Maki Goto

Maki Goto (後藤 真希, Gotō Maki, born September 23, 1985) is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and former actress. Born and raised in Edogawa, Tokyo, Goto began her musical career in 1999 when she joined Morning Musume as the only third generation member. Her first single with the group, "Love Machine", topped the Oricon singles charts and sold over a million copies. Goto was the lead vocalist of the group up until her graduation from the group in 2002. While still a member of Morning Musume, Goto released her debut solo single, "Ai no Bakayarō", in 2001, which topped the Oricon charts. In 2003 she released her debut album, Makking Gold 1, which debuted at number four on the Oricon album charts.

Maki Goto
後藤 真希
Goto at Premium Live in 2010
Born (1985-09-23) September 23, 1985[1]
Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Children2
RelativesYuki Goto (brother)
Moa Serizawa (niece)
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active
  • 1999–2007
  • 2008–present
Labels
Formerly of

In 2007, at her G-Emotion II: How to Use Sexy concert, Goto announced that she was graduating from Hello! Project. In 2008, Goto signed with Avex Group sub-label Rhythm Zone and returned to the music scene at A-nation '08. In 2009, under the stage name Sweet Black feat. Maki Goto, she released her debut mini album Sweet Black. Goto transferred to Avex Trax in 2010 and released her second mini-album, One, which marked her official comeback as a singer.

Career

1999–2001: Morning Musume
Main article: Morning Musume

In 1999, Goto was selected as the only member of the 3rd generation of Morning Musume. The first single to feature Goto, "Love Machine", sold over a million copies, over nine times the number of copies they had sold for their previous single. Until her graduation from Morning Musume, she was one of the leading vocalists in most of the songs released. During her time in Morning Musume she was one of the founding members of Petitmoni.

2001–2007: Solo career

Goto started a solo singing career in 2001 with the single "Ai no Bakayarō." Post-graduation she mostly concentrated on her solo career, and occasionally on temporary Hello! Project units such as Gomattō, Nochiura Natsumi, and Def.Diva. As time passed, she increasingly concentrated on acting in addition to singing. She also performed at the Asia Song Festival 2005 in Busan, Korea, representing Japan.

In early 2007, Goto was chosen to be a member of Morning Musume Tanjō 10 Nen Kinentai – a unit created to celebrate Morning Musume's 10th anniversary as a group. Morning Musume Tanjō 10 Nen Kinentai also consisted of Natsumi Abe, Kaori Iida, Risa Niigaki and Koharu Kusumi. Their first single, "Bokura ga Ikiru My Asia", was released on January 24, 2007. Goto's seventeenth single, "Secret" (シークレット), was released on April 11, 2007. On September 19, 2007, Goto's fourth original album How to Use Sexy was released.

Shortly after her brother's arrest, on October 28, 2007, during the final show of her G-Emotion II: How to Use Sexy tour, Goto suddenly announced to fans that she would be graduating from Hello! Project and leaving Up-Front Agency.[2][3] Because of her graduation, she would not be able to participate in the Hello! Project 2008 Winter concert tour, previously said to be because of scheduling conflicts.[4] In 2018, Goto revealed that Up-Front Agency had suddenly asked her to leave the company despite already booking her for work, and at the time, she felt that she was unable to say anything.[5] She had originally planned on retiring from the entertainment industry, but reconsidered upon her mother's advice.[6]

2007–2011: Label change to Avex, Sweet Black Project

Late in 2007, after her sudden Hello! Project graduation, rumors arose the very next day stating that Avex's CEO, Max Matsuura, had shown interest in signing Goto in for Avex. During Goto's brother trial, she disappeared from the media-eye.

Goto's official blog reopened on March 25, 2008. Over the course of several entries, she revealed that she was in Los Angeles, California, taking singing and dancing lessons. On June 19, 2008, Goto had signed with the record label Rhythm Zone under Avex.[7]

Maki debuted with Avex when she participated in the company's shareholders' meeting on June 22, 2008, singing a cover of Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You." She also participated in A-nation'08. At A-nation, she performed the self-written song "Hear Me", drawing media attention for the first time since her graduation. She also sang "Saving All My Love for You", and a cover of Diana King's "Shy Guy".

In 2008, Goto became involved with The Sweet Black Project, a cross-media collaboration between J-Wave, Avex and Mixi. Goto herself chose the logo and the name, which is meant to reflect the "positive and negative" side of the life of today's women. On January 5, 2009, J-Wave premiered Sweet Black Girls, a 15-minute segment hosted by Goto and Ryū as part of the popular radio show "PLATOn". The show airs from Monday to Friday and focuses on the life of women in their twenties. 30,000 messages were received during the first week alone.[8]

To complete the project, Mixi opened a special space for Sweet Black, and Avex launched a web-documentary on YouTube based on Goto's daily routine as a singer.[9] Promotions were met with immediate success, admittedly beyond expectations.[10]

On January 21, 2009, Goto released her first digital single with Avex, titled "Fly Away". The lyrics, penned by Maki herself, are based on Mambo, a story written by Hitomi Kanehara. On February 25, Goto released her second digital single, titled Lady-Rise, also penned by herself. This time, Goto collaborated with Erika Sakurazawa, a Japanese Josei manga author.

