hi Tulsa, i've been so busy too, but i love to check in here when i can. You are introducing me to things i've never known before. i love it. But how do you find the time to read and blog? I am having a time figuring it out (not enough time! heehe!)I will go watch the videos now.
love, lori ♥

I_am_Tulsa said...

Lori, "my batteries died" this weekend and couldn't blog or read! LOL

MarieM said...

It's unfair how beautiful Namie Amuro is.