Decided to listen to Goto Maki's "Ai Kotoba" album last night after not really listening to it for a couple of years and I forgot how great it is. If you are a jpop fan, I highly recommend it. Gocchin, as known to her fans in the Momusu era, know her as the lone 3rd gen ace that brought something new to the group. She was a fantastic idol despite only being in the group for two years. Her first single, Love Machine, was their first single to sell a million copies. Though this isn't entirely attributed to her, this is what most people associate with her. She continued on in Hello!Pro to have a successful solo career but in 2008 she decided to make switch to the record company "avex" who was known to produce superstars such as Hamasaki Ayumi, Amuro Namie, and Koda Kumi. Many people thought she had a bright future ahead of her but unfortunately through what seems to be mismanagement and unfortunate events, her avex career never really took off. She was known for having an interesting and distinctive voice and a more non-conventional idol appeal to her.
Love Machine
Goto's first single with Morning Musume at only 13 years old. Honestly, I don't think this song ages well and I am quite sick of it after hearing it after all of these years but it has a charm and is a product of it's time, which is the late 90's.
Ai no Bakayarou [愛のバカやろう]
Goto's first solo single in H!P
She had a few successful singles in Hello!Project but her last couple singles (Some Boys Touch, Glass no Pumps) were the ones that are most similar to her avex discography and featured a much less idol-y style to them. I thought many of her Hello!Project singles were great but her avex discography stands out to me as much more mature and polished and seems to be an image she wanted to project. Here I will end this post with some great Gomakki avex songs~!
Ashiato [宝石]
“Even if I get everything when my wishes come true
It’ll mean nothing if you’re not by my side
Sharing happiness and sharing sadness with you
And looking at each other makes me stronger”
I will leave footprints next to yours
Ai Kotoba [愛言葉]
(I think this is possibly my absolute favourite Gomakki song)
I place all my love in this last song I give to you
So you may hear it in the distant future
With an honest voice, tell me you will never forget
The words of love I’ve placed here
You
(Cannot find a youtube version of this video
But definitely one of her songs worth sharing!)
If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t feel lost,
I wouldn’t feel this weak
I lived without realizing
That I needed you
SCANDALOUS
S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S
You got me feeling like
I wanna be so scandalous
What is LOVE
You sing sweetly
Your words might be lies but if you call this love
I’ll pretend to be fooled, I’ll play innocent
My love is less simple than you think
