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Soulhead
Soulhead
Origin	Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
Genres	Urban contemporary; J-pop;
Years active	2002–2013
Labels	Sony Music Associated Records (former); onenation (former); Avex Group (former)
Past members	Yoshika; Tsugumi;

Soulhead was a Japanese urban contemporary/R&B duo consisting of sisters Yoshika Sawayama (よしか) and Tsugumi Sawayama (つぐみ). Both were born in Hokkaidō; Yoshika was born on July 20, 1978, and Tsugumi was born on January 25, 1981. They worked with several well-known artists, including Sowelu, Koda Kumi, Crystal Kay and Ken Hirai.

Biography

Before they assumed the name Soulhead, Yoshika and Tsugumi were known as Batti Baas. Batti Baas released one vinyl single through Handcuts Records called Lovin' You, which featured Aaron Blackmon. The song was a remake of the Minnie Riperton standard. In February 2002, they released a CD single through Tokuma Japan Communications called Inside Out.

Shortly after the release of Inside Out, they were signed to Sony Music Associated Records and began working under the pseudonym Soulhead. The label sent them one year abroad to Australia and New Zealand to improve their proficiency in English. They released their debut single, Step to the New World, on August 21, 2002. In 2006 they were transferred to Sony Music Associated Records' sublabel, onenation. They appeared on various compilations with other Japanese artists. Soulhead's sound was a blend between various genres, such as soul, hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, reggae and funk, with many of their lyrics in English. They usually worked with the production team known as Octopussy. They also worked on releases with other Japanese artists, such as Kumi Koda and Soul'd Out. Yoshika is also a renowned songwriter, who has worked with artists such as Sowelu, Ken Hirai and Crystal Kay.

On February 21, 2007, they released a greatest hits album called Best of Soulhead, which contained all of their singles released up to Naked, along with a few b-sides. On February 24, 2010, after a four-year hiatus, they released a new album titled Soulhead under Avex Group, which they transferred to from SMEJ.^[2] On September 28, 2011, the duo released their second Avex album, Jump Up the Wall. This has been their final release to date.

Yoshika released her first solo album on July 3, 2013, titled My Anthem, which consisted of twelve new songs and one remix. Six months later, she released another album: a remix album compiled of remixes from My Anthem.^[3]

As of March 2016, their Avex site was unavailable.^[4]

Yoshika is the singer of alternative band Free But Sharp Pain, first formed in 2014.^[5] They have released one EP, Fall Into Reverie, in 2022.

Since 2014, Tsugumi performs with fellow rapper Luna as hip hop duo MaryJane,^[6] releasing one album called Street Names in 2014 and an EP, Two, in 2016, via Luna's own label Lilbooty Recordings. Tsugumi released her first solo album on May 18, 2016, titled LUVPLATE, on the Lilbooty Recordings label. She released two solo songs in 2019, "Nail Gossip" and "Braid My Hair", and an EP titled Laid Back in 2021. It was announced in their official blog that Yoshika gave birth to a baby. In 2022 she hosted a radio show on FM Karatsu.

Influences

Some musical artists who they respect are Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Takuro Yoshida and Ice Cube.^[7]

Albums

Studio albums

Oh My Sister
Rank: #3 / Sold: 214,545
March 5, 2003
Braided
Rank: #4 / Sold: 139,992
April 28, 2004
Naked
Rank: #5
March 8, 2006
Soulhead
Rank: #40
February 24, 2010
Jump Up the Wall
Rank: #73
September 28, 2011

Best albums

Best of Soulhead
Rank: #5
February 21, 2007

Remix albums

Re-Construct Album Vol.1 Reflection
Rank: #89 / Sold: 9,602
September 26, 2003
Re-Construct Album Vol.2 Crystallized
Rank: #41
June 21, 2006

Yoshika solo albums

My Anthem
Rank: #286
July 3, 2013
My Anthem: Sympathetic Resonance
January 22, 2014

Tsugumi solo albums

Luvplate
May 18, 2016
Laid Back EP
September 24, 2021

Singles

Standard singles

(Source^[8])

"Lovin' You feat. Aaron Blackmon" (Batti Baas)
January 7, 2001
"Inside Out" (Batti Baas)
June 2, 2002
"Step to the New World"
Rank: #24 / Sold: 59,287
July 24, 2002 (12")

August 21, 2002 (CD)
"Lover, Knight, Man"
Rank: #36 / Sold: 18,410
November 20, 2002
"Sora"
Rank: #28 / Sold: 16,035
February 5, 2005
"Oh My Sister (Remix)/I'm Just Going Down"
Rank: #114 / Sold: 2,561
May 2, 2003
"Get Up! EP"
Rank: #28 / Sold: 15,967
July 30, 2003
"You Can Do That"
Rank: #36 / Sold: 18,691
January 21, 2004
"No Way"
Rank: #50 / Sold: 5,353
March 24, 2004
"At the Party"
June 2, 2004
"Fiesta"
Rank: #35 / Sold: 7,773
May 25, 2005
"Sparkle Train/Got to Leave"
Rank: #30 / Sold: 15,324
December 14, 2005
"Pray/XXX feat. Koda Kumi"
Rank: #22 / Sold: 10,109
January 27, 2006
"Kimi no Kiseki/Itsumademo..."
Rank: #56
December 6, 2006
"Dear Friends"
Rank: #60
January 24, 2007

12" analog singles

(Source^[9])

"Too Late" [DJ Watarai remix]/Song For You [DJ Hironyc remix]
August 20, 2003
"Break Up" [DJ Masterkey remix]/Playboy [Saigenji remix]
August 20, 2003
"To Da Fakes MCs"
September 10, 2003
"Lover, Knight, Man" [D.O.I.+Octopussy remix]/Moon Shine feat. Aaron Blackmon [Doggystyle remix]
September 10, 2003
"Sparkle☆Train" - produced by Mark de Clive-Lowe / You can do that - produced by Reel People
July 13, 2006
"XXX" - produced by SA-RA / "Pray" - produced by Kenny Dope
July 13, 2006

DVDs

Oh My Sister Live & Clips
October 8, 2003
Soulhead Tour 2006: Naked
August 9, 2006
Best of Soulhead: 5th Anniversary Tour
November 11, 2007

Collaborative efforts and featured artist

"Ryuusei no Sadoru" (流星のサドル / Meteor of the Saddle) (February 25, 2004)
from album Soul Tree ~a musical tribute to toshinobu kubota~
"Like a Queen" February 23, 2005)
from single "Like a Queen feat. Soulhead" / Tomita.Lab^[10]
"D.D.D feat. Soulhead" (December 21, 2005)
from album BEST ~second session~ / Koda Kumi
"Home party feat. Tsugumi of Soulhead" (August 1, 2007)
from the album おたくgirlsの宴 / lecca^[11]
"Beauty and the Beast" (September 26, 2007)
from the album Tribute to Celine Dion^[12]
"Love Majic feat. Luna, Tsugumi of Soulhead, and Jamosa" (July 28, 2010)
from the album Power Butterfly / lecca^[13]
"Round Mirror Moon feat. Yoshika" (October 2, 2010)
from the album 攻め燃える (Burning Attack) / Jabberloop^[14]
"Natural High feat. Tsugumi" (October 2, 2010)
from the album 攻め燃える (Burning Attack) / Jabberloop^[15]
"Slow Motion feat. Tsugumi" (May 18, 2011)
from the album OPEN THE DOOR / Hiroko^[16]
"Dreamers feat. Tsugumi" (October 26, 2011)
from the album BEHIND the TRUTH / Nerdhead^[17]