Goto Maki

Goto Maki (後藤真希) is an Japanese urban pop singer, currently signed to avex trax's sub-label rhythm zone. Goto originally made her debut in 1999 as part of Hello! Project, and as the only third generation member of Morning Musume. She has sold over 1,727,900 copies in Japan alone. Being the second best-selling solo artist in Hello! Project. Early in Summer 2008, Goto left Hello! Project and moved to the rhythm zone label. Goto Maki's highest selling single is Ai no Bakayarou. Goto Maki's lowest selling single is Secret

History
Goto Maki joined Morning Musume when she was just 13 years old and became almost an instant favorite, helping them reach number one with the song LOVE Machine. She soon established herself as a talented singer and dancer and took the lead on a large number of Morning Musume tracks. In 2002 she graduated from Morning Musume to pursue a solo career and has since released four albums, as well as a number of singles. She was also in the Morning Musume ten year anniversary group, Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai.

On October 28, 2007, Nikkan Sports reported that her graduation from Hello! Project had been announced by UFA and took place on the last date of her. According to the article, her graduation is in response to her brother, Goto Yuuki's arrest, as well as different ideas in the direction of her singing career.

Avex signs-in Goto
Late in 2007, after her sudden H!P graduation, rumors aroused 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.

On March 25, 2008, Maki re-opened her blog during her stay in Los Angeles, where she studied and practiced different types of song and dance, including R&B, jazz and hip-hop. Her blog didn't include any reference to Up-Front agency (but was still on the same address), and it was assumed that her contract with Up-Front had expired on March 1st and was not renewed as expected. Her last blog entry was on April 22.

On June 19, 2008 (after many rumors had circulated), it was released to the press that Goto Maki had signed with the record label Rhythm Zone under avex.

Maki debuted with Avex when she participated in the company's shareholders' meeting on June 22nd, 2008, singing a cover of Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You." She also participated in a-nation'08 (Osaka on August 24th and Tokyo on August 31st) alongside with Kumi Koda, Ai Otsuka, EXILE, Ami Suzuki, AAA, TVXQ, Namie Amuro, and Ayumi Hamasaki, among others. On a-nation, she performed the self-written song "Hear me", a song unreleased to the date, drawing media attention for the first time since her graduation.

After a brief hiatus, Goto returned to the music scene announcing her official debut (as opposed to her collaboration with SWEET BLACK, Goto's works from this point forward would bear only her name). The mini-album "ONE", released on July 28th, features five new songs all under the name of 'Goto Maki'. Goto put on a mini-live, which was recorded and streamed live online, in which she discussed the album and performed three songs.

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.

SWEET BLACK Project
The SWEET BLACK Project is a cross-media collaboration between J-WAVE, Avex and Mixi. Goto Maki 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 5th, 2009, J-WAVE premiered “SWEET BLACK Girls”, a 15 minutes segment hosted by Goto Maki and Ryu as part of the popular radio show “PLATOn”. The show airs Mon-Fri and focuses on the life of women on their twenties. Reception was extremely good, as 30,000 messages were received during the first week only.

To complete the project, Mixi, the most used networking community in Japan, opened a special space for Sweet Black, and Avex launched a web-documentary on YouTube based on Goto’s daily routine as a singer. Immediate success was acquainted, admittedly beyond expectations.

On January 21st, Goto released her first digital single with Avex: Fly away. The lyrics, penned by Maki herself, are based on Mambo, a story written by young author Hitomi Kanehara, who won the Akutagawa Prize for her 2003 novel "Hebi ni Piasu" ("Snakes and Earrings").

Barely a month later, on February 25st, Goto released her second digital single, titled Lady-Rise, also penned by herself. This time, Goto collaborated with Sakurazawa Erika, a Japanese manga author whose works are mostly published in josei magazines (comics targeted to a young women audience).

On March 7th, Maki modeled at Japan’s biggest fashion event, TOKYO GIRLS COLLECTION.

On July 24th, 2010, she will perform on MelodiX!, a TV Tokyo program.

Personal Life
Goto has a younger brother and two older sisters.

In 1996, Maki's father passed away from a fall while mountaineering.

On October 20, 2007, Yūki Goto (祐樹), Maki's younger brother and former member of idol group EE Jump, was arrested on the grounds he and two accomplices, aged 18 and 19, had broken into a construction site in Edogawe, Tokyo on July 15, 2007 and made off with 80 reels of electric cable worth approximately 1 million yen. According to Flash magazine, Goto and one of her brother's accomplices had been romantically involved for some time, after the two met at Yūki's wedding in 2005. Due to the circumstances surrounding the robbery scandal, they haven't been in contact with each other.

In early 2010, Goto witnessed the death of her mother, Goto Tokiko, in their home in Edogawa, Tokyo. Her death was apparently caused by a fatal fall from the third story of their house while Tokiko was under the influence of alcohol on the 23rd of January. Goto herself found her at around 11 PM, and she was rushed to the hospital before passing away on the 24th. A funeral service was held on the 28th, attended by Goto and several former Hello! Project members.

Profile

 * Name: Goto Maki (後藤真希)
 * Nickname: Gottchan, Gottsuan, Gocchin, Gomaki, Goma-chan, Makirin
 * Birth date: 1985-09-23
 * Birthplace: Edogawaku, Tokyo, Japan
 * Blood type: O
 * Height: 160 cm / 5'3"
 * Hobbies: Cooking, enjoying movies
 * Favorite colors: Deep blue, gray, yellow, white, pale pink
 * Favorite flowers: Baby's breaths
 * Favorite food: Mont blanc, ice cream, rice
 * Disliked food: Liver, sea urchin, avocado, papaya
 * Hello! Project groups:
 * Morning Musume (1999–2002)
 * Gomattou (2002–2003)
 * Nochiura Natsumi (2004–2005)
 * DEF.DIVA (2005–2006)
 * Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai (2007)
 * Subgroups:
 * Petitmoni (1999–2002)
 * Hello! Project Shirogumi (2005)
 * Shuffle units:
 * 2000: Akagumi 4
 * 2001: 7nin Matsuri
 * 2002: Sexy 8
 * 2004: H.P. All Stars

Albums

 * [2003.02.05] Makking GOLD 1 (マッキングGOLD )
 * [2004.01.28] 2 Paint It Gold (②ペイント イット ゴールド)
 * [2005.02.23] 3rd Station (3rd ステーション)
 * [2007.09.19] How to use SEXY

Other Albums

 * [2003.03.05] Ken & Mary no Merikenko On Stage! Original Cast Ban (stage album)
 * [2005.12.14] Goto Maki Premium Best 1 (後藤真希 プレミア ベスト 1) (best album)
 * [2009.09.16] SWEET BLACK (SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO) (mini-album)
 * [2010.07.07] ONE (mini-album)
 * [2010.08.25] Goto Maki 2001 - 2007 (best album)
 * [2011.01.12] Gloria (mini-album)

Singles

 * [2001.03.28] Ai no Bakayarou (愛のバカやろう)
 * [2001.09.19] Afurechau...Be in Love (溢れちゃう... BE IN LOVE)
 * [2002.05.09] Te wo Nigitte Arukitai (手を握って歩きたい)
 * [2002.08.21] Yaruki! IT'S EASY (やる気! IT'S EASY)
 * [2002.12.18] Sans Toi Ma Mie / Kimi to Itsumademo (サン・トワ・マミー)
 * [2003.03.19] Uwasa no SEXY GUY (うわさの SEXY GUY)
 * [2003.06.18] Scramble (スクランブル)
 * [2003.08.27] Daite yo! PLEASE GO ON (抱いてよ! PLEASE GO ON)
 * [2003.11.27] Genshoku GAL Hade ni Yukube! (原色 GAL 派手に行くべ!)
 * [2004.03.17] Sayonara no LOVE SONG (サヨナラの LOVE SONG)
 * [2004.07.07] Yokohama Shinkirou (横浜蜃気楼)
 * [2004.11.17] Sayonara "Tomodachi ni wa Naritakunai no" (さよなら「友達にはなりたくないの」)
 * [2005.07.06] Suppin to Namida. (スッピンと涙. )
 * [2006.01.25] Ima ni Kitto... In My LIFE (今にきっと... In My LIFE)
 * [2006.06.07] Glass no Pumps (ガラスのパンプス)
 * [2006.06.11] SOME BOYS! TOUCH
 * [2007.04.11] Secret

Digital Downloads

 * [2009.01.21] (SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO)
 * [2009.02.25] (SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO)
 * [2009.04.27] (SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO)

Movies

 * [2000] Pinch Runner (ピンチランナー)
 * [2002] Nama Tamago ( ナマタマゴ)
 * [2003] Seishun Bakachin Ryorijuku ( 青春ばかちん料理塾)
 * [2003] Koinu Dan no Monogatari (子犬ダンの物語)

TV 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 (大河ドラマ 義経)
 * [2006] Matsumoto Seichou 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 Douyoubi ( ヤングタウン土曜日)
 * [2003-2005] Goto Maki 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)

Photobooks

 * [2001.11.06] Goto Maki (後藤真希)
 * [2003.03.20] maki
 * [2003.09.??] Pocket Morning Musume.  ( ポケットモーニング娘. 〈Vol.2〉) - with Abe Natsumi, Yaguchi Mari, Iida Kaori
 * [2003.06.10] more maki
 * [2004.04.25] PRISM
 * [2004.07.23] Alo-Hello! Goto Maki (アロハロ! 後藤真希)
 * [2005.04.27] Dear...
 * [2006.08.21] FOXY FUNGO

Essay Books

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