Nao Yoshioka vocals · Alex Wesson keys · Manny Simelane bass · JJ Wallace drums
Nao Yoshioka is one of the rarest things in music: a true soul singer.
Born in Japan, she made her way to New York driven by a singular calling. The moment Sam Cooke’s voice reached something deep inside her, she knew she wanted to dedicate her life to creating music that could touch people on the same level. She has been chasing that feeling ever since, pouring it into every note she sings. Her voice carries the raw power of Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston while speaking the language of modern soul, bridging the classic and the contemporary with an authenticity that is impossible to fake. As a Japanese artist carving out a unique place within the global soul scene, she stands in a category of her own.
Above all, Nao Yoshioka is a live artist. A concert video that surpassed 5.2 million views on YouTube brought her to the world’s attention, and she has continued to build that reputation through performances at Blue Note New York, London Jazz Cafe, Java Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Fest, and stages across the globe. She also made history as the first Japanese artist to chart on Billboard’s UAC chart, reaching No. 32.
In 2024, she released her fifth studio album Flow and embarked on a world tour spanning 11 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In 2026, she continued expanding her creative world through collaborations with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Bilal and a diverse range of artists across generations and genres, further establishing her presence within the international soul scene.
Now, with her new album self and another world tour on the horizon, Nao Yoshioka continues to evolve as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary soul music. Deep, elegant, and emotionally direct, her voice crosses borders and speaks straight to the heart.
