Jonah Yano is a young Japanese-Canadian singer-songwriter. Mixing the blues, R&B or soul, his musical universe is an oasis of sweetness for those who want to find some comfort at dawn, in the rising sun or at any time. A universe specific to the artist who takes us directly inside a bubble of softness, a cotton field in which we would completely let go to the rhythm of Yano by letting the rays of the sun pierce our skin and give us the warmth and comfort that we need. Well, this sweet metaphor is what makes us feel the music of Jonah Yano.

 

Last June, he released his first album entitled “Souvenir”. An intensely personal album, recorded between Toronto and Tokyo. Tokyo, where he also traveled to reconnect with his father after more than 15 years. Anecdote which brings us directly to the last song of his album; “Shoes” feat Tatsuya Muraoka, who is none other than his father himself. Song released last April already, shortly before the album was released. Due to its history, “shoes” is an extremely personal and delicate song.

 

Talking about delicacy, another song from the album is aptly called “delicate”. The second single from “souvenir”, Yano says he wrote this song about and for someone. With a video clip shot at the water's edge, in a retro style, the song is, as its name suggests, of an unnamed delicacy.

 

In “strawberry”, Yano talks about his experience as Japanese in Canada: “This is a song about my experience as a japanese person in canada and my grappling with it. I'm dressed as a salaryman which is a stereotypical image of the japanese man.This character represents the identity i've been expected to understand my whole life without ever actually understanding what being japanese means. ”

 

In the end, the album of this great artist in the making, is as much a source of happiness, sweetness as a source of shock. With titles as piercing as each other, “souvenir” is an album worth listening to. From the first listen it is easy to understand all its simplicity and at the same time its complexity from the titles all more personal than each other, but which adapt perfectly to each. 

 

Favorite of the editorial staff, Jonah Yano is an artist to discover and rediscover. His simplicity, his honesty, his sensitivity make him a touching and moving Being and artist.