What do you get when you mix a little Jack Johnson, John Mayer and a dash of Kikkoman low-sodium soy sauce? You get Justin Nozuka, a young Japanese-American singer/songwriter whose debut CD “Holly” should be in any acoustic, neo-soul lover’s iPod. If you’re like me and are a fan of Jason Mraz or Matt Costa, check out what this teen talent from Toronto has to offer.
I recently heard his performance of “After Tonight,” a seductive ballad with a chorus that just soars, on Jimmy Kimmel. I was completely blown away by Nozuka’s voice and the beauty of his lyrics that unfold like modern-day fairytales.
Nozuka was born in Queens, New York City, on September 29, 1988, yet grew up in Canada. Music has been a part of his life since he was young. While attending St.Andrews College in Ontario during his early teenage years, he learned to play acoustic guitar from his classmates. Several of the songs on “Holly” were written when Nozuka was only 15. These include hits “Supposed to Grow Old” and “I’m in Peace.”
Nozuka’s songs convey a mature depth of emotion. “When I was 15,” Nozuka said, “I wrote a song about a girl I was seeing and realized it had come straight from my soul. I meant it when I said we would be soul mates forever, even if we split up; and I could convey that emotion when I sang.”
Eventually, Nozuka met Damhnait Doyle, a well-recognized Canadian artist, who introduced him to Universal Records. Nozuka, interestingly, turned down Universal’s first signing offer and ultimately chose to commit to Coalition Entertainment.
Recently, Nozuka’s limited edition first single “After Tonight” was featured on VH1, MTV and BBC Radio 1 and was named iTunes Single of the Week. Nozuka has also been nominated as “New Artist of the Year,” during the Juno award, and has had well over 18 million plays on his MySpace page.
In “Holly,” Nozuka gracefully describes the emotional battles that reside within most of us.
What’s so different about Nozuka in comparison to other stars of a similar musical genre is that he uses his lyrical poetry and music to comment on volatile, delicate topics. The listener doesn’t get a single motif from him but rather a cornucopia of themes that elegantly lace themselves together. The grappling ballad “Save Him” will literally put tears in your eyes.
His music blends a bluesy Americana vibe with soothing acoustic soul, reminiscent of old-times blues and pop that appears less and less frequently these days.
“For this album I wanted the production process to be easy and natural,” Nozuka said.
“When something didn’t feel right, I changed it. I used a handful of session musicians, but only sparingly, when they were really required. Most of ‘Holly’ was created over a one take vocal and acoustic guitar in my producer’s condo.”
“Nozuka is producing material that is unlike any other singer songwriters - and consequently is beyond genre definition,” Belfast Daily wrote.
Check out Nozuka’s debut record. I’ll guarantee that you’ll be hooked and wanting more. This teen has been called the new James Morrison and hailed as the new Jack Johnson — that should tell us something.
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