Goto Maki To Take A Break From Show Business

According to a letter on her site Goto Maki will take a break from the entertainment business January of next year.

Here is a short summary of what the letter says (credit to Sohee from Jplop):

In January 2012, she will take a break from showbiz. She wrote a personal letter on her website to her fans about it. Wrote that she’s lived for someone else most of this time (joined H!P to get money for her family etc, and continued singing cause her mom loved it etc etc) and when her mom passed away last year, she started to think a lot. She feels as there’s a big hole inside of her right now and she has no idea of what to do or how to live for herself.

Which is why she’ll put her career as “Gomaki” on hold.

She also wrote about certain events that will happen before this though. In July her new song will be able for download (via cellphone) and she will take part in a-nation. She’ll also release her first full album this fall and in December she’ll have a solo concert for the first time in about 4 years.

More details will be announced in July.

Goto Maki has had a fairly successful career so far by releasing a few mini-albums and appearing at many events, but it seems that she has been thinking for a while about her career and ultimately she decided to take a break from the entertainment business while she sorts stuff out.

With all of the stuff happening in the past few months I agree with her since it would give her a chance to clearly sort out what she will be doing from now on, and I believe most fans will agree with her decision since ultimately it will help her find the right path.

Despite the sad news Goto fans have something to look forward to in the next few months before she leaves, such as her new song being available through cellphones, her participation in a-nation, her first full album this fall and her first solo concert in 4 years this December, so I hope fans can do everything they can to support her before her break by buying her releases and going to the concert.

I will update with a full translation once it is released, but for now it seems that this isn’t a “I’m going away forever” but instead a “I’ll see you soon”.

Goto Maki will take a break starting January 2012.

Goto Maki Site

EDIT: Here is the full translation of the message from TokyoHive:

To my fans and those who will be affected,

Today, I have important news.

I, Goto Maki, will stop all entertainment activities starting January of next year.

13 years ago, during the summer, not knowing the world, as a  daughter of a working-class family, I brazenly took the opportunity to audition for Morning Musume.  And I became Gomaki; while I experienced many brilliant stages, I ran about in a daze.

I am truly thankful for all my fans who came to support and root for me in both clear weather and rain, for the staff and others who always assisted me, and for my family as well as fellow entertainers I have met.

In winter of last year, I lost my mother, who was a strong source of support; this led me to think about many things.

Looking back on the path that I had walked, I thought about how I wanted to live in the future and found it different from the path that I had chosen up until now.

I feel extremely thankful for everyone’s existence.

However, as it is, I cannot fill up a giant void within myself.

Up until now, I have always been living not for myself, but for someone else.

I have come to the conclusion that this time, that “me” should not be living for someone else, no matter who they are, but for myself.

That “me” is not Gomaki; instead, it is connected to my desire to change into a normal Goto Maki.

While I think about what I can do, I want to challenge myself to do whatever it is I think up.

I have agonized about this for a long time, but I have decided to stop my feet here.

For those who have supported me as singer Goto Maki, I will use all of my energy to run through the remaining half of the year.

In July, a new track will be released for distribution; in the summer, I will go to various places to sing for a-nation; in the fall, Avex, to which I have transferred to, will release my first album.

And in December, just like nearly four years ago, I will hold a solo concert.

While I wish that you will understand my selfish determination, in the period until my hiatus, even though I am just one person, I want my gratitude to reach everyone and I will do my best to open up all of my power.

Doozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

2011 June

Goto Maki