I'm devastated. I know it sounds stupid but every time I've watched/read something related to her retirement, I start to cry.
I am so thankful to have discovered WoWa 13 years ago and let my curiosity get the best of me as to who the girl in the pink mini-skirt with the shoulder tattoo was.
13 years, many mini skirts & boots later, I can say that I have been completely satisfied as a fan of the entire discography of this true J-Pop icon.
I will never forget the rush, thrill, and excitement that came with the announcement of a new Namie Amuro banger. Back then, I remember getting hyped about new releases with a few AHS members over twitter.
I still remember hearing songs like Yeah-Oh and truly believing Namie was launching us into a new era of J-Pop. It was that ability to always produce a fresh sound and image that I believe resuscitated Namie's career and kept her on top until her retirement.
As others have mentioned, her music got me through the ups & downs (pun intended) of high school, she was with me all throughout college, and when I finally moved out on my own and became independent, she was very much a part of my daily soundtrack. These past 13 years would have been a lot rougher without her female empowerment tracks pushing me through.
There is a reason that she has had such longevity, has overcome such adversity, and was adored so much by her Japanese and international fans alike. Although many of us have joked about the "can't-be-bothered" queen over the years, there has always been an endearing quality about Namie that kept us coming back for more and seeing where she would go next. It was that genius and mystique that cemented a place for her in Japan's history of legendary musicians and, personally, cemented a place for her in all of our hearts.
It has been an especially trying journey being a fan of artists in both J-pop and K-pop over the last 16 years. I am a stan of Namie, Utada, 2NE1, and Big Bang, so as you can imagine it has been a 16-year journey of patience. Personally, I am grateful that Namie carried the torch and passed it off to Utada once she came out of her hiatus.
And now that I've rambled on for what seems like forever, I just want to thank Namie one last time for holding on for her fans. We all know she was a very shy, humble, and private person and so it was only a matter of time before she put this blazing fire of a career out. I am just so glad she left us with 12 original studio albums and 7 compilation albums to enjoy until the end of time.
Thank you for letting me ramble for a moment
and thank you to Namie for her impact in the Japanese music industry. We will never forget you.