Well,where to start at?!I come from a strange tiny country at the ass of Europe called Portugal.However I've moved to UK,7 years ago...To start with,I never had a true sense of belonging,while being in Portugal,which might sound strange,specialy when being brought up by a traditional portuguese family.I have always loved Japan,since i was 3 years old,for a no specific reason.After all,if you ask me,a 3 year old child,doesn't have the concept of cultural differences,whatsoever.And even less so,in my case,when by that time,i have never been in contact with japanese people or culture.Yet,i loved it.No one ever knew how to explain this love and links with Japan,and neither do I.On 2001,on a rainy day,while still in Portugal,I was bored to death,and decided to switch on my computer,going thru Youtube,for no apparent reason.I was just killing time!Then,by accident,i have just seen a j-pop band names w-inds.!I decided to click on the video to listen to the song.And then...BANG!!!My eyes,went straight to a very handsome boy,with long hair!He was rapping and doing the chorus thing on the song.I immediately loved him,and i knew i would always love him,no matter what!I searched online then,and got his name:This so special boy`s name was Ryuichi!Ryuichi Ogata.For the first time,i felt like something crossed my heart instantly,as i looked in his eyes!I knew it was something beautiful...I cried!However,I also liked the vocalist,Keita Tachibana.His voice so clear and pure,one of the most amazing voices i have heard until then!The other boy,Ryohei Chiba,was amazing for the his way of dancing.That's how i came in contact with breakdance.I realy admired him for being able to dance the way he did,and i still do today!Since then,I have always followed Keita,Ryuichi and Ryohei,and stayed loyal to them,thru the years.Today,10 years after,i love them in the same way i loved them when i saw them for the very first time!It became an emotional tie,because i have seen these beautiful boys growing up into handsome,sexy and and gorgeous men!!!On 2004,after a sad and unsuccessful attempt to fly to Japan,I moved then to UK.Meanwhile,from 2001 to 2004,my mum who is openly racist,something of which i'm not proud of,made sure she would give me a real hard time,trying to do everything in her hands,to avoid me loving Ryuichi.I wasn't allowed to have his pictures with me,as she would go thru my things.If she would find something about w-inds. or any picture of Ryu,she would beat me up.Things couldn't be like this anymore,i thought to myself.So,with the help of one of my friend's mum,i bought my first CD of w-inds.,and kept it at her house.Everytime i finished school,i would go to her house to listen to it.I could finaly keep pictures of Ryu,safe at her house.My mum would ask me why i'd go so often to my friend's house,i would reply,i had a group school work to do!However,it was not only the thing of being a w-inds. fan,she was against.I couldn't obviously have any japanese friends.One day,thinking i couldn't take it anymore,i faced her.The result was terrifying.I ended up in hospital,being 1 week in Intensive Care,as the doctors didn't ever think i would survive.I was badly beaten up.After a week,i woke up in the Intensive Care Unit,with my friend by my side.I couldn't talk,as i was still having the tubes on me!I couldn't move out of that bed!I panicked,and with my hand i gave her a signal of wanting to write something.She brought me a paper and pen.My question was "Do you still have the w-inds. CD and the pictures of Ryuichi with you?Please tell me you do!"--Her answer was "Yes,don't you worry.Your things are safe.You now need to pull thru,and show your mum you are not that easy of being beaten!Come on!"--
I cried and thought I had to live for w-inds.,and even more so for Ryuichi.After all,i loved him,more than anything!but if i died,how could i be here to love him anymore?Two days after,my tubes were removed,and i felt a bit more free.Yet,i wouldn't be discharged from hospital,before 2 more weeks.When i came back home,little would i know,that i was due to go thru a new ordeal:My mum,had planned to marry me to a portuguese man,against my will!!!Without my consent!I didn't even know him!I said NO straighaway!How could i???I loved Ryuichi,I didn't know that portuguese man...(Besides,he was ugly as a bad Gremlin!),So,i would never do such a thing!In answer to my attitude,my mum said I should have died in Hospital.I laughed and felt sorry for her...In addiction to this,my brother,tired of seeing her mistreating me,asked me,if i wanted to live with him,sharing his house with me!In there,i'd have my freedom,and i could be myself!So,i said yes!This happened in 2004,when he then moved to UK.It was a scary experience to him,as he didn't speak English at all,so he asked me,if i could come to UK,to help him with the English!now,how could i refuse it?He has helped me,after all.So,now it was my time to pay him back!So,i did.In December,the 28th,2004,I flew to UK,North Wales.In my backpack,brought my personal belongings,Ryuichi's pictures,w-inds. CD,and a wounded and scarred heart,haunted by the bad memories that my mum left imprinted in me.But,there was no time for fear!Life was just beginning!And i didn't ever give up.At a certain point,my mum said:--"Now,you choose!It's me,or w-inds.,and Ryuichi!"--To which I answered her:--"Enough is enough,you won't hurt me anymore.I choose my love for Ryuichi!Goodbye!"--After this said,she did never talk to me again.But then again,why would i bother about it,when i almost got killed by the one who should have stood by me,instead?
It was then,that i got the idea of following Ryohei's path,learning breakdance.Keita would always inspire me to sing,and i won two Karaoke contests!As for Ryuichi,i started rapping straightaway,easily.It was and it is enjoyable.With this,came the idea of spreading w-inds. songs in UK.Something that is happening slowly!I started taking my CDs of w-inds. to nightclubs,Karaokes,and even to the breakdance classes!We are in UK,a country in which Rap,R'n'B,Hip Hop and Soul are widely loved.So!I took my chance!W-inds. songs were accepted by my breakdance mentor straightaway,and my mates in the class love the songs!They asked me for more information,somethng that i very gladly and proudly gave them!8 of them,already bought CDs of w-inds.!So this is promising!It's a great feeling to look around and see i am firstly the only w-inds. fan in UK.But it is even more of a pleasant feeling,knowing that i am spreading their songs and people are starting to accept them!I know w-inds. wish to be recognized internationally,and that's what i am trying to do,to make their wishes to come true.As a fan i always was,as a fan that i am,and will always be,i pray to God their dearest wishes will come true,and if i can help,i will make sure this will happen.W-inds--Keita,Ryohei,and specialy,Ryuichi,changed my life forever,in the best way one can ever ask for!And for that,i will always stand by them,no matter what!KEITA,RYUICHI & RYOHEI....THANK YOU!!!I LOVE YOU ALL FOREVER!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment