Actress and photographer Miyuki Matsuda unveiled her "Cinematic Live Show" to mark her 60th birthday. On the day, she wove together beloved chanson and jazz standards into a cinematic story filled with drama, captivating the audience at the Cotton Club. We spoke with Matsuda after the show about her expression through song and her feelings as she turns sixty.

On October 6, 2021, Miyuki Matsuda, actress and photographer, held a show at the COTTON CLUB in Marunouchi, Tokyo. With the state of emergency having been lifted, the venue was nearly full. As the first drinks were served and the audience settled, the sound of the bandoneon began to echo.
As the venue filled with the melancholic, poignant atmosphere of Astor Piazzolla's "Adios Nonino," Miyuki Matsuda appeared on stage. Tonight was not only her birthday but also a celebration of her 60th year. The atmosphere instantly became festive, kicking off with the beloved chanson "Frou Frou," perfect for the start of a party.

"The Cinematic Live Show is one way I express my life. It started in 2019, but it was canceled last year due to COVID. This year, with my 60th birthday celebration, I was determined to make it happen, no matter what (laughs)."

Matsuda has consistently surprised the world with her diverse expressions as a photographer, art director, and film director. Why has she begun to focus so intently on singing?

"I believe actors are living examples. By sharing my life experiences, I hope to connect with others. And singing, for me, is a form of total direction using my own body and voice. It starts with choosing the stage, the costumes, the song selection, the story – I decide everything. It's all my song, and I think this is what I've always wanted to do."

Expressing her life through song was more than just a means of expression.

"My fifties were a period of intense emotional cleansing. As my body underwent significant changes, the negative aspects I hadn't even realized about myself surfaced all at once. I dealt with trauma related to my mother, loneliness concerning Yūsuke Matsuda and my children, and feelings of being left behind. It was incredibly tough. My mother passed away from cancer at 57, and I myself suffered a heart attack at the same age, teetering on the brink of death..."

The first half of the show featured uplifting songs celebrating love, such as "La Vie en Rose," interspersed with spoken poetry. As the show progressed into the latter half, the mood shifted to the sorrows of life, like the sadness of parting. The powerful staging brought some in the audience to tears.
The atmosphere was transformed by the appearance of her older sister and actress, Mami Kumagai, as a special guest. The sisters joyfully sang lighthearted songs like "Koi wa Comedy" and "Zubi Zubi Zoo." It was surprising to learn this was their first collaboration.

"Actually, in my late fifties, a trauma related to my sister emerged. I was surprised myself that such a thing existed (laughs). As everyone knows, my sister is very energetic and outgoing. In our family, my older sisters always took center stage, so I tended to be the quieter one to maintain balance."
"That family star became nationally famous as an actress, while I was still unknown, working as a model. And even when I was struggling with raising my children, my sister was always radiant. I think I had feelings of being left behind because of that. We didn't speak for about ten years."
"Sisters are strange, aren't they? We reconciled with just a simple trigger."

She contacted her sister, realizing her sister's "vitality" was essential for the 60th-anniversary show, and extended an invitation.

"After the live show, Mami and I talked at the hotel until about 5 in the morning. It was then that I learned for the first time about the hardships she had faced, and she taught me the importance of the audience as a performer. I feel like our bond has deepened even further. It really is best to have sisters (laughs)."

She concluded with "Rester à tes côtés," and for the encore, a triumphant "What a Wonderful World." "Sixty is the best!" she declared, radiating a brilliance that belied her past struggles and illnesses.

"After the show, I felt a sense of lightness, as if my body had settled. I'm almost wondering what will happen next. But I will continue the Cinematic Live Show. I'm already brimming with ideas, like moving beyond my own life to consider more conceptual structures and creating original songs."

"Looking back from the other side of my fifties, I realize that surprisingly, we don't truly know ourselves. I'm still on a journey of discovery. What do I want to do? What talents do I have? What do I want to say? What traumas do I carry? Yūsuke once told me, 'Try placing your heart on the table. Then you'll understand what you lack, what you want to do, and where you want to go.' I believe the answers are hidden within ourselves, and I want to continue enjoying life by facing myself."

As evident from interviews about her stage performances last year, we eagerly anticipate Miyuki Matsuda's return to the stage in 2022, with her unique charm that inspires courage in people.