| SoulHead |
When the sister duo SoulHead (Yoshika and Tsuguni) debuted with their first single �gStep to the New World�h in August 2002, everyone knew they were something special. As the song implied, people were invited into a new world of well blended dance, funk, and soul music. Many took up the offer, since that kind of sound had rarely been heard in the world of J-Pop. Add to that strong vocals, harmonies and an impressive rap technique and you had a breakout hit on your hands. The single was placed in the power plays of several radio stations and their video received similar treatment. SoulHead�fs follow-up single �gLover, Knight, Man�h got even more attention. Just 4 months after their debut they were performing in front of thousands at major venues in Japan. Since then they have continued to ride a wave a success including two successful album releases �gOh My Sister�h (2003), �gBraided�h (2004) and a national tour. Secret of Success How did SoulHead do so well so fast? In this author�fs humble opinion there were 3 factors: Timing, Uniqueness of sound, and Ability. In the case of �gTiming�h their debut came at point when J-R&B/Hip-Hop�fs popularity was leveling off. People may have been looking for something different. This brings us to �gUniqueness of Sound�h. In any popular genre there comes a point when the music starts sounding and feeling the same. J-Hop was and is no different. Big record labels will usually stay with what works. However �gStep to the New World�h with its up-tempo soulful beat not only breathed new life into the genre but successfully crossed over from being known as a good �gR&B�h song to being a good song in general. Finally �gAbility�h is a major factor. The two young ladies who make up SoulHead are talented singers and songwriters. Tsuguni is especially noticeable as the �grapper�h of the duo since her voice and technique eerily resemble that of the late Lisa �gLefteye�h Lopez. Whether this is by design or a happy coincidence is unclear, but it works and works well. Making SoulHead a duo to look out for in the coming years. |
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