On March 7, 2009, Goto modelled at Tokyo Girls Collection.

Goto released her second mini album, "One", on July 28, 2010. This album and on she had begun to use her actual name rather than her "Sweet Black" stage name. As promotion for this release, Goto appeared on several television shows. One particular show, "Kinyoubi no Suma tachi e", aired a 2-hour special on her life, and included interviews with Goto as well as a performance of one of her new songs, 華詩-hanauta-, written for her mother. This episode reached 19.3% ratings for the show, making it the most watched program of the day.

She released her third EP, LOVE, on May 5, 2011.

2012–present: Recording hiatus and return to public appearances

On June 22, 2011, Goto announced on her official website that she would take an indefinite hiatus from her music career beginning in 2012. She continued to make limited minor appearances at public events, such as Dream Morning Musume's concert and starred in a commercial for Monster Hunter.[11] However, in 2014, Goto relaunched her blog stating that she was not "resuming activities right now," and that she will "still [be] on hiatus."

In September 2018, Goto made her first television appearance in six years on the variety show Trio Idol na Onna.[12]

In August 2022, Goto, wearing the "Venus" character costume, competed in the second season of The Masked Singer Japan. She advanced to the final round, along with Mika Ahn and Kouji Yamamoto, and was ultimately declared the winner.[13] In November of the same year, Goto released her first album in 11 years, a collection of covers originally performed on her YouTube channel, entitled Songs of You and Me!

On October 26, 2023, Goto debuted as a virtual Youtuber.[14]

Personal life

Goto's official nickname in Hello! Project is "Gomaki", and she is referred to that name sometimes by the press.[15]

In 1996, Goto's father died from a fall while mountaineering.[16] Two years after joining Morning Musume, at the age of 15, Goto purchased a three-story house for her entire family to live in. However, she was also bullied and decided to drop out of high school.[17]

Goto has two older sisters and a younger brother named Yuki Goto, the rapper of EE Jump.[18] After Yuki was arrested on October 20, 2007, for robbery, the magazine Flash stated that Goto and one of Yuki's accomplices had been romantically involved for some time after meeting at Yūki's wedding in 2005. They have not been in contact with each other since his arrest.[19]

On January 23, 2010, Goto witnessed her mother, Tokiko Goto, falling from the third story of their house in Edogawa, Tokyo at 11 pm. Tokiko was rushed to the hospital, but died from her injuries on January 24 at 1:13 am.[20][21][22]

Goto announced on her blog on July 22, 2014, that she had married.[23] She gave birth to a daughter and a son on December 7, 2015, and March 27, 2017,[24] respectively.[25] In March 2019, Japanese weekly magazines reported Goto having an extramarital affair with her 28-year-old ex-boyfriend, who she met in 2011 and kept in contact through online games. Messages between them had suggested Goto was abused by her husband and planned to divorce him; however, she apologized for the affair on her blog and called the domestic abuse allegations "misleading."[26] Goto's husband is suing the ex-boyfriend for ¥3.3 million for damages.

Discography
Main article: Maki Goto discography
See also: Morning Musume discography

Photobooks
  • [2001.11.06] Maki Goto (後藤真希)
  • [2003.03.21] Maki
  • [2003.09.??] Pocket Morning Musume. <Vol. 2> (ポケットモーニング娘。〈Vol.2〉) – with Natsumi Abe, Mari Yaguchi and Kaori Iida
  • [2003.06.27] More Maki
  • [2004.04.24] Prism
  • [2004.07.23] Alo-Hello! Maki Goto (アロハロ!後藤真希)
  • [2005.04.26] Dear...
  • [2006.08.21] Foxy Fungo
  • [2011.11.27] Go to Natura...

Essay books
  • [2002.09.??] Maki Goto Myself (後藤真希myself)
  • [2002.12.??] Maki Goto Otakara Photo Book (後藤真希お宝フォト)
  • [2003.09.23] 99 no Maki Goto (99の後藤真希)
  • [2003.12.??] Maki Goto Seishun no Sokuseki (後藤真希 青春の足跡)
  • [2005.04.07] Maki Goto Chronicle 1999 – 2004 (19992004―後藤真希クロニクル)

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Pinch Runner (ピンチランナー) Sanae Hasegawa
2002 Nama Tamago (ナマタマゴ)
Koinu Dan no Monogatari (子犬ダンの物語) Honami Natsume Supporting role
2003 Seishun Bakachin Ryorijuku (青春ばかちん料理塾)
2004 Promise Land: Clover no Daibōken Fumiko Kirishima Lead role; television movie

