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generasia:Featured article for 2011 week 45
Goto Maki
Goto Maki is a Japanese urban pop singer, currently signed to avex trax. Goto originally made her debut in 1999 as part of Hello!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 1.5 million copies in Japan alone, making her the second best-selling solo artist in Hello! Project.
Goto 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 five full albums, as well as a number of singles. She was also in the Morning Musume ten-year anniversary group, Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai.
Early in Summer 2008, Goto left Hello! Project and moved to the rhythm zone label. In 2010, she transferred to avex trax. On June 22, 2011, Goto announced on her official website that she will take an indefinite hiatus from the beginning of 2012.
Goto's fifth full album, Ai Kotoba (VOICE), was released on November 2, 2011, and it became her first full album in seven years to break the top 10 of the sales charts.
