Namie Amuro (Amuro Namie?, born September 20, 1977) is a J-Pop singer of Ryukyuan and Italian ancestry. In the Japanese press she was known as the "Queen of J-Pop" before Ayumi Hamasaki eclipsed her popularity in the mainstream pop scene. Amuro started her career within the group Super Monkeys, who throughout their time together suffered several setbacks. Although their debut single peaked within the top 30, subsequent singles failed to match its success. After the departure of Arakaki, Reina Miyauchi and Ritsuko Matsuda replaced her in the group.