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I
Tears I shed that day, still in my mind
Pretending not to care, still my life goes on
My face averted, I am quiet
But my mind, it is screaming out!
Ah 〜all of us have a love to protect
＊
None of us 〜is ever alone
Continuing believing, never stop dreaming
You showed me that wishes do come true
Tears〜let the wind carry them away
I stand alone〜as the wind blows me away

｢What you see above is a phrase from Matsu Takako’s first CD single that she herself wrote the lyrics for.  She was 19 years old.  The words above tell us of the dreams she had back then but they also seem to convey the wisdom she had at an early age; the wisdom to know that there would be nobody to depend on, that she would be alone when walking down that road she chose for herself.  She knew that it would take strength of character and a continuing belief in her own self in order to arrive at her goal.

Takako made her singing debut in March 1997.  The song was called
"Ashita, Haru ga Kitara" (Tomorrow, When Spring Arrives).  Our first impression of her was of a young girl who had a lovely, crystal clear singing voice.  It was a surprise to see that the first song she wrote comprised of the words, "I stand alone".  Together with her dreams, we glimpsed a part of her that had to cope with loneliness.
With this song, she was telling us that she was like all of us.  She had her fears and her dreams in the same way that we had ours. But she reminded us that in order to recognize our fears and realize our dreams, each of us needed to keep searching deep within ourselves.  This song may have acted as a catalyst in creating the special connection she enjoys with her fans today.

Four years have gone by since then and Takako has matured.  Today she acts on stage, on television, and in movies; she writes music and sings her own songs. I watch as Takako strives to reach her full potential with every endeavor she undertakes.  She studies every song and role meticulously and the end result is her ability to portray each role or song with her own unique style.  It is a lot of work, but at the end of the day she looks fresh and says that she enjoyed doing it.
What is her secret?
Takako comes in contact with creative people every day and most of these people have strong personalities, or maybe I should say ‘energies’.  It seems to me that Takako absorbs the energies that surround her.  Her aura seems stronger, more colorful after every new encounter and experience...Maybe that is the key to her never-ending vitality and versatility.