Albums
Flow (Deluxe Edition)
“Flow (Deluxe Edition)” is an expanded journey of sound and spirit, offering new remixes and unreleased tracks that reflect Nao Yoshioka’s continued growth and presence.
Nao Yoshioka’s 5th album Flow embodies her journey of self-discovery and musical evolution. Born from resonance with artists based in the US, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, and Japan, the album features an open, liberating sound where soul, R&B, jazz, and funk blend freely. The newly released Flow (Deluxe Edition) expands on the original’s energy with the addition of a new track, “If U Believe,” a collaboration with MXXWLL, along with fresh remixes. It is a sound that surpasses who she once was and lives fully in the present moment.
New Remix: “Nobody Chase Me (Shuko Remix)”
German producer Shuko, known for his collaborations with Kanye West and Anderson .Paak, o ers a remix that enhances the original track’s refined R&B mood. His signature groovy beats and classic sampling techniques add layers of depth, making it a standout reinterpretation.
New Remix: “You Never Know (SWARVY Remix) feat. Melanie Charles”
Philadelphia-born producer SWARVY, a prominent figure in the LA beat scene, brings a lo-fi twist to this emotional track. The remix features singer and flutist Melanie Charles, known for her releases on Blue Note Records. Together, they add a fragile yet profound dimension to the song, which conveys the pain of loneliness while holding on to the belief in connection.
New Song: “If U Believe”
An electrifying dance tune created in collaboration with MXXWLL. The track incorporates a sample from a song released 13 years ago, a moment when the determination to spark change first took root. “If you keep believing, it will truly come to life” — this powerful message resonates through the music, echoing into the future.
Flow (Acoustic)
Experience a New Side of "Flow": An Acoustic Dialogue Between Voice and Guitar
Nao Yoshioka's highly acclaimed 5th album, "Flow," takes on a new life in her first-ever acoustic EP, offering a fresh and intimate perspective on her celebrated work. This reimagined collection, born out of heartfelt sessions with guitarist Kazuki Isogai, captures the essence of each song, presenting them instripped-down,soul-stirring arrangements that deeply connect with listeners. With just vocals and guitar, the EP reveals raw emotion and vulnerability at its core. Kazuki's nylon and electric guitar textures shift beautifully across tracks, creating a dynamic soundscape that complements Nao's soulful voice. Their chemistry shines through each performance, radiating spontaneity and authenticity. "Note to Self" blends heartfelt reflections with floating guitar tones, delivering a poignant message of self-love. "Selfish" offers a warm, cozy arrangement perfect for winter nights, while the nostalgic reimagining of "Feeling So Bright" uncovers new layers of emotion. The unfiltered passion of "Unapologetically Me" showcases Nao's vocal artistry and storytelling. Released in 2024, the original "Flow" album earned international acclaim and led to successful tours across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. This acoustic EP continues that journey, reinterpreting the album's themes while breathing new life into its songs. The relaxed, organic sessions between Nao and Kazuki bring an authenticity that makes this project deeply personal and immersive. Whether you're a longtime fan or a first-time listener, this EP offers a raw, soul-to-soul connection that resonates on every level.
Flow
Nao Yoshioka’s 5th album “Flow,” is a post-pandemic collaboration that reconnects a divided world through music and shared light.
“Flow” born from overcoming the trials of the pandemic and rediscovering light, represents a collaborative effort that brings together artists from various countries, bridging the gap in a divided world through music once again. Collaborations with artists representing scenes from the US, UK, Netherlands, Australia, and Japan, including Devin Morrison, Reuben James, MXXWLL, JAEL, Jarreau Vandal, and Takuya Kuroda, amplify her musical identity. Elite engineers, including Qmillion, who mixed Robert Glasper’ s masterpiece, and Sam Brawner, known for his work with Anderson .Paak, also contributes. After enduring challenging times, this album, themed around self-discovery and expression, guided by Nao’s deep creativity in a state of immersion, leads listeners into an uplifting sound that sways both hearts and bodies, inviting them into their own immersion. This blend of soul, R&B, jazz, and funk becomes a symbol of hope and revival that Nao delivers to the world, resonating as a baton of timeless music.
Undeniable
Nao Yoshioka, the Japanese soul siren, releases her long-awaited 4th album ‘Undeniable’ which unleashes unbridled and passionate feelings from deep down in her soul
‘Undeniable’, Nao’s 4th album born out of her unrelenting motivation, a motivation that has led her to create an album with a sublime concoction of warm, yet brisk live instrumentation and digital cutting-edge beats. In addition to Musicman Ty, producer of ‘I Love When’ from her album ‘The Truth’, ‘Undeniable’ features production work of an all-star team including the “King of Indie Soul” Eric Roberson, Lorenzo Johnson (Ledisi, Maysa), Chris Dave and The Drumhedz keyboardist Daniel Crawford, and A Touch of Jazz production team alumni and Grammy-winning producer, Vidal Davis (Ne-yo, Usher) to name a few. The music was recorded live at the legendary Philly studio, MilkBoy the Studio with Khari Mateen (Jill Scott, The Roots) at the engineering helm.
The album’s lead single, ‘Got Me’, again produced by Musicman Ty, is a grey area love song of mixed feelings — not all love and hate is black and white. On the track ‘Liberation’, Nao delves into when there are times fear compels you to make mistakes in life. ‘Up and Away feat. PHER’, produced by LA-based Lorenzo Johnson, features the extremely talented singer/songwriter Chris Turner (PHER) who after living in New York for more than 10 years, recently picked-up and moved to LA, while Nao just recently moved to the US from Japan. Naturally their ambitions to start afresh synched to create a perfect song. ‘Undeniable’ will put Nao on the same level as her counterparts around the world, and turn a few heads along the way.
The Truth
Nao Yoshioka’s 3rd album, “The Truth”, features well-know collaborators including a member of the The Roots while her performance at Capital Jazz Fest 2016, was received with an outpouring of love and respect.
Since arriving on the scene in 2013, Nao Yoshioka has crisscrossed the globe performing in numerous cities in the US, The Netherlands, and most recently the UK for the first time, while still performing at a number of well-known venues in Japan including Blue Note and Billboard Live. In June 2016, she hopped a plane for Washington DC to perform at one of the largest US summer festivals, Capital Jazz Fest, where she witnessed an outpouring of love from the crowd. The reception and experience has given rise to her standing on the international soul music stage. “The Truth” is testimony that real music connects people beyond all boundaries. “The Truth” comprises all original material with the title track, “The Truth” being produced by Grammy-nominated Khari Mateen who has also worked with Jill Scott and James Poyser to name a few. In addition, the dreamy R&B ballad, “I Love When”, was produced by Swizz Beatz producer and writer Musicman Ty who has worked with Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj. This album embodies a new generation feel that has evolved over time while highlighting Nao’s undeniable talent.
Rising
A Talented Singer has Arrived and Knows No Boundaries: The Long-awaited Major Debut of a Soul Singer Who Is Making Japan Proud
Set to release her major debut album, "Rising", Nao Yoshioka has created new possibilities for the Japanese music industry around the world, and has done so with a certain quality that Japan can take pride in. She has trained in New York which is known for being one of the main arteries of in the world, and while there she reached the final stage at one the largest gospel music festivals in the US from amongst 40,000 entrants. She has shown ability that goes beyond cultural and racial barriers. After retuning to Japan in 2012, the following year she released her very successful debut album, “The Light”, and in April 2015 will release her much anticipated major label debut album “Rising.”
Nao Yoshioka is one of the few Japanese artists where such genuine music can be heard. As testament, a number of first-class artists from all over the world have participated in her music production bringing with them a variety of flavors. Grammy Award-winning Gordon Chambers who has worked with Whitney Houston and Beyonce, the Dutch Queen of Soul Shirma Rouse, and the new voice of American soul Brian Owens to name a few have all produced music for her albums. This revolutionary music is worthy of the major debut of Nao Yoshioka. A new standard of Japanese music is defined here.
The Light
“The Light” was recorded in three countries, the US, The Netherlands, and Japan with artist from five different nations participating!
Nao Yoshioka’s debut album “The Light” was recorded in three countries, the United States, The Netherlands, and Japan. The new voice of American soul, Brian Owens who performed live at the Obama Whitehorse, recorded the instruments for three songs in the US and also gave vocal direction. Two very talented singer-songwriters based in New York, ORLY and Dani Elliott composed and co-wrote the fun, rock love song included on the album. Shrima Rouse, The Netherlands No. 1 Soul Queen, produced and recorded the instruments in The Netherlands for three songs and also contributed with vocal direction.
Some of Japan’s top soul musicians were active in the project and supported by Takuya Kuroda, the talented trumpeter from José James’ band. In addition, Miho Fukuhara and HIROYUKI MATSUDA also participated by composing the title track “The Light.”
“You will know that Yoshioka possesses the gift after hearing her version of “Feeling Good,” the album’s opening track, which begins with Yoshioka singing a cappella before the arrangement shifts into a mid-tempo funk number. We get it. This imouto has soul.” - Howard Dukes (SoulTracks.com)
