jo0ji

Jo0ji

jo0ji (ジョージ, born September 10, 1999) is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He was born in Tottori Prefecture, where he currently resides. He is signed to Ki/oon Music.

Background

Raised by his fisherman father, jo0ji continues to work at a fishing port while pursuing his music career. Each of his songs is based on a real person or a related episode, often inspired by conversations with acquaintances, friends, and peers around him. He also posts self-written liner notes for each song on YouTube and his social media accounts. In addition to writing, composing, and arranging music, he also creates his own artwork.

When jo0ji was in the second grade of elementary school, he began playing a piano that had previously belonged to his mother. While taking piano lessons from an acquaintance in his neighborhood, he covered pieces such as Joe Hisaishi’s “Summer” and the Vocaloid song “Senbonzakura”. His parents often played records while drinking at home, and he has said that he grew up listening to artists such as Miyuki Nakajima, Takuro Yoshida, George Yanagi, and RC Succession, which later influenced his own music. He was also deeply impressed by live performances by RADWIMPS, which he saw as a junior high school student, and Elephant Kashimashi, which he saw as a high school student.

Since elementary school, jo0ji has also been fond of films, beginning with Sister Act and the Harry Potter series. Through films, he was often introduced to music; for example, he discovered Cyndi Lauper through The Goonies and went on to purchase one of her greatest hits albums.

jo0ji began his music career with his first song, “Fukutsu ni Hana”, which he wrote to encourage a friend who was feeling down. He adopted the name “jo0ji” when he uploaded the demo of “Fukutsu ni Hana” to YouTube. The name has no particular meaning; he added the “0” because there was already an artist named Joji.

In 2024, he gained attention after being selected for Spotify’s “Early Noise 2024”, a list of ten next-break artists expected to make significant progress that year. He also became acquainted with imase after releasing “Fukutsu ni Hana” digitally in August 2022, and the two have since developed a close friendship.

Evaluation (?)

In an editor’s note for an interview published in the April 2024 issue of ROCKIN'ON JAPAN, released on February 29, 2024, editor-in-chief Yoichiro Yamazaki described jo0ji as “an artist with a special power that makes a wide range of listeners feel they had been waiting for someone like him.” In another editor’s note for the November issue, released on September 30, 2024, Yamazaki praised him as “an artist who will become an enormously significant presence in the not-too-distant future.”

Career

2021

In June, jo0ji uploaded a demo of “Fukutsu ni Hana” to YouTube, marking the first time he had posted an original song, though it was later made private. In October, he released a demo of “Dasa” on YouTube.

2022

In February, he uploaded a demo of “Emo” to YouTube, followed by a demo of “Amayoi” in March. On August 3, he digitally released “Fukutsu ni Hana” and also premiered its music video, though both were later made private.

2023

On September 20, jo0ji released his first EP, 475 (read as Yonago), digitally. The EP was co-arranged by Ayatake Ezaki and Kan Inoue of WONK, and included five tracks in total, including a rearranged version of “Fukutsu ni Hana”, originally released in August 2022. The recording featured musicians such as Shuntaro Tsuneta and Sonoko Muraoka on strings, as well as Yutaka Yanagisawa of MONO NO AWARE on drums. The cover artwork was created by art director, designer, and illustrator Shintaro Kira.

“≒” (read as “Nearly Equal”), a track from the EP, was released in advance on September 6. Its music video was directed by the creative unit Margt.

On September 24, jo0ji made his first live appearance at exPoP!!!!! vol.156 at Spotify O-nest. On November 25, he performed at Margt ISLAND 23, a music and visual arts festival organized by the creative unit Margt, held at Spotify O-EAST.

2024

On January 11, jo0ji was selected for Spotify’s RADAR: Early Noise 2024, a program highlighting next-generation artists expected to make significant progress in 2024.

On January 31, he digitally released the single “Lantern”. On February 28, he released the single “escaper”. The music video featured actor Ryo Narita, who had previously listened to jo0ji’s music.

On March 15, he performed at Spotify Early Noise Night #16 at Spotify O-EAST. On May 3, he appeared on the BUZZ STAGE at JAPAN JAM 2024.

On June 30, he performed at Sign’s FES, a festival held in his home prefecture of Tottori. That same night, he released the music video for “Fukutsu ni Hana” from the EP 475 and announced that he had signed with SMEJ.

On July 10, he digitally released the single “Dasa”. The song was selected as FM802’s heavy rotation track for July.

On August 7, he digitally released the single “Nukui”. The song was used in the web video “Jikka e no Omoi” for Yakan no Mugicha from Sokenbicha. The video featured comedian Yuta Nakatani of Mayurika, who also provided the illustrations.

On September 4, he released the single “Manazashi”, followed by “BAE” on October 2 and “Work Song” on October 30.

On November 1 at WWWX in Shibuya, Tokyo, and November 9 at Yogibo META VALLEY in Osaka, he held his first solo concert, jo0ji 1st ONEMAN LIVE Isaribi.

2025

On March 12, jo0ji digitally released the single “Utau”. On June 11, he released the single “Joji”.

On July 9, he released his album Aeka on CD and digitally. The album included the previously unreleased songs “Emo” and “onajimi”.

On November 13, he digitally released the single “Amayoi”. On the same day, he began his nationwide tour Aekanaru, which consisted of eight performances across six cities.

2026

His new song “Yoake no Uta” was selected as the ending theme for Jujutsu Kaisen. The song began streaming on January 10, and a CD containing the track is scheduled to be released on March 4. Category:Year of birth unknown Category:Living people Category:People from Tottori Prefecture Category:Ki/oon Music artists Category:Japanese male singer-songwriters

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