Japanese-Australian artist JOJI returns with his new single ‘Sanctuary‘. Listen HERE.

An enormous power ballad teeming with emotion and sentiment, ‘Sanctuary‘ gives voice to a lovesick yet hopeful feeling towards an unrequited love. While the single calls upon sensibilities of 80s icons like Phil Collins and Journey, ‘Sanctuary‘ is drenched in minimalistic beats and futuristic soundscapes, acting as somewhat of a “taste before the madness.”.

The accompanying video (out tomorrow), directed by Eoin Glaister, is a campy space drama as envisioned by Joji. A melancholic space odyssey that tells the story of “Captain Joji,” the video follows a space ranger who travels across lightyears to defeat his arch nemesis. The video begins with Captain Joji succeeding in ridding the universe of his sworn enemy and portrays life a year later for Captain Joji and his crew. The visual deals with the malaise of a hero who, after saving the galaxy, no longer bears a purpose. The burden of being a hero without a clear future weighs heavily on Captain Joji. What does one do next?

The release of ‘Sanctuary‘ follows a breakthrough year for Joji, who received gold certification and scored his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 for ‘SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK‘, charted at No.1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart with his debut LP BALLADS 1, and has accrued over 310 million streams to date. BALLADS 1 itself has reached over 850 million streams as of today. A master of multiple mediums, Joji is an Osaka-born Japanese-Australian singer and producer capturing a following from every corner of the Internet. The multi-talented visionary defies convention — his songs are characterised by down tempo, melancholic themes and soulful vocals, layered over lush grimy textures, blending elements of trap, folk, electronic, and R&B. Featured everywhere from Nylon to Billboard to VICE News (HBO) to The FADER and beyond, Joji is one of the most interesting and promising new artists in the digital age.

‘Sanctuary‘ is out now via 88rising, buy/stream it here.

Stay connected with Joji:
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