There’s nothing quite like watching an artist you love reach new heights. This series spotlights up-and-coming artists, recommended by Japanese music fans, experts, and insiders – so you catch them on the rise.
I still recall the exact moment I heard jo0ji’s music. My day was a blur of to-dos, and my mind was sprinting from one activity to the next. I felt frantic yet tired, with a brain in full overdrive.
Then, the music began - and suddenly, time stopped still.
For the next three minutes and twenty seconds, the noise in my head quieted down. I slowly sat down, and listened quietly to the beautiful voice of a kind soul.
I played “Fukutsu ni Hana” endlessly that year.
Perhaps that’s the sheer magic of jo0ji and his music. His lyrics feel like letters from a close friend, and they are carried by melodies transporting you to his seaside home.
He’s an artist who has already caught the attention of many in the Japanese music industry. So here’s why you should give him a listen, too.
Perhaps the most surprising fact I learned about jo0ji, was that he never planned on pursuing a music career.
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter comes from a small seaside town in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, with strong ties to the local fishing industry.
jo0ji is the son of a fisherman. While balancing his music career, he continued to work at the local port.
jo0ji loved music from a young age. He grew up playing piano, recounting the memories of listening to artists like Miyuki Nakajima and Takuro Yoshida on his parents’ record player. Still, it would be many years later, in his early twenties, when he began making tracks for a friend’s rap songs.
At the time, music was nothing more than a hobby. That is, until an act of kindness changed everything.
jo0ji's breakthrough came unexpectedly.
When a close friend was struggling, he decided to write a song, “Fukutusu Ni Hana” to lift his spirits. It was the first full song that he ever wrote. His friend was deeply moved, and it inspired jo0ji to continue making music.
In 2023, he posted the song on YouTube - and it wasn’t long until the experts from the country’s music industry took notice, wondering who this talented young man was. Soon after, Sony Music gave him a call.
In the years following, jo0ji’s popularity has only continued to grow.
At the start of 2024, Spotify Japan, Amazon Music, and others spotlighted jo0ji as one of the country’s up-and-coming artists. Later that year, he made his major record label debut.
This year has brought more milestones, with the release of his first album, AEKA.
Earlier in the year, he shared the spotlight with next-gen stars natori and imase in a special joint concert - and in the summer, he performed at one of the country’s biggest music festivals, the prestigious Fuji Rock.
Even before they had become friends, singer-songwriter imase1 described jo0ji’s music as “radiating individuality in all directions.”
With each release, jo0ji releases a comment where you can read the stories that shaped each of his songs. They defy easy categorization, and are shaped by the life he’s lived, the seaside hometown, and the friends he so deeply loves.
For me, listening to jo0ji’s music feels like peering into his kaleidoscopic world. It reflects the hardships of daily life, yet it iridescently sparkles with beauty.
jo0ji’s music both moves me and heals me. And I’m excited to keep listening, to see where his world takes me next.
Check out my article on utatune.com, with more info about jo0ji! And, be sure to support jo0ji, via the links below!
YouTube | X | Instagram | TikTok
Men’s Non-no - imaseの今から聴きたいネクストBUZZアーティスト『jo0ji』
Spotify Newsroom『RADAR: Early Noise 2024』選出アーティスト、jo0jiインタビュ
Spice 鳥取出身、漁港で働く注目のアーティスト・jo0jiが作り上げる世界観
He has also become one of jo0ji’s good friends!
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