Television dramas
  • [2001] Mariya (マリア)
  • [2002] Yanpapa (やんぱぱ)
  • [2002] Izu no Odoriko (伊豆の踊子)
  • [2003] R.P.G.
  • [2005] Yoshitsune (義経)
  • [2006] Matsumoto Seichō Special Yubi (松本清張スペシャル・指)

Musicals
  • [2003] Ken & Mary no Merikenko on Stage! (けん&メリーのメリケン粉オンステージ!)
  • [2004] Sayonara no Love Song (サヨナラのLOVE SONG)
  • [2007] Gekidan Senior Graffiti Yokosuka Story (横須賀ストーリー)

Radio
  • [2003–20??] Young Town Dōyōbi (ヤングタウン土曜日)
  • [2003–2005] Maki Goto no Makkinkin Radio (後藤真希のマッキンキンRADIO)
  • [2009–] J-Wave (81.3 FM) "Sweet Black Girls" (毎週月～木曜日 23:05～23:15　※「PLATOn」内)

Tours

References
  1. "後藤真希のプロフィール" [Maki Goto's profile]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  2. 後藤真希がハロプロ卒業 弟逮捕で「メンバーに迷惑」 (in Japanese). The Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital. October 28, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007.
  3. "Maki Goto: Hello! Project information concerning graduation" (in Japanese). helloproject.com. October 28, 2007. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2007.
  4. "Hello! Project 2008 Winter: Information on member absences" (in Japanese). helloproject.com. September 30, 2007. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2007.
  5. Takeda, Sasetsu (March 5, 2019). "No More Objectification of Me: 女性アイドルはなぜ「謝らされる」のか?". GQ Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  6. "後藤真希、芸能界引退を考えた過去 引き止めたのは？". Model Press (in Japanese). October 27, 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  7. "Maki Goto Official Website" (in Japanese). rhythmzone.net. Archived from the original on June 20, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  8. "mixi発の20代女性向けプロジェクト「SWEET BLACK」に参加！ SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTOとして1/21よりオリジナル楽曲の着うた(R)を配信!! さらに、再始動する後藤真希に密着したWEB番組「Unrecorded」も1/21よ スタート!!". Archived from the original on December 1, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) rhythmzone.net (January 14, 2009).
  9. avex Channel Archived November 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. YouTube. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  10. "後藤真希: 後藤真希を擁したSWEET BLACK楽曲、着うたが2作連続チャートイン / BARKS ニュース" (in Japanese). March 7, 2009. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  11. Brian Ashcraft (February 23, 2013). "This Japanese Popstar Has Truly Insane Gaming Hours". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  12. "後藤真希、6年ぶりG帯バラエティー". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). September 26, 2018. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  13. "後藤真希、『ザ・マスクド・シンガー』結果報告！ 「盛大なネタバレ笑」「え、、、まだ見てないのに」ファン困惑". All About News (in Japanese). August 26, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  14. "【ぶいごま】元モー娘。の後藤真希さんがVTuberデビュー。"2001年からタイムスリップしてきた15歳のゴマキ"として10/26の19時から初配信【リリース追記】 | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com". Famitsu (in Japanese). October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  15. "ゴマキ、ブログ反響に感謝&喜び「嬉しかった」". Oricon (in Japanese). April 27, 2014. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  16. Entertainment News from Japan: Mother of Gomaki in Apparent Suicide Archived January 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Japan Zone (October 29, 2006). Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  17. 金曜日のスマたちへ「波瀾万丈2時間スペシャル」後藤真希 24歳の告白 (in Japanese). July 23, 2010. Tokyo Broadcasting System.
  18. "『金スマ』後藤真希特番に大反響、瞬間最大視聴率は19.3％". Barks (in Japanese). July 26, 2010. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  19. "Goto Maki graduates from Hello! Project". Hello!Online. November 10, 2007. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  20. "ゴマキ母自殺か、自宅３階から転落し死亡". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). January 24, 2018. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  21. "ゴマキ母飛び降り自殺、衝撃の真相！昼から酔って大声も". Zakzak (in Japanese). January 25, 2018. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  22. "藤本美貴：後藤真希の母「優しく接してくれた」と悼む 時速２００キロのフリーキックマシン発表会". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 25, 2010. Archived from the original on January 29, 2010.
  23. "Former Morning Musume singer Maki Goto announces marriage". Japan Today. July 23, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  24. "Goto Maki gives birth to second child". tokyohive. 6Theory Media, LLC. March 26, 2017. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  25. "ご報告☆゛" (in Japanese). Ameba Blogs. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  26. "【後藤真希コメント全文】夫婦関係修復誓う「子どもたちや家庭を大事に」 DV報道は否定". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). March 15, 2019. Archived from the original on March 15, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
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