Joji is the Japanese American pop star we’ve been waiting for

Joji is an American Japanese pop star that is showing there's room in the pop music industry for powerful artists who don't shy away from race.

A recent headliner at the Head in the Clouds festival in Los Angeles, Joji brings all new meaning to the word "representation".

"He expresses himself in a way that I really identify with", Cynthia Lee, Freshman at UCLA says. "His content is dark and moody, and as an Asian American myself, I connect with his story more than I connect with other pop stars. For him, race is a part of who he is. He's an important voice in the conversation about race in America."

Touted by mainstream music listeners and K-Pop listeners alike, Joji has struck a chord as a sensitive yet grimy artist, bringing soulful vocals to lush textured lo-fi beats.

"He's sort of combined so many elements of my world growing up," continues Lee, "and that's what makes him so unique and powerful."

Joji is a kind of folk hero to some within the American K-Pop fanbase. He is the first Japanese American artist to release a platinum album under the K-Pop genre. BALLADS 1, his full-length studio debut, has earned him over 12 million monthly Spotify listeners.

"It's really good to feel represented", says Lee.

"I think Joji serves as a wake-up call for America. Artists like Rich Brian, iKon, and Joji are redefining what it means to be a successful pop star in American music. Joji is the artist many of us have been waiting for."