[Baco__]

I also don't see Namie as an idol anymore. Although I have to study a little more - since andrenekoi has brought some interesting academics to this conversation -, speaking solely from a non-expert pov she is just like any superstar out there, in the same league as utada, koda, BoA (in Korea at least) or ayu tbqh. The difference between them is that they are actually producing their stuff, their own words and/or composition. Namie has said she composes and she writes, she just don't release the stuff (whether it's too personal or wouldn't fit her public its beyond me). Maybe when she dies and avex wants to make the most of her death? Haha but I don't think she is like that robot or a stooge for avex as some of you do (she has her own label, right? She has power inside that company, I presume). I think she's in control of everything and will do what she wants to and that's it. But then I may be wrong and she is a robot after all and I've been fooled lol

(that's totally out of the blue, but I just remembered that last semester in a Japanese Culture class my teacher actually talked about Namie and how she was the first female superstar with tattoos to be accepted, in terms, by the japanese lol and I never actually dreamt about listening to her name in the academic field lol)

EDIT: oh, well, andre said it all, just forget what I wrote hahaa totally forgot about the 60/70 and 80s idols.