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Seiko Matsuda is known as “the eternal idol” in Japan, a title the singer earned while releasing 24 consecutive number-one singles between 1980 and 1988. Though she’d only top the charts one more time after the start of the 1990s, her music remains the soundtrack of an entire decade in Japan, and the 59-year-old’s back catalog continues to enjoy near-universal respect and admiration today.
For example, here’s an extremely youthful-looking lady covering Matsuda’s “Aoi Sangosho～Blue Lagoon～,” a nostalgic summery song that came out in 1980.
But here’s the twist: while this is a cover of “Aoi Sangosho～Blue Lagoon～,” it’s a self-cover, because that’s none other than Matsuda herself, looking nothing like someone who’s less than a year away from her 60th birthday.
Honestly, we’d have been more likely to assume that the singer was Matsuda’s daughter, Sayaka Kanda, but nope, that’s Matsuda once again belting out her second-ever single, and the last one before the start of her streak of number-ones (“Aoi Sangosho～Blue Lagoon～” peaked at number two). And it’s not just Matsuda’s looks that belie her age, but her vocals too, as her rhythm and pitch remain perfect.
In addition to being a force in 1980s music, Matsuda was one in hairstyling trends as well. Her feathered bangs became known as the “Seiko-chan cut,” and were widely adopted by fashion-conscious teens and women of the Bubble Economy era, and the singer brings it back for one sequence of the new video.
The self-cover video was posted on April 1, and the singer’s permeance in stylishness and sound has already elicited online reactions such as:
“I totally thought this was someone else imitating Seiko Matsuda, but it’s really her!”
“Totally satisfying video.”
“Just watching her puts me in a better mood.”
“She’s so kawaii!”
“She hasn’t aged a bit since the ‘80s!”
Sources: YouTube/松田聖子オフィシャルYouTubeチャンネル, Twitter/@YahooNewsTopics
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© SoraNews24
21 Comments
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kohakuebisu
I prefer people to age gracefully than have lots of procedures.
Pizza Gaijin
I do not want to offend Ms. Matsuda, but it is disturbing to see a 59yo woman obsessed with plastic surgery, botox, camera filters, acting like an adolescent. Yes, this is her career and the icon she created. It is surely a winning character in the Japanese music marketplace, considering the common obsession for young girls and childish behaviors, but I think that the "disturbing" limit was exceeded.
I do not think so. The signs of time and the evidence of plastic surgery on her skin are visible.
I hope her fear of aging has not mined her self-confidence, because soon or later her real age will emerge, soon or later the plastic surgery will not be able anymore to overcome her aging and she will enter in the oblivion. Common people's features gradually change, common people have time to gradually get used to the new appearance. Instead, she will suddenly jump from the state of young skin and admired “eternal idol” to the state of an old lady. If she will not be able to bear it, there are high possibilities that something tragic will happen.
gogogo
Botox and filters on the camera help alot...
Pukey2
I suppose it helps if you always pose like a 12 year old in every photo.
Fresh Prince of Japan
Skin full of plastic surgery, fake European setting, voice arranged by autotune…….the only genuine thing in the video is the bicycle.
JeffLee
The trick is to start receiving plastic and other cosmetic surgery before you start to age then keep getting tweaks periodically throughout middle age.
mariasjapan
Just like the Kardashians...tons of plastic surgeries, Botox, fillers...you name it! The fear of aging!!!
Hito Bito
Seiko San Sez, "Most of all, I'd like to thank my Best Friend Forever...PHOTOSHOP!! I wouldn't "look" anything like I do in these pics without you!!"
mokuyobi
She isn't the first nor will she be the last to try to look good as she ages. Most people are similar in that feeling. She looks good IMO, but I say the same about Dolly Parton.
Thomas Tank
Overrated.
She was mildly talented among a wave of talent-less "idols". She'd have a hard time competing in today's market, with today's artists, and even today's "idols". Not to mention trying to compete with foreign artists and idols. She was fortunate with the timing of her career. Nothing more.
TARA TAN KITAOKA
CONGRATULATIONS.
Mr Kipling
I met her 25 years ago, the signs of "work done" were visible then. Cosmetic surgery in the celebrity industry is nothing unusual for either gender.
Susan Elizabeth-Marsh Tanabe
Recently, both Twyla Tharp (80) and Carole King (70) posted photos of themselves in the 1970s and today. Each has aged beautifully, healthy and strong. I have never had negative feelings toward Seiko Matsuda however this video feels quite "off". Not only the hair color, strangely unaged-face, and fake Euro-town... even worse, perhaps, the light blue child's dress with a "Peter-Pan" collar... truly odd for any woman over 14. Wouldn't it be grand if Seiko could show she is proud of her gained wisdom and experiences, and show her age gracefully?
mmwkdw
Some people keep their youthful looks just Naturally. I know of this, personally as a matter of fact - and no Cosmetic Surgery has been involved at any period of time. So my thoughts are, good for her and I hope her Kids carry the same Gene.
Nonah Tubiano
Leave Seiko alone.. It's her life, she' s a very popular singer she has lots of fans who adored her and I'm one of them. Whatever she wants in her life is none of our business. She just want to give back the love to her fans, through her songs.. We love you Seiko!!
snowymountainhell
”Leave Seiko Alone!” - Agreed.
A lot of negativity any time a former idol appears here in ‘Entertainment(?)”. Stop trying to cancel the ‘idol’s last grasp at fame and fortune. Many are ‘indentured servants’ of the Japanese music industry that learn ‘if they don’t ‘play by the rules of ‘youth, they don’t get paid’ and careers are over.
The musicians whose true talent is sampled and over produced are never appreciated for making the idols and rappers ‘sound good’.
Kyakusenbi_Arimasu
Harada Shinji was her lover. I had his sons in classes. Great kids. He was so paranoid though and lost his lovely wife through divorce beacuse he could not keep away from her beauty, talent and stardom which went way beyond his idol time, but he did play in her back up for a bit. Interesting careers.
Vanillasludge
There are certainly some grumpy, unhappy people around here.
I’m sure her fans really enjoy seeing this.
Richard Gallagher
No point in denigrating the woman. Numerous comments border on misogyny. She has managed to lengthen her career. Good for her. In a word full of despicable individuals, she is hardly amongst that number.