jo0ji signs with Sony Music Labels & releases music video for "Fukutsuni Hana"

■jo0ji is the son of a fisherman and is a unique artist who continues to work at the fishing port while also pursuing a musical career.

Jo0ji, an artist from Tottori Prefecture, has signed with Sony Music Labels (Ki/oon Music). The music video for “Fukutsu ni Hana,” included in his first EP “475” (read: Yonago), released in September 2023, and a new artist photo have been released.

Jo0ji is a unique artist, the son of a fisherman who continues to work at the fishing port while also pursuing his musical career.

“Fukutsuni Hana” is the first song that jo0ji created to encourage his local friends. On August 3, 2022, he released the single version of “Fukutsuni Hana” and started his artist career. The song ranked in the Spotify Trending Chart Viral Top 50 and attracted a lot of attention.

The first EP “475”, released on September 20, 2023, includes a newly recorded version of “Fukutsuni Hana”, and the music video released this time is the one for that song.

The music video was directed by the creative unit Margt, who also directed the video for jo0ji’s “≒” (read: Nearly Equal) “Lantern.” The entire video was shot in Tottori Prefecture, and the colors and tones that make you feel like you’re in another world are beautifully intertwined with the lyrics and worldview of the song, resulting in a unique visual expression.

The new artist photo was also taken in his hometown of Tottori. Photographer Ayumu Kosugi, who also takes photos of jo0ji’s live performances, captured a natural jo0ji.

jo0ji was selected by Spotify as one of the next-generation artists expected to make a breakthrough in 2024, “RADAR: Early Noise 2024,” announced on January 11, and was also selected by Amazon as “Breakthrough Japan: Artists to Watch in 2024.” In October 2023, “≒” was selected as the latest song by the next comer to listen to now, “J-WAVE SONAR TRAX,” and he is attracting attention as the next breakout artist.

First, let’s experience jo0ji’s musical world through the music video for “Fukutsuni Hana,” which can be said to be the origin of his work.