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SCMP Reporter

Namie Amuro's debut, Dance Tracks Volume One, will be a hard act to follow for the Japanese singer.

  The 19-year-old whipped up a storm at home, starting a whole teenage trend.

  Avex Trax Record Company is staking much on its belief that Amuro, who it claims is the best Japanese dance singer, can reach the fans who bought her 1995 album.

  Amuro had a mercurial rise to fame.

   She enjoyed six successful singles as a member of the Super Monkeys from 1992 until April 1995, but really came into her own that summer.

  Between the release of her first solo single, Stop The Music, and the recent A Walk In a Park, she garnered eight top three hits, selling more than 10 million records.

  Her debut album charted at Number One in its first week of release, in October 1995, and stayed in the charts for more than a year.

  Now she is back with her second album, Sweet 19 Blues, in four different cover versions with a new record company.

  The marked difference is that the new album was written and produced by the man dubbed as Japan's number one producer, Tetsuya Komuro.

  Komuro, former leader of band TM Network, is now concentrating on producing and composing.

  He has helped lots of newcomers achieve success, including TRF, H-jungle with T, Hitomi, DOS and his own band, Globe, whose debut was 1996's best-selling album.

  It topped the album chart and sold more than 3.5 million copies.

  Amuro's album is also expected to do well.

  'It's a core market product - so we expect it to fly out on release - it is going to be a big seller,' explained marketing and promotion manager Vivian Lee.

  Amuro's album features elegant dance pop and club music, with tough house overtones.

  Don't Wanna Cry, Body Feels EXIT, Chase The Chance, You're My Sunshine and Sweet 19 Blues are serious dance tunes.

  Amuro, who is making plans to visit Hong Kong, has also released a new book of photographs and a live video.



Sweet sound